Scooter That Changed Nothing

"The Scooter That Changed Nothing - The invention that was supposed to replace walking" analyzes the Segway disaster. In 2001, the hype was astronomical. Steve Jobs said it would be "as big as the PC." Inventor Dean Kamen claimed it would redesign cities. Business writer Alan Ford details the reality check. The machine was a marvel of engineering (self-balancing), but a failure of product design. It was too heavy for the sidewalk, too slow for the road, and cost $5,000. Instead of revolutionizing transport, it became a toy for mall cops and tourists. This book is a lesson in "Solutionism." It shows that just because you can build cool technology, doesn't mean anyone needs it. It warns innovators against believing their own hype before checking if the product actually fits into the world.