Toyota Winglet - "Segway Killer" - Page 6

fcfactory · 08-10-2008, 11:01 PM

Competition is good...actually fantastic.

Seeing the Winglet, even though experimental, is great for the consumer!

It shows the guys in New Hampshire that they will not be exclusive anymore... Can you imagine INTEL without AMD. What price would we pay for microprocessors if INTEL was alone in the market...

This will help drive down the price of Segway to a more realistic number.

I remain convinced that mass market appeal would be phenomal at 1/2 price...

pam · 08-11-2008, 07:30 PM

Don't get too excited. You're not going to see this thing outside of Japan or possibly China. And Toyota is well known for doing concept "vehicles" and not following through. They had one last year, as I recall. But Segway owns the rights to the self-balancing technology in all the countries except Japan and one other (China, Taiwan??? can't remember exactly - but it's Asian). I doubt that Toyota will bring this to market. But it's fun to look at.
Pam

Quote:

Originally Posted by fcfactory

Competition is good...actually fantastic.

Seeing the Winglet, even though experimental, is great for the consumer!

It shows the guys in New Hampshire that they will not be exclusive anymore... Can you imagine INTEL without AMD. What price would we pay for microprocessors if INTEL was alone in the market...

This will help drive down the price of Segway to a more realistic number.

I remain convinced that mass market appeal would be phenomal at 1/2 price...

mark1qhorsey · 08-12-2008, 01:58 PM

The utility of enclosed wheel covers for the I2 might be an easily manufactured aftermarket fix?

How about it, inventors out there?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bud01234

The only thing I see that's worthwhile in the winglet, is the bubble sideskirts that cover up the outside of the wheels and would help avoid the nasty falls when a segway newbie brushes up against a wall.

MJEdelman · 08-12-2008, 06:29 PM

You have to balance the wheel covers against the potential increased hassle for maintenance of the wheels (e.g., adding air). It's already hard enough to get to that bent valve stem

ledebuhr1 · 08-12-2008, 08:52 PM

So we wont see real competition for the Segway untill the patents run out? how many years will that be? Id like to know how much they would cost if made in China a larger scale.

pam · 08-13-2008, 11:57 AM

Hmmm, with China's quality control, are you sure you'd buy something that requires precision and redundancy?????

Pam

Gihgehls · 08-13-2008, 01:59 PM

There's no reason to knock the quality of products that come from China. When contracting with China, you get exactly what you pay for. Most of my iPhone and PC were made in china. I'm sure some parts of the PT are built there too. If you want cheap crap, you get cheap crap. If you pay up for good frabriction, you get it.

Bob.Kerns · 08-13-2008, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gihgehls

There's no reason to knock the quality of products that come from China. When contracting with China, you get exactly what you pay for. Most of my iPhone and PC were made in china. I'm sure some parts of the PT are built there too. If you want cheap crap, you get cheap crap. If you pay up for good frabriction, you get it.

Well, it's not necessarily just about what you pay for, but also what you inspect for. As for any supplier, from any country.

If you just pay, and don't inspect, you really don't know what you're getting, whether your supplier is in China, Nambia, or Newark. If you don't care enough about quality to pay and inspect for it, then your quality is based on luck.

In most of the cases of poor quality from China (and elsewhere) recently, one has to wonder about the quality controls of the importing company.

safety1st · 08-13-2008, 04:18 PM

Anyone look to see where the PT batteries are made? Wait, is this a good example or a bad one?

David

Twyfer · 08-13-2008, 09:51 PM

I'm old enough to remember when "Made in Japan" meant junk. Not any more. Things change. They learned some lessons and now have some of the best quality control in the world. I'd say Chinese goods are in a similar state of transition.

As far as Segway having exclusive patents on the technology; as other people have already pointed out, a company like Toyota could buy Segway Inc and their patents ten times over out of petty cash.

If Segway Inc didn't want to sell Toyota could simply hire dozens of high powered patent lawyers and drain Segway Inc dry with legal challenge after legal challenge.

Whether or not Toyota market the Winglet will depend on Toyota's own assessment of market opportunities and strategic direction.

08-10-2008, 11:01 PM	#51
fcfactory Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Montreal, , Canada. Posts: 19	This is a good thing! Competition is good...actually fantastic. Seeing the Winglet, even though experimental, is great for the consumer! It shows the guys in New Hampshire that they will not be exclusive anymore... Can you imagine INTEL without AMD. What price would we pay for microprocessors if INTEL was alone in the market... This will help drive down the price of Segway to a more realistic number. I remain convinced that mass market appeal would be phenomal at 1/2 price...

08-12-2008, 06:29 PM	#54
MJEdelman Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 290	Wheel Covers... You have to balance the wheel covers against the potential increased hassle for maintenance of the wheels (e.g., adding air). It's already hard enough to get to that bent valve stem __________________ Michael Edelman

08-13-2008, 04:18 PM	#59
safety1st Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 328	Good and bad Anyone look to see where the PT batteries are made? Wait, is this a good example or a bad one? David

08-12-2008, 08:52 PM	#55
ledebuhr1 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 32	So we wont see real competition for the Segway untill the patents run out? how many years will that be? Id like to know how much they would cost if made in China a larger scale.

08-13-2008, 11:57 AM	#56
pam Last of the Early 30 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Yelm, WA Posts: 4,679	Hmmm, with China's quality control, are you sure you'd buy something that requires precision and redundancy????? Pam

08-13-2008, 01:59 PM	#57
Gihgehls Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Galactic Sector ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha Posts: 2,086	There's no reason to knock the quality of products that come from China. When contracting with China, you get exactly what you pay for. Most of my iPhone and PC were made in china. I'm sure some parts of the PT are built there too. If you want cheap crap, you get cheap crap. If you pay up for good frabriction, you get it.

08-13-2008, 09:51 PM	#60
Twyfer Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 74	I'm old enough to remember when "Made in Japan" meant junk. Not any more. Things change. They learned some lessons and now have some of the best quality control in the world. I'd say Chinese goods are in a similar state of transition. As far as Segway having exclusive patents on the technology; as other people have already pointed out, a company like Toyota could buy Segway Inc and their patents ten times over out of petty cash. If Segway Inc didn't want to sell Toyota could simply hire dozens of high powered patent lawyers and drain Segway Inc dry with legal challenge after legal challenge. Whether or not Toyota market the Winglet will depend on Toyota's own assessment of market opportunities and strategic direction.

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