Time for a gokart, Segway style!

NEWS – So let’s say that you have an extra Segway MiniPRO laying around that you aren’t using.  Yeah, no, I can’t really relate to this either, but work with me here and pretend.  You have an extra Segway MiniPRO laying around, and you wish there was something really fun you could do with it.  There is!  You can buy the Segway Ninebot Gokart Kit and convert your Segway into a gokart!  It’s a fully functional gokart with steering wheel, accelerator, brakes, and everything.  Top speed is 15 mph!  The MiniPRO supplies the back wheels and the battery, while the kit supplies everything else.  It’s a nifty transformation.  The Amazon page calls the resulting product a “drift racer,” but if you ever had a Big Wheel growing up with a hand brake, you know that you’re just getting a little spin out at the end rather than actually doing any drifting.  Still, it looks like a lot of fun, and the kit is only $800 on Amazon.

 

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Time for a gokart, Segway style! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 20, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Zip around the city with efficiency on a Boosted Mini X Electric Skateboard

NEWS – Okay, so this is pretty cool. And by that, I mean it’s really cool.

Boosted calls it “your new electric vehicle” and they’re not wrong.

With speeds up to 20 mph, the Boosted Mini X Electric Skateboard might replace the need for automobiles for many people in overpopulated cities. (Which is great for the environment, eeeeeeep!!!)

The board is 29.5 inches in length with a Deep Dish deck and a kicktail for ultimate control and maneuverability. According to Amazon, the deck is made from Poplar and Fiberglass, and weighs just under 17 pounds. It has a recommended weight limit of 250 pounds, but Boosted featured Shaquell O’Neal (325 lbs) riding their board on their Instagram page.

Small and lightweight, this is perfect for people who are always on the go.

It runs on 1 Lithium ion battery, which is included. This allows you to go the distance of around 14 miles before needing another charge, and the full charge time is 1 hour and 45 minutes. Tiny but mighty, the Boosted Mini can ascend hills up to a 2o% grade, with great control of acceleration and breaking.

Ride safe and easily because Boosted says, “Smoother and faster than ever, the wheel’s flex profile is soft enough to handle road imperfections, yet firm enough to provide all the grip riders need when it matters most.” It has strong trucks with 80mm lunar wheels.

Does anyone have Santa’s number? I just want to chat…

The remote control was made ergonomically to fit comfortably in your hand. It has 3 ride modes, and each mode includes a special Jerk Filter that allows a careful taper when accelerating or braking, which provides a super responsive, yet predictable ride, from beginner to pro, according to Boosted.

Get moving! Buy yours for $999 on Amazon now.

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Zip around the city with efficiency on a Boosted Mini X Electric Skateboard originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 13, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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ICON A5 aircraft UPDATE – “Awesome comes standard”

Hey, guys, do you remember the ICON A5 aircraft that I wrote about in 2015? It’s a wonderfully innovative Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) that “reinvents recreational aviation”. This aircraft is designed for people who like to fly for fun (it is classified as an S-LSA or Special-Light Sport Aircraft).

The A5 has all kinds of wonderful features: it can land on land, water, runway, beach, dirt strip, etc.; and it has retractable landing gear, has folding wings for easy transport, and uses 91-octane (premium unleaded) automobile gasoline. It has some cool safety features too, like a spin-resistant airframe so if the plane stalls you won’t go into an uncontrollable spin, an angle of attack indicator to alert you to a potential stall, and a whole aircraft parachute in case of engine failure. (Please see my previous post about the ICON A5 or visit the ICON website for more details about this aircraft and how to obtain your Sport Pilot License).

NEWS – The ICON A5 production facility is currently up and running and you can order yours today on the ICON website by placing a fully refundable $5,000 deposit to get it delivered by the first quarter of 2019. The full cost of the A5 is $389,000 pre-configured with all available options.

ICON will contact you at least 180 days prior to your expected A5 delivery date to confirm your order and have you select your desired options. At that time, you will sign your Aircraft Purchase Agreement and an additional deposit will be required to confirm your order. Third party financing may be available.

If you don’t happen to have $389,000 just laying around, ICON has announced a beta-test program, called ICON Fleet Access, to make the A5 more accessible and more cost effective for those interested.

ICON Fleet Access is a full-service sales and aircraft management solution that offers 50% and 25% ownership shares of the ICON A5 and, unlike many other programs in the industry, will also allow owners to use other shared A5 aircraft in various locations across the U.S. as if they were their own. The program provides all scheduled maintenance, storage, insurance, scheduling, dispatch, staging, and even pre-positioning as well as A5 trailer access.

It’s like a time-share for the A5.

The program launches in the fall of 2018 in Tampa, Miami, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay area and may expand into Texas, the Midwest, Southeast, Northeast, Pacific Northwest, and the Great Lakes in 2019 if it is successful.

There are limited slots in the beta program and ICON is offering 25% shares for $95,000 initially for those who sign up early. Post-beta prices are expected to start at $125,000 for a 25% share of an A5 with monthly management fees of $900 to cover maintenance, storage, scheduling, and insurance, plus a $75 hourly rate when the aircraft is flown…

To learn more, visit ICON Fleet Access or contact a Product Specialist at fly@iconaircraft.com or 707.564.4100.

Ah, to have an inexhaustible supply of money…

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ICON A5 aircraft UPDATE – “Awesome comes standard” originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Coocheer self-balancing scooter review

According to the movie Back To The Future 2, by 2015 we should have now been riding around on our own personal day to day hoverboards. What a great world that would have been. As we are in 2018, and yet still don’t have the same technology to ride a non-wheeled skateboard deck that defies gravity, we have to settle for riding on a two-wheeled balancing board that utilizes the subtle shifting in our bodies to maneuver the board where we want it to go. Although this scooter board doesn’t defy gravity, it is still fun to ride.
 

What is it?

The Coocheer Self-Balancing Scooter Board is electric powered scooter that uses gyroscope sensors that allow the rider to control the direction and speed of the scooter. By simply leaning your body forward or backward, it causes the scooter to accelerate in a forward or backward motion as well as slow down or stop.
 
 

The Coocheer Self-Balancing Scooter physical specs are roughly 23″ in. x 7.3″ in. x 7″ in (585 x 186 x 180mm) and weighs around 22lbs (10kg).
The color I received to review was the red color. There are 3 other colors available, Black, Blue, and White. The body is made from a hard durable plastic material and there are non-slip rubber pads where you stand on which helps your feet from slipping.
The scooter board has a wheel size of 6.5″ inches and the scooter has a maximum speed of up to 10 MPH (16km/h). The alloy wheels are covered by solid rubber tires that allow the scooter to ride on various surfaces from carpet to outdoor terrain such as gravel or grass. Although not having to inflate these tires is very convenient, I think having inflatable tires could be advantageous on some hard flat surfaces for a smoother ride since there isn’t any type of shock absorber for the balance scooter board. The bumps over hard surfaces can be very unforgiving.

 

 
The scooter has an On/Off Button located right next to the Charging Port. It is an easy one touch button that doesn’t require you to press and hold for a few seconds. Just press the Power button quickly and it turns the scooter board on and off with no problem.
On the front of the scooter are two blue LED lights. They are used for aesthetics and visual alerts as well as give to off some illumination when riding in dark areas.
This balancing scooter board is water-resistant rated at IP54 so it should be ok to ride around in dusty areas and in splashing water or light rainfall.
 

What’s In The Box?

Along with the Coocheer Balancing Scooter is the charging adapter and manual.

Design and Features.

First and foremost, this is not a hoverboard as many others have stated in their descriptions. It has wheels.  If it were a hoover board then it would float above the ground without the aid of the two tires.  But I understand why these balancing boards would be called that since the sensation you get when you ride this balancing scooter board does feel like you would be hovering. Or at the least, it gives you the sensation of floating across the ground.
The size of this balancing board feels like the perfect dimensions for kids to adults. It’s not too big nor is it too small for anyone to comfortably stand shoulder width apart. This balancing board can accommodate an adult weighing up to 220lbs (100kgs).
 
According to the manufacturer, this balancing board can handle going up inclines of up to 15 degrees. Anything more than that and you’ll have difficulty going up the increased incline since you’ll be putting too much stress on the balancing board’s motors. The size of this balance board feels like the proper size to me. It doesn’t feel too big and bulky nor does it feel too small and awkward. When I stand on the non-slip pads, my feet are at a shoulder width stance which feels natural to keep my balance on the board. I think a small kid or a larger adult should have plenty of room for a natural stance.
The molded plastic body feels sturdy enough that if a 220 pound person were to stand on this balancing board, the plastic won’t crack under the weight.   
 
A 36V 4.0Ah Lithium battery is installed which powers two 250W motors. The battery life on the Coocheer scooter board is about 2 hours of continuous use and charges in about the same amount of time. There is a Battery Indicator on top of scooter board which displays the status of the battery. A major concern about these self-balancing scooters is the issue with their batteries being unsafe. Fortunately, the Coocheer self-balancing scooter is UL2272 Certified with a Smart battery and Intelligent Power-Off protection. And, this balance board has undergone a 159 Point Safety Test plus it has a temperature control system.
 
This balance scooter board being 22 lbs. gives it a nice sturdy feel to it without being to heavy to carry. It feels solid and doesn’t feel cheap. It also doesn’t feel like a toy, which honestly, is what I was expecting of these balance boards. I know there are other balance boards on the market that are more expensive and probably feel more solid but the Coocheer balance board feels like it can take a  beating.
A nice feature built in the Coocheer is a warning beep that alerts the rider when the maximum speed has been reached or exceeded.
The blue LED lights on the front of the balance board gives off some illumination when you are riding in dark conditions and just gives the balancing board a nice futuristic look to it. However, I wouldn’t suggest riding at night or in complete darkness since I don’t feel like the LED lights give off enough illumination to be used as safety headlights.
 

What I like

Sturdy and solid build.
Intelligent Power-Off
IP54 Water resistant.
159 Point Safety Tested.
Speed warning beep.

What needs to be improved

Non-inflatable tires.
Not ideal for low light or night riding.
No shock absorbers.

Final Thoughts

Having never ridden one of these self-balancing scooters boards before, I really looked forward to trying this out and see if I could actually pilot one. I can honestly say that I was intimidated the first time I actually stood on the scooter board itself. But for me, and years of competitive skimboarding and aggressive inline skating, the balance wasn’t a major concern. My main concern was not being able to control the Coocheer balance board. My biggest fear was slamming into a wall because I couldn’t steer the balance board to the direction I wanted it to go. But after a few times on the balance board, I got a grasp of the whole technique and was soon challenging myself to go faster, spin 360’s, lean against the turns, and more. After a while I felt like a seasoned rider. I wouldn’t even mind trying a bigger or faster version of these balance board.
Although these are absolutely fun to ride, there is definitely a learning curve. But with some practice and patience, you can build up the skills to ride these self-balancing scooter boards just like this Coocheer balance board.
Here’s a short video clip of me riding the Coccheer self-balancing scooter board.

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Coocheer. Please visit their site for more info.

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Coocheer self-balancing scooter review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 19, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Surf stairs and more with this 8-wheeled skateboard

The Stair-Rover from Allsport is a uniquely designed skateboard that will allow riders to skate down a flight of stairs with no effort. Traditional skateboards have only 4 wheels, but the Stair-rover has twice as many. The eight wheels and built-in shock absorbers allow this maple wood longboard to go where regular skateboard riders would typically avoid. Skate your whole city, from stairs to curbs and more with the Allrover StairRover. For more info about this skateboard, visit allrover.com and to buy one for $280, skate over to the Grommet and Amazon.

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Surf stairs and more with this 8-wheeled skateboard originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 26, 2017 at 9:52 am.

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