segway | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 07 Jul 2016 10:01:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png segway | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 More than 500,000 ‘hoverboards’ recalled over safety concerns https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jon-martindale/more-than-500000-hoverboards-recalled-over-safety-concerns/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jon-martindale/more-than-500000-hoverboards-recalled-over-safety-concerns/#respond Thu, 07 Jul 2016 10:01:24 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=298709 Remember the ‘hoverboard' craze of last year? It being 2015, the idea of riding something – even if it didn't hover – was pretty exciting, but due to a lack of regulation, the crazy ended before it could really start, due to faulty batteries. They were quite prolific too, as it's now emerged that more …

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Remember the ‘hoverboard' craze of last year? It being 2015, the idea of riding something – even if it didn't hover – was pretty exciting, but due to a lack of regulation, the crazy ended before it could really start, due to faulty batteries. They were quite prolific too, as it's now emerged that more than 500,000 of them have been recalled due to dangerous components.

Although the earliest iterations of the ‘hoverboards' – essentially self-balancing segways without the handlebars – were mostly safe, their popularity led to many copycat devices, defying patent law with abandon. These devices uses cheaper components to undercut the competition, often manufactured in China with less safety considerations and that's where the problems began.

hoverboard222

Source: Ben Larcy/Flickr

Devices produced at a fraction of the cost of the initial self-balancing scooters lead to fires, explosions, dead batteries and in many cases injured users. Although some of those latter wounds could be blamed on the operator, there were many cases where a device burned a user, or caused them harm that was entirely the fault of the defective hardware used in the hoverboard's construction.

The latest count is 99 reports to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for problematic hardware, 18 injuries and several cases of property damage (as per the Guardian). This has lead to the CPSC forcing a recall on many companies producing the gadgets and selling them in the UK, which could lead to as many as half a million being recalled.

Some of the companies in question include Swagway, which sold its own X1; Keenford with its iMoto; Hoverboard LLC's Powerboard, and Razor USA's Hovertrax.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The only injury I had from a hoverboard was almost breaking my arm when I fell off on a too-fast turn. Any of you guys get any scrapes or burns from these devices? 

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Amazon drops ‘hoverboards’ amid safety fears https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/amazon-drops-hoverboards-amid-safety-fears/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/amazon-drops-hoverboards-amid-safety-fears/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2015 11:36:12 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=278118 This year's celebrity Instagram phenomenon has arguably been the ‘hoverboard,' the Segway, swegway, Elite-Board… whatever you know it by: the two wheeled, self balance board. It's been tearing it up in social media posts and many real-world people have enjoyed them too, but amid safety concerns, Amazon has now stopped selling them, after a number …

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This year's celebrity Instagram phenomenon has arguably been the ‘hoverboard,' the Segway, swegway, Elite-Board… whatever you know it by: the two wheeled, self balance board. It's been tearing it up in social media posts and many real-world people have enjoyed them too, but amid safety concerns, Amazon has now stopped selling them, after a number were found to have serious design problems.

The issue stems from the fact that there is no patented design for them that must be adhered too. Everyone selling them can tweak what they like, which has led to the use of inferior components to try and reduce the price tag. In the case of batteries, that's meant some have caught fire, others have exploded and there has been some concern about non-certified chargers too (thanks the Guardian).

With as many as 88 per cent of the two-wheeled boards coming from outside the EU, many of them from China, a number have been found to fail basic safety checks. While there are some manufacturers and retailers that likely can pass those tests and provide a quality product, their price is likely to be far higher than the check-dodging undercutters.

hoverboard

Source: Wikimedia

Regardless though, nobody will be buying one of these from Amazon in the near future. Of course most of those who planned to buy one for Christmas probably have done already, so this block comes a little late from Amazon.

Anyone who has already purchased one is encouraged to check to make sure their ‘hoverboard' is safe for use and has a rated and tested UK power supply and plug. It's also worth remembering that these boards cannot be legally ridden on UK pavements or roads.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Any of you bought one of these? I had a go on one a few weeks ago and bailed hard. Be careful riding them too, it's easy to go flying once you get up to speed.

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Segway millionaire dies in scooter cliff plunge https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/slyvia/segway-millionaire-dies-in-scooter-cliff-plunge/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/slyvia/segway-millionaire-dies-in-scooter-cliff-plunge/#respond Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:47:36 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=18331 The owner of Segway, who make motorised scooters has plunged to his death in a freak accident while driving one of his own scooters. Jimi Heselden, 62, was found dead in a river after falling 80 feet over a limestone cliff near to his home. He was riding a rugged country version of his two …

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The owner of Segway, who make motorised scooters has plunged to his death in a freak accident while driving one of his own scooters.

Jimi Heselden, 62, was found dead in a river after falling 80 feet over a limestone cliff near to his home. He was riding a rugged country version of his two wheeled Segway scotter when it happened.

Heselden was worth £166 million and police are investigating as to how he seemed to have lost control of the scooter near Boston Spa, West Yorkshire. His Segway was found in the river near his body which indicates he was still riding the scooter when he drove off the cliff. The scooters are banned on British roads for safety reasons but are legal to drive on private land.

Mr Heselden had bought the Segway company last December and had plans to develop the machine more. He leaves a wife and four childen. A family spokesperson said “Our family has been left devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of a much-loved father and husband.’

Heselden was well known for donating huge sums of money to various charities and last week he donated £10 million to the Leeds Community Foundation which he set up, bringing the total to £23 million. This money has went into funds to help disadvantaged youngsters and vunerable elderly people.

This year he said: ‘I honestly believe people have a moral obligation to use their wealth to help others.’

KitGuru says: A sad loss for a man who gave much back to the community in the UK.

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