It was supposed to change the world, revolutionize transportation and even reinvent urban planning as we know it. It is, of course, the Segway, but once it was known by the sexier code name of "Ginger." The name of the "gliding" electric scooter was actually a reference to actress Ginger Rogers, famed as Fred Astaire's regular onscreen dance partner, but it also (naturally) carries connotations of the voluptuous, seductive Gilligan's Island siren. Talk about a moniker that would get the fanboys talking.
Unfortunately, the Segway itself never lived up to the hype. Sure, there are some hardcore fans, and the Segway featured prominently on the beloved sitcom "Arrested Development," but the general public just hasn't caught on to it. Some blame its relatively high price, others just don't want to be seen riding the somewhat awkward scooters around. Additionally, some local and regional governments have legislated against the Segway, claiming that it's a road hazard. The company has also had to institute multiple recalls.
Some loyalists are still holding out on the possibility that it still might change the world, but right now, the Segway is still probably best known as eccentric Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak's polo mount of choice.
Photo by Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com
