TIME magazine Lists the Segway as "Top Ten worst Tech failures..."

[Cory]

I don't understand the outrage here. When I saw the overview on the first page here I thought the list was a little ridiculous (Youtube? Top 10 worst tech failure? Seriously?)

Then I read the article and realized that it's talking about these things being failures from a financial standpoint. When you look at it from that view, everything on the list makes sense.

So are Youtube/the Segway a failure? Sure, if you're looking at it from a purely fiscal point of view. Are they actual failures when related to technology? Clearly not. Youtube is ubiquitous in daily life, and the Segway is a very cool piece of engineering.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by big1boom

Well... seeing as the rest of the 10 biggest tech failures are
Windows Vista
Gateway
HD DVD
Vonage
YouTube
Sirius XM
Microsoft Zune
Palm
Iridium
Segway

Last I checked, Vista is commonplace, Gateway sells lots of computers (I have one), Vonage has enough money to advertise, YouTube is everywhere, Sirius XM is installed in cars, my roommate has a Zune, a few people have Palm's..

So I wouldn't really consider this list the be the most credible...

I would count is as a credible list - and from exactly Cory's standpoint up above. Purely financial terms.

But let me pose this question to you all:
What difference does Segway have than every other product on the list?
No real competition.
I think we can all name some other competing product in every one of those product's fields that are more popular (and thus more profitable) on that list.

Can you do the same with Segway?
What is equal in a consumer product to a Segway at this point in time?
Who is Segway's major rival?
When you have a unique product, you would love to see your product thrive, but you don't mind if it doesn't since you have the market cornered.
Now whether or not it's a good market to be in, is of another discussion.

We all know that in terms of popularity & other attributes that:
Windows Xp > Windows Vista (MicroSoft is esentially competing with themselves, so who's losing that one overall?? No one really) lol
Dell > Gateway (in terms of sales)
Blueray > HD DVD (the clear winner was BlueRay)
Skype > Vonage
HULU > YouTube (sometimes)
iPod > Microsoft Zune (by leaps & bounds admittedly (I myself own 2 Zunes & 1 iPod & can admit that one)
Blackberry or iPhone > Palm (today, but not 10 years ago - if you were anything of a tech savy person, you had a Palm Pilot back in the day)

etc, etc...

But what company or product over-powered Segway in the market of providing the consumer a self balancing (electro-mechanical) people transporter?
(Bicycles & other human powered machines don't really count, nor compare for this in-depth of a comparison btw...)

The answer is nothing compares, nor competes with it currently.
So it's ridiculous to even put Segway on the list in my opinion.


By the way, does anyone know TIME's historical standpoint on the Segway?
I know an "independent" research company conducted the study, but that doesn't mean TIME has the last say as to what to publish.
Has TIME magazine embraced the Segway over the years, or shunned it, & thus had other motives for putting it on the list with no fair competition so to speak of.
Just wondering...

[Adam Y.]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

HULU > YouTube (sometimes)

It is a bit odd to be comparing HULU to YouTube when YouTube was designed to do things that HULU will never do. Most of the video services that are comparable to YouTube are floundering just the same.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

But let me pose this question to you all:
What difference does Segway have than every other product on the list?
No real competition.
I think we can all name some other competing product in every one of those product's fields that are more popular (and thus more profitable) on that list.

Can you do the same with Segway?
What is equal in a consumer product to a Segway at this point in time?
Who is Segway's major rival?
When you have a unique product, you would love to see your product thrive, but you don't mind if it doesn't since you have the market cornered.

But what company or product over-powered Segway in the market of providing the consumer a self balancing (electro-mechanical) people transporter?

The answer is nothing compares, nor competes with it currently.
So it's ridiculous to even put Segway on the list in my opinion.

I'm sorry to report that some people DO think Segway has a competitor. As I learned last week, the Sacramento International Airport just purchased a couple of T-3's. When I first saw this on the news, I thought they were modified Segways. And if you look at the "Customer Comments" page, they include quotes such as these:

"We’re replacing the Segway we use because this is more stable. It can get up and over curbs..."

"Stability is the main thing. This one uses an accelerator on the handlebars, as opposed to the Segway, which relies on body weight..."

Although it has 3 wheels instead of 2--and if I remember correctly, it costs even more than the Segway--functionally it does about the same thing (at least, in the context of police use). I think people still don't "get" the self-balancing concept of the Segway. Most people are more comfortable with the idea of a tricycle--after all, we rode them when we were little kids.

Furthermore, for police use, if an officer has to step off either of these, say, to apprehend a suspect, which is more likely to stay put--the Segway, or the T-3? In my experience, the Segway won't. Also, the weight limits are more realistic for police officers, who are often heavier than the Segway was designed for. The T-3 is slightly faster than the Segway, which may be an advantage in police work. The T-3 has integrated lighting; you have to pay extra to get a headlight for a Segway, which is inconvenient if you need to ride at night. The customer can choose from 6 colors (the Segway has only 3), and it has a swappable power module (which enables the T-3 to operate 24 hours).

So I have to say that apparently the Segway does have competition, though we could debate whether the differences are similar to the Apple/PC differences in scope. (I.e., the Apple and the PC have different platforms, but both are computers for individual use; the Segway and T-3 have different configurations, but both are personal motorized transportation devices.) We will also have to wait to see which, if either, of these devices will have any long-term place in society.

[Joe Matt]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I'm sorry to report that some people DO think Segway has a competitor. As I learned last week, the Sacramento International Airport just purchased a couple of T-3's. When I first saw this on the news, I thought they were modified Segways. And if you look at the "Customer Comments" page, they include quotes such as these:

"We’re replacing the Segway we use because this is more stable. It can get up and over curbs..."

"Stability is the main thing. This one uses an accelerator on the handlebars, as opposed to the Segway, which relies on body weight..."

Although it has 3 wheels instead of 2--and if I remember correctly, it costs even more than the Segway--functionally it does about the same thing (at least, in the context of police use). I think people still don't "get" the self-balancing concept of the Segway. Most people are more comfortable with the idea of a tricycle--after all, we rode them when we were little kids.

Furthermore, for police use, if an officer has to step off either of these, say, to apprehend a suspect, which is more likely to stay put--the Segway, or the T-3? In my experience, the Segway won't. Also, the weight limits are more realistic for police officers, who are often heavier than the Segway was designed for. The T-3 is slightly faster than the Segway, which may be an advantage in police work. The T-3 has integrated lighting; you have to pay extra to get a headlight for a Segway, which is inconvenient if you need to ride at night. The customer can choose from 6 colors (the Segway has only 3), and it has a swappable power module (which enables the T-3 to operate 24 hours).

So I have to say that apparently the Segway does have competition, though we could debate whether the differences are similar to the Apple/PC differences in scope. (I.e., the Apple and the PC have different platforms, but both are computers for individual use; the Segway and T-3 have different configurations, but both are personal motorized transportation devices.) We will also have to wait to see which, if either, of these devices will have any long-term place in society.

It looks like it's going to kill someone and take up half of a sidewalk. Great.

Originally Posted by JesseK

With the way the article rates everything, I'm surprised that something like the MacBook, or actually most of Apple's computer product line, isn't on there. Apple doesn't necessarily bleed cash because of their products, but they come close due to the extremely low market share and a continuously mediocre product (and the only thing they're doing is throwing cash at it via advertising...worst idea ever...).

Hate to bring this back but....

Dell Quateryly Down 63%
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/te...ref=technology

comparatively...

Apple Shows Best March Quarter Revenue In History
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/04/22results.html

You're argument is one of the worst I've seen, besides "my room mate has a Zune so it's not a failure! And I have a Gateway too!" kid...