I think it sucks...Its shape is not innovative, it's not elegant, it doesn't feel anthropomorphic.

June 19, 2003 11:11 AM

Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos meet "Ginger": a fly-on-the-wall account (via White Noise).
posted by timeistight (29 comments total)

Think Jobs doesn't like Ginger, from the article he can't stand still. Is he really that hyper, can't curtail his mouth during a meeting.
posted by thomcatspike at 11:17 AM on June 19, 2003

I wonder if the whole book has as much pant-shitting as that excerpt...
posted by Robot Johnny at 11:28 AM on June 19, 2003

Great article, and a good reminder of why I stopped working with genius assholes like Jobs.
posted by MrBaliHai at 11:34 AM on June 19, 2003

thomcatspike-- Are you intentionally impossible to understand?
posted by xmutex at 11:37 AM on June 19, 2003

xmutex -
I know, it's like one of Burrough's cut-ups:

"A good reminder of why I stopped, as much pant-shitting. Are you intentionally impossible, a fly-on-the-wall account."

no offense thomcatspike.
posted by tr33hggr at 12:06 PM on June 19, 2003

xmutex - From the aritcle, would Jobs buy this & why?
posted by thomcatspike at 12:14 PM on June 19, 2003

I think I just shit in my pants.
posted by spilon at 12:19 PM on June 19, 2003

With all the pants soiling going on, I wonder if Jobs would've invested in Depends had he been given the chance?
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:32 PM on June 19, 2003

are you kidding? shit containment is the next big thing.
posted by quonsar at 12:36 PM on June 19, 2003

::fighting hard to resist cheap shot at Dubya shitting pants after falling off Segway::
posted by briank at 12:51 PM on June 19, 2003

Great link. thanks!
Pants have been duly shit.
posted by Outlawyr at 1:06 PM on June 19, 2003

There's nothing in the article that says that the version they saw is the version we saw unveiled. It's entirely possible that Kamen went and got an ID firm to work on IT after that meeting. I actually think it looks pretty organic and slick, so I wonder if Steve saw what we see now...
posted by kfury at 1:10 PM on June 19, 2003

That was a fun read. But I didn't shit my pants or anyth...

Oh, wait. Now I have.
posted by soyjoy at 1:16 PM on June 19, 2003

You never know what people will focus on.
posted by timeistight at 1:21 PM on June 19, 2003

The best part of being a genius inventor has got to be getting to work with bazillionnaires like Steve Jobs. Holes in his jeans! What an endearing affectation.
posted by luser at 1:52 PM on June 19, 2003

So I'm guessing the "some day people will build cities around this" line was more like "it's not like some day people will build cities around this, so you need to really rethink this thing. Moron."
posted by jragon at 2:50 PM on June 19, 2003

Was Bush's Segway fall a conspiracy to save the oil industry?
posted by Frank Grimes at 2:50 PM on June 19, 2003

thomcatspike-- Are you intentionally impossible to understand?
posted by xmutex at 1:37 PM CST on June 19

xmutex - From the article, would Jobs buy this & why?
posted by thomcatspike at 2:14 PM CST on June 19

I read this article some time ago, so I’ve had time to digest it, and didn't want to make a large comment about it earlier, but will follow up.
The article gives me the impression Jobs thinks Ginger is great at a manufacturing level and selling point.
Ginger is a platform which moves you from point A to B, effortlessly leaving you no motion during travel. There is some but little compared by which other ways you would travel. The handle bars are there for steering your body; balance & relaxation while standing. If it was just a platform you could not rest a leg yet the handle bars allow you to do it.

At the end of the article, Jobs says his grocery store is 7 minutes away, but he wonder if he would use this for travel still. The beginning of the article, presents Jobs through dress as a one relaxed person. During the presentation he points to the fact that he can’t be still or quite, when he offers to leave during the presentation because he can't sit still nor be quiet.

From that I thought about if Jobs liked it for him. He would not use it, for function in his daily life he can’t stand still long enough for use.

Ps, If your were going to the store from home, you would already be on Ginger and zip out the door; unlike a car you walk out of your house and get into it.
posted by thomcatspike at 2:54 PM on June 19, 2003

I'd guess that they did redesign it. Interesting that they went for the slow rollout, too.

When you strip away the author's overly-breathless descriptive choices, which make it sound like Visigoths sacking a village ("agitated," "snapped his head," "as if he'd been slapped," "grunted," "snorted," "fireworks," etc.), there's an amazingly productive meeting in there. American corporate culture, with its tendency to bog down meetings with PowerPoint pablum and uncontroversial statements uttered just to signal awakeness and unanimity, should take some notes.

...or maybe prepare a PowerPoint presentation on "Dynamic Meeting Skills. :)
posted by adameft at 3:09 PM on June 19, 2003

So I'm guessing the "some day people will build cities around this"

Took it as one day the streets, businesses and your home will have ramp access for you to use Ginger; but we should already be there in light of the disabled.
posted by thomcatspike at 3:16 PM on June 19, 2003

Good point, adameft. Everything I've ever read about Jobs makes him sound ike a giant asshole, but I've got to admit he seems to be able to get things done.
posted by timeistight at 3:17 PM on June 19, 2003

"Screw the lead times. You don't have a great product yet! I know burn rates are important, but you'll only get one shot at this, and if you blow it, it's over."

Me-ow, Steve. Remind me to not get on his bad side.

Though he did have a point. Cities aren't exactly going ga-ga to allow Segways onto public streets and/or sidewalks.
posted by Down10 at 6:07 PM on June 19, 2003

It's really quite simple: Segways are like Apple's ill-fated Macintosh Cube from a few years back: Everyone thought that it was a pretty cool device, unique and useful...but somehow, nobody could really justify purchasing it.

And yes, Steve Jobs is known for being notoriously opinionated, difficult to deal with, and almost impossible to follow when he's on a tangent.

He is the ultimate double-edged sword.
posted by tgrundke at 8:17 PM on June 19, 2003

great tidbit, I'd like to read more of the book.

xmutex, do you have a mac?
posted by tomplus2 at 8:50 PM on June 19, 2003

I wonder how much the Segway/Ginger's lack of success thus far has to do with it costing five thousand dollars? There are plenty of forms of human-powered transportation available for much less money, competing for essentially the same niche--$100 buys you a decent skateboard or set of rollerblades, $200 a quality bicycle, those Razor scooters that were a fad three years ago can probably be had for like $10. Sure, none of these have quite the same technical gee-whiz factor as the Segway (or the Megway), but that leaves you over $4000 to line Steve Jobs' trendily designed pockets with. And I don't really see it catching on for many of the people who'd take an SUV to the corner store, either...
posted by arto at 9:53 PM on June 19, 2003

Who the hell is Gob Click Tong?
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:07 PM on June 19, 2003

Automobiles are urban body armor.
posted by mecran01 at 10:51 PM on June 19, 2003

Great post. My reading kept getting distracted by my ongoing shock at what an egomaniacal asshole Steve Jobs is. If there's a hell, he deserves to work at it's McDonalds.
posted by holycola at 8:57 AM on June 20, 2003

Goh Chok Tong.
posted by xiffix at 10:35 AM on June 20, 2003