Segway miniPRO Review
Segway, remember them? Well, they’re back on our radar and back on the road to futuristic powered transport with their Segway miniPRO.
Stocked with cool capabilities and features ranging from mobile connectivity to those blue and red lights anyone would come to expect on a “hoverboard-like device,” the miniPRO is a step back into the future of personal transport without the bloated jokes that came whizzing on with the original Segway.
What’s great for anyone who is planning to buy a miniPRO, either via a pre-order on Amazon today, or when they become available at the end of June, is that, unlike the two-wheel hoverboards, there isn’t a smoky (too soon?) gray area around the legality. Segway has confirmed that is has a safety greenlight from UL who recently created a new certification level for personal powered transportation.
Segway miniPRO Specs:
- 800 Watt Dual Motor
- 10.5″ vacuum tires provides military-grade shock resistance
- 10.5 mph (almost 17kmph) top speed
- 14 mile (22.5) range
- UL 2272 Certified
- Knee Bar balance support for easy manuevering
- Ability to climb 15 degree slopes
The miniPRO Riding Experience
It’s actually a bit refreshing to see Segway come back and it looks like this is a device that could resurect the company from it’s current place in the proverbial tech recycling bin next to Google Glass.
As anyone who has seen Segway riders fail and fall on video can attest to, to an outsider, the Segway experience is awkward and at times even dangerous. Once expected to be the next big thing for getting from A to B, Segways can be mostly found at tourist traps along the Mediterean and from time to time with mall cops.
In part to address the balance issue, while trimming down the whole structure into a smaller, more portable package, Segway has designed the lower “superstructure” AKA “knee control pad,” to make balancing and turning a smooth experience. The knee bar is manufactured with PU foam and is adjustable. Just this seems to cement the mimiPRO as a much cooler cousin than the original, and awkward, offering by Segway.
Built Tough
Segway really does a good job at combining strong materials with their vision of true portability. The miniPRO frame features aircraft grade magnesium alloy which has been precision processed to be super-light with maximum flexibility. This will help you stand tall and sturdy even after hitting a pothole or two. Aircraft grade? Check!
A Segway you can control like a drone?
Yep! You read that correctly. The miniPRO connects to a proprietary app that lets you check statistics, enable a sophisticated anti-theft system that will notify your phone if someone is trying to rob you of your futuristic chariot and even let you control the wicked lights that are built in. What about the “drone-like controls?” There’s no need to use an app to control it’s movement, however, if a person is not detected to be standing on the miniPRO, you are able to control the device and move it around on your phone! Pretty neat eh? It’s like the most expensive RC car you can buy, one that will, of course, take you to work and back!
Aircraft Grade Magnesium Alloy Frame
Precision processing is required to make a compact and lightweight vehicle solid and durable. The super-light and strong magnesium alloy frame is based on aviation standards. Magnesium alloy is flexible and provides better shock absorption performance – higher than aluminum alloy. The surface is coated with a special corrosion-resistant material that has passed the salt spray test. Compact and strong, the miniPRO is your ideal companion for the road ahead.
Conclusion
Segway’s miniPRO is definitely a step, or push, in the right direction for a company that, until very recently, existed as the butt of jokes involving their initial, clunky, flagship product. With the UL certification completely taken care, the miniPRO might take over where the initial hype and hysteria about hoverboards left off in a cloud of smoke. Segway, while often a name synonymous with ridicule, has taken a serious step forward with the miniPRO and may find itself on a smooth road, paved by the initial hype of portable, battery powered transportation devices.
All product images taken from amazon.com
