Hoverboards have become the hottest craze in the past couple of months, taking the tech industry by storm. They first became popular when used by celebrities, and they are now becoming commonplace as prices are becoming more affordable.
Hoverboards have become trendy as opposed to awkward. They have the bonus of being accepted by a younger audience who did not quite catch the Segway fad a decade before. Unlike the Segway, these hoverboards have the right people using them to make it look cool.
When the Segway made its way to the market, it was geared to a more adult audience and never took off. When looking at the overall design of the hoverboard, the sleek design is easy to carry around and is not as cumbersome and bulky as previous models.
What made me think this was the start of a bad trend was when it reminded me of the Pixar movie "WALL-E," where the human characters in the film were wheeled around in their hoverchairs. Their movement was very limited as all their daily needs were met while being confined to a mechanical chair. The movie presents an eerie future of people’s overreliance on technology so that even the simplest of tasks are performed without much struggle. The film drew a lot of parallels to today’s trends in technology growth and the subsequent laziness of people.
Granted, today's Hoverboard does not reach speeds of a motorcycle or car but instead moves at the average walking pace. However, it introduces a new level of laziness, which is downplayed because of how elegant users look while using it. The issue with the hoverboards is how widely they are being used, and how this does not alarm people as much as it should.
If this further becomes a trend, what do this person for everyday foot transportation? Further iterations down the line if allowed would again improve on the flaws for better performing hover boards.
On the other hand, hoverboards could easily fade, like its predecessor the Segway, once it reached its peak. With its design and function, the hoverboard would not be ideal for rural and hilly areas. Additionally, the recently televised explosive batteries have put a damper on it. The HoverBoard has to cross a few more hurdles before becoming a mainstay.
