Believe It: Segway’s New ‘Hoverboard’ Is Actually Kinda Cool

You know those people you see on guided Segway tours?

You know how you laugh at those people

and swear you'd never do that?

Well, Segway may have finally solved its uncool problem.

Kind of.

This is the Segway miniPRO,

and it's essentially a Segway without

that huge cumbersome handle.

It's also kind of an evolution of the hoverboard.

You know, those super fun, but horribly unsafe

two-wheeled scooters that took over the world

and then burnt down a few homes while doing so.

Segway actually worked with regulators to set up

tests and standards for hoverboards,

and the miniPRO is one of the first certified devices.

It's a pretty serious machine.

It goes up to 10 miles an hour and 14 miles on a charge.

It has actual air-filled tires,

which makes it much easier to go over rougher terrain.

Jesus!

Don't run over holes.

That's rule number one, kids.

The whole thing's about two feet wide

by two and a half feet tall.

And because it's so sturdy, it weighs a huge 28 pounds.

It has headlights and taillights,

which you can customize in the companion app on your phone.

You can do a lot in the app actually.

Even drive the thing around with nobody on it.

It comes in handy more than you think.

You can undo dizzy by just spinning.

Oh god. (laughs)

That didn't work.

Like the hoverboard, you lean forward and backward to move,

but you mostly steer with your knees,

pushing against this control bar.

It gives you super tight turns and really good control,

but it feels weird.

It's like you're skiing except you don't

have skis or look cool.

That's because, after all, this is still a Segway.

And at a thousand dollars, it's also hardly the cheapest way

to get from point A to point B.

But this is just the first in a new breed of device

that's safe, and fun, and usable, all at the same time.

So maybe next time, Segway will also make something cool.

Someday.

[Cameraman] Whoa! (laughs)