GM & Segway’s P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility) prototype represents the shift that’s needed for the future of transportation!
Some people know that I’m so insane for Segways that I actually own one, and while I’m still hoping to improve my german to get a permit license to ride mine here in Düsseldorf (to where I moved last month), I couldn’t be more happy to see that apart from the rumors, Segway is still engaged in trying to solve our transportation needed thru technology.
The new prototype isn’t going to be on the streets anytime soon, but it’s design carefully tries to balance a set of important values again as Space, Energy, Enjoyment and Speed. To me it comes as no surprise that the guys from Engadget who tried it seem to have liked it!
If GM & Segway can make this into the production line, I honestly think that our cities would embrace them.
The year started on a Segway, two interviews: one for Público a national newspaper and a second one for the national tv channel news, both about my daily ramblings on segway on my way to work.
I guess it’s normal that I feel a bit exhausted by this year end, never in my life traveled so much: Milan, Geneva (2x), London, Funchal, Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, not considering the inside Portugal traveling and the car trip to Spain during the summer vacations.
Looking back at 2008, it’s probably also the year that I’ve worked harder and accomplished more, I started the year by changing roles inside SAPO, headed the quality and usability project for the entire project, which was something that I LOVED doing, the results are good I guess, but I’ve come to realize that neither me, nor the project could cope with such pace, so a change was needed. I delivered a bunch of public presentations: Usability & Quality, (Almost) Free Usability Testing, Playful Interfaces, Mind the Gap, Forms 101.
Celebrated my 6th year (happily) married! :O
With summer came the Spanish journey and with it the discovery of a big part of our own and ancient history as a nation, we took (almost) two weeks discovering and visiting a big part of the Castile & Leon region in Spain by car, visited a lot of unique places, fall in love with Burgos & Salamanca and camped by Picos de Europa. Even managed to be filmed for a promotional video for the spanish turism hehehe
I became 32! As a present, my doctors assured me that the health issue (crises) that started in 2007 had passed by! Best gift possible! Plus earned an Ice Cream maker, which was the second best gift, considering how addicted I am for ice creams.
Started going to the gym on a regular basis (+3 times per week).
A lot of this year’s spare time was spent planning and delivering SHiFT 2008, which an amazing set of people that joined the project this year. By the end of it and apart from the typical problems we had something in mind already: 2009, so I’m hopeful for the future regarding SHiFT as well.
With November we all realized that Yes We Can!
Even the birth of M., daughter of A. & J. showed me that anything is possible if there is enough energy and love! She was born under extreme conditions (520g) and against all odds she’s still fighting as we speak and showing us what life is all about while still warming up our hearts to see her grow by the day.
Celebrated a true Christmas Eve at our place surrounded by a big part of the family, apart from the planning and cooking for 12, it was probably the best Christmas Eve in years!
Don’t know what 2009 has in store for all of us…
but I’ve witness incredible progresses in the past eyers and I honestly believe that we are on the verge of something incredible important, wether by the advances in biotech, robotics, artificial intelligence and neurosciences or simply by the world climate changes, one thing is certain, all combined will inevitably pressure us to change, let’s just hope that in time!
Wishing all os you and me an extreme and filled 2009.
See you all next year!
I confess that my daily commuting has been somehow different, since I bought my Segway last October. But it was with some surprise that I got a call from Público, a portuguese newspaper on the last week of 2007, asking if they could interview me for a special article on Segways, which I ended accepting!
What I wasn’t counting on, was that some hours after it was published, I got another call from the national TV channel, asking if they could interview me too! Well you can be the judge and check the result:
DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately it’s only in Portuguese…
O Público publicou hoje um grande artigo sobre as Segways em Portugal para o qual me entrevistaram num conjunto de vários utilizadores diários (penso eu, que pelo percurso que eu faço normalmente com a minha Segway (Setúbal / Lisboa / Setúbal) ainda que parcialmente de comboio).
Foi uma conversa muito agradável com a Isabel Coutinho, a jornalista que assina o artigo e embora ainda esteja meio em choque, meio em estado de graça com a foto que publicaram (em particular com o tamanho, hehehe) acho que o artigo vale a leitura, que mais não seja para perceberem o estado das Segways por cá. Fiquei particularmente contente por ela ter feito referência ao episódio com o meu Avô a andar de Segway… as fotos estão no Flickr para quem tiver dúvidas… confesso que foi um dos episódios mais giros que tive até hoje com a Segway.
Curiosamente e sem qualquer intervenção minha, acabei por constatar que foram entrevistadas pessoas que de uma forma ou de outra intervieram e interveem na minha experiência, é o caso da Marisa e do Santiago Ribas com quem dei o primeiro passei de Segway, do Rui Pratas (ex-colega da Patrícia) que me deu imensas dicas sobre as segways ou mesmo do Alexandre que não conheço pessoalmente, mas com quem tive um episódio curioso numa passadeira da 5 de Outubro aqui em Lisboa!
UPDATE (07.01.2008):
Na sequência deste artigo do Público, acabei por ser entrevistado pela RTP, acho que o final ficou engraçado, mas deixo ao critério de quem me conhece
Primeiro e já um aviso à partida, quem não experimentou não comenta já, a menos que seja para pedir para experimentar e depois eu deixo-vos dizer mal! Foi assim comigo e só para garantir que ninguém diz disparates!
Agora o resto… É verdade, eu e a Patrícia perdemo-nos completamente e já temos a primeira de duas Segways!
A história e para quem não sabe o que é uma Segway, de forma muito simples a Segway é um Human Personal Transporter. Um nome futurista e que vos garanto que no nosso tempo de vida ainda há-de vir a dar muito que falar! A Segway faz parte dos meus sonhos desde do momento em que o Dean Kamen apresentou o seu projecto “Ginger” que mais tarde adoptaria o nome comercial de Segway. Achei a loucura, queria experimentar, mas não foi fácil! Demorou uns anitos, ela teve mais sorte que eu e experimentou uma x2 há uns meses atrás.
De fim-de-semana no Porto, enquanto procurava um guia sobre o que visitar, descobri os passeios do Santiago e Mariza, mas confesso-vos que no meu intimo, não espera um tempo tão bem passado! Foram 3 horas FANTÁSTICAS. Se não se querem meter em despesas, o melhor é não experimentarem! Todos os outros, acrescentem nas vossas listas de coisas para fazer antes de morrer e comecem a poupar!
É cara, porra é muito cara, mas nesta vida nem tudo pode ser mau e desgraça, e por vezes, há que investir em algo que realmente mexe connosco, que nos faz felizes, que nos move de alguma forma!
Bem, aceitam-se pedidos para experimentar, a sério! Por tudo aquilo que vale a experiência garanto-vos como amigo que tenho todo o gosto em vos ajudar na primeira viagem, com as seguranças todas activas, capacete e afins!
Próxima etapa? Conseguir usá-la no dia-a-dia para o trabalho, envolve o transporte até ao comboio, viagem de comboio e perceber no trabalho onde me deixam guarda-la!
First and foremost a Disclaimer: Who hasn’t ride one, doesn’t comment for now, unless if it’s for asking to try it out. Trust me, it’s the best approach!
And now the story! Me and Patrícia just lost our minds and decided to buy two Segways. The first has arrived by a lucky strike last Friday!
The intro is short and for those who don’t know what the heck its a segway, to put it simply, a Segway it’s a Human Personal Transporter, something with a nifty name and that I assure we’re just starting to hear, but it will in our life span give a lot of conversation.
The Segway has been part of my dreams, for as long as the day Dean Kamen introduce it to the world as his “Ginger” project. At the time I found it amazing, and from the first images that I wanted to try it. Well it wasn’t exactly easy, even Patrícia tried it before I did, well she had actually tried a x2, the whole-terrain version, which I haven’t yet tried, so I guess she still leads the way!
During a weekend in Porto, some weeks ago, while I searching online for some guided tours and what to visit on such short break, I found the amazing Porto Tours from Santiago and Mariza, and I have to honestly tell you that I really never expected it to be as amazing as it was! In fact 3 very special and unique 3 hours in my life. Best advice, if you don’t want to increase your expenses, don’t try it! All the rest, add a Segway ride to your personal list of things to accomplish before you die and start saving money!
It’s expensive, way expensive for the Portuguese income, but not all in this life can be bad, and sometimes, you just have to work for something that really drives you and makes you a little happier, something that might change all that’s coming for good!
So I just declare this post an open-invitation for try outs! Will all safeties ON, the helmet and me running aside, as a friend I am most delighted to let anyone that requests try-it out.
Next stage? Be able to commute every day for work riding it. In my case involves two separate tracks: home-train and train-office, besides all practicalities I still have to realize how can I store it while at the office.
Esta coisa de gadjets tem muito que se lhe diga, lá giros eles são, mas alguns custam um balurdio! A sorte, sorte é que também existem “hackers” para eles, por exemplo, a Segway não será novidade para ninguém (nem tão pouco o preço), é certo que não é tão elegante, mas ainda assim lembra-nos que podemos sempre fazer nós próprios! Não acreditam? Pois bem!
A receita diz que podem! Pprovavelmente não compensa o trabalho, mas não deixa de ser giro ver que alguém conseguiu construir uma!
I'm Pedro Custódio, a User Experience Advocate with a strong software architecture background, sometimes I train and speak others in the arts of both. I'm currently main organizer of SHiFT and working on the Vodafone 360 project.
You can follow me on Twitter or contact me at mail (at) pedrocustodio.com
Will all safeties ON, the helmet and me running aside, as a friend I am most delighted to let anyone that requests try-it out.
I'm Pedro Custódio, a User Experience Advocate with a strong software architecture background, sometimes I train and speak others in the arts of both. I'm currently main organizer of 