My Inner Geek Rejoices

Okay, this is awesome. Segway is teaming up with GM to make a new all-electric two-person urban transport device that makes all my gadget geekiness giggle with gratuitous glee. It's got six wheels - two small ones just for safety in the back (they don't touch the pavement unless you run the battery clear dead and then lean back), two small ones in the front that it rests on when parked, and two larger main wheels that it runs around on, automatically balancing on these two wheels Segway-style.

It's strictly for urban commuters - the 35-mph top speed limits it for use on major roads. And the version they're showing around right now has absolutely zero aesthetic appeal. It's not cute OR cool-looking OR impressive-looking OR even ugly enough to inspire a sort of backward affection. It depends on sheer geek appeal. They call it the PUMA in a futile attempt to make it seem tougher somehow. But it runs for 35 miles before needing a recharge, and that's plenty for almost anyone who commutes on urban streets. They're also promising a low energy impact to accomplish that recharge. If they make it reasonably rain-proof and sell it for less than, say, 10 grand or so, I think they'll have a serious seller on their hands.

The jury is, of course, still out on the wisdom of picking up your date in this thing.