Segway Inc. announced last week that it will end production of its iconic two-wheeled personal vehicle starting July 15. When the company launched the product nearly two decades ago, it boldly claimed that its namesake two-wheeler would revolutionize the way people move, but it only sold 140,000 units across the world.
The Segway was criticized for the high price tag of US$4,950 (about NT$147,000). It was also challenging to ride, because riders must maintain a balance at a specific angle for the vehicle to move forward, and can easily be thrown off if they lose control. Several months after buying the company, British tycoon Jim Heselden was killed when the Segway he was riding fell into a lake in 2010.
Additionally, media reports of battery explosions when the self-balancing transporter overheated were common. The vehicle is banned in nearly half of US cities and it is classed as a “motorized vehicle” in Europe. In Taiwan, riding the Segway on the road is prohibited.
Photo: CNA 照片︰中央社
(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)
賽格威公司上週宣布自七月十五日起，將停止生產具代表性的雙輪個人電動平衡車。在近二十年前問世時，賽格威最初發下豪語，誇口說這輛同名的雙輪車會徹底改革人們移動的方式，然而多年來全球總共只售出十四萬輛。
賽格威過去因售價高達四千九百五十美元（約十四‧七萬台幣）而遭到批評。駕馭它也是一大挑戰，因為騎士必須從特定角度保持平衡，車子才會前進，一旦失控就很容易被拋下踏板。英國富商吉姆赫斯登在買下該公司幾個月後，於二○一○年因騎著賽格威暴衝到湖裡而死。
此外，平衡車電池過熱爆炸的媒體報導時有所聞。因此它在將近半數的美國城市被禁止，在歐洲則被視為一種「動力車輛」，而台灣亦不允許賽格威在道路上行駛。
(台北時報張聖恩)
A: Isn’t the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — a massive music event held every April — about to open in California? B: Yeah the festival is set to take place over two weekends, from April 10 to 12 and 17 to 19, US time. A: I heard this year’s main stage headliners include Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Karol G and EDM DJ Anyma. B: The K-pop army is also making an appearance, with legendary group BigBang, SHINee member Taemin and girl group Katseye debuting for the first time. A: Isn’t Coachella also live-streamed on its YouTube
★ Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 Lucas was already on the ground before he fully understood what was happening. “Hurry! Kneel down!” someone shouted. The asphalt was warm against his knees. Around him, dozens of people lay flat in the narrow street outside Jenn Lann Temple in Dajia. Some pressed their hands together in prayer. Others closed their eyes. Lucas had only come to look at the temple. An hour earlier he had stepped into the noisy courtyard out of curiosity. Inside the main hall, people held incense sticks, bowed three times,
You might think knitting is only for grandmas, but surprisingly, many young people are embracing so-called “grandma hobbies.” On social media platforms, activities such as home cooking, embroidery and gardening are becoming popular among teenagers and young adults who are drawn to their relaxing and creative nature. “Grandma hobbies” typically refer to activities that are slow-paced, handmade and nostalgic. Common examples include knitting scarves, baking cookies, sewing clothes and growing plants. These hobbies were once part of everyday life for many women in previous generations, but today they provide an escape from the fast-paced digital world. The appeal
對話 Dialogue 清清：我連假回老家掃墓，帶了一些草仔粿回來，你要不要吃吃看? Qīngqīng: Wǒ liánjià huí lǎojiā sǎomù, dài le yìxiē “tsháu-á-kué” huílái, nǐ yào bú yào chī chī kàn? 華華：哇！看起來就很好吃。這是你們家自己做的嗎？ Huáhua: Wa! Kàn qǐlái jiù hěn hǎochī. Zhè shì nǐmen jiā zìjǐ zuò de ma? 清清：對啊，是我阿姨親手做的。每年清明節她都會做。 Qīngqīng: Duì a, shì wǒ āyí qīnshǒu zuò de. Měinián Qīngmíng jié tā dōu huì zuò. 華華：你阿姨手藝真好！看起來好像外面賣的。 Huáhua: Nǐ āyí shǒuyì zhēn hǎo! Kàn qǐlái hǎoxiàng wàimiàn mài de. 清清：口味有鹹的，也有甜的。 Qīngqīng: Kǒuwèi yǒu xián de, yě yǒu tián de. 華華：聞起來好香！裡面包什麼？ Huáhua: Wén qǐlái hǎo xiāng! Lǐmiàn bāo shénme? 清清：鹹的是蘿蔔絲的，甜的有紅豆口味和綠豆口味的。你想要哪種？ Qīngqīng: Xián de shì luóbo sī de, tián de yǒu hóngdòu kǒuwèi hàn lǜdòu kǒuwèi de. Nǐ xiǎng yào nǎ zhǒng? 華華：我不挑食，哪種都可以，你幫我選吧。謝謝你跟我分享！ Huáhua: Wǒ bù tiāoshí, nǎ
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