

HUVr Board - ZeroMinx
http://huvrtech.com/

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mistercow
Something about this just seems mean spirited to me. I guess it is authentic
in terms of the kind of ridiculously emotional hype that start ups tend to do
these days, but somehow that tone doesn't mix well with the dry viral con.

It's sort of a clash of marketing techniques. The inspirational "we finally
live in the future" thing works because it gets people really psyched to have
a product. The viral marketing scam thing works because people are good-
natured about being tricked if the trick is executed well (the same reason
people can enjoy magicians).

But I don't think you can mix those. People are going to be less good-natured
about being promised hoverboards _again_ and then finding out that there will
be no hoverboards _again_.

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asdkl234890
This is making fun of small teams creating revolutionary technology. Maybe not
intentionally, maybe they only intend to promote a new movie or video game or
something, but intentionally or not, they _are_ making fun of startups.

Startups like these are real. They are creating incredibly cool new
technology. The oculus rift, the pebble watch, and tons of others. That's whom
this is making fun of.

And because crowd funding is a big part of making these new technologies
happen, making fun and creating a fake tech is poisoning the well.

Intentionally or not, _this is poising the well that gave us the Oculus Rift
and others_.

And that's why I really hope this advertising campaign backfires bad. I hope
what ever this is supposed to be promoting, be it movies, video games or
shoes, I hope it bombs _bad_. And bombs thanks to pissed off consumers.

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waxpancake
I found the actor that plays the lead engineer in the video.
[http://nelsoncheng.com/acting](http://nelsoncheng.com/acting)

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sdfjkl
I think this might be a viral advert for the next Back To The Future movie. A
film studio would have access to special effects, the car, the actors and
celebrities and the financial backing for such an elaborate fake.

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codezero
The effects weren't even that elaborate, they all look like they are on a
wire.

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xauronx
Yep, you could even see their shirts move when the harness takes their weight.

Also, as soon as they "hover" they're suddenly putting no weight on their
legs. Unless hovering implies complete gravity reversal, that doesn't make
sense. They'd still be putting all their weight on the board.

Ok, for an obvious fake, I care too much :)

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codezero
It really is depressing to me that people are OK with getting paid to flat out
lie. I guess I'm less surprised it's celebrities, but still, it's sad.

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picklepete
From their T&Cs (
[http://huvrtech.com/legal.html](http://huvrtech.com/legal.html)):

"The inclusion of any products or services on this website at a particular
time does not imply or warrant that these products or services will be
available at any time."

Just in case anyone thinks this is a real product.

~~~
chaostheory
Well they could have problems with manufacturing. Making real physical
products in mass quantities does incur problems that deploying software does
not.

They T&C also has this

> In addition to other regulations and speed limits, users of our products
> must be at least 16 years of age and between the height of 4’11 and 6’4. To
> ride safely, you must read and follow all instructions and warnings in the
> User Manual. It is your responsibility to ascertain and obey all applicable
> regulations (including minimum age and height requirements) in regard to the
> possession, use and sale of any item purchased from this website. By placing
> an order, you represent that the products ordered will be used only in a
> lawful manner.

As well as stating somewhere that this only works with 180lbs or lower.

UPDATE: I got trolled. No patents or patent applications and their domain has
a hidden owner.

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twiceaday
Tony Hawk was quoted recently saying that he is working on a new video-game.
It's possible that this is a viral marketing spot for it.

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johncoogan
I would like to see a startup sell the wiring equipment that allows you to
perform the hovering tricks featured in this video. I bet it's really fun to
fly around on one of those harnesses, even if it doesn't use magical anti-
gravity technology.

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jaredsohn
If this is promoting new Back To The Future content, I think a video game
makes much more sense than a movie, since the actors are getting old but their
voices can still adapt.

For those unaware, this has been done once already via TellTale's Back To The
Future: The Game
([http://www.telltalegames.com/backtothefuture/](http://www.telltalegames.com/backtothefuture/))
which offers interesting story and featured many of the original actors'
voices and takes place a few months after the original movies. (If you don't
want to buy it, you can also watch a playthrough on YouTube.)

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zacinbusiness
What would be required to make a real hover board? I assume that first off it
would need to be a bit larger. And some kind of control mechanism, maybe near
the toe area? But as for the actual tech, is it even remotely possible?

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xauronx
I'm sure you've seen this, but I was REALLY hoping the video was some kind of
large scale riff on this:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6AAhTw7RA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6AAhTw7RA)

Related:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HHJv8lPERQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HHJv8lPERQ)

And more awesome:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Zqmd...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Zqmdv5iyIOY#t=45)

It's already 3 years old, so I'm waiting for people to use this technology or
an extension of it for something cool.

~~~
shoebappa
The more awesome one was also a viral fake:
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhlpyP-2ooE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhlpyP-2ooE)

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dchuk
The reason I know this is fake: I'm 200lbs, and this thing has a max capacity
of 180lbs. And I sure as hell know that I weight less than Terrell Owens.

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willtheperson
I can imagine this actually working in special parks with some kind of maglev
system. People would line up for that experience

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Raphmedia
Clearly fake. What I don't see is why?

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michaelbuckbee
My original guess was that there was going to be a twist with a "for the price
of a Huvrboard you can sponsor a child" type message.

As that didn't happen my guess is that it's 'viral marketing' for a
BackToTheFuture movie that's unannounced.

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aortega
If it's a new BTTF movie then I forgive them.

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downandout
Damnit gravity. You can be so cruel. When you're not crashing airplanes and
killing unlucky thrillseekers, you're dashing my hoverboard hopes.

Seriously though, this has to be for a new Tony Hawk video game, and Moby
probably did some music for it. Not sure what Terrell Owens is doing there.

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togasystems
I wonder how much all the cameos cost?

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chaostheory
I didn't really think they were all needed but apparently even celebrity
endorsements from Tony Hawk isn't enough to convince people that this is a
real product. Whether or not it comes out without any issues is another story.

I remember reading a story that Mattel actually had a prototype over a decade
ago, but they declined to release it. I forgot why.

Strange. It looks almost exactly like the Mattel hoverboard

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSdF1iH2UDw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSdF1iH2UDw)

I guess it is fake =( Back to the Future II takes place in 2015

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mistercow
If Mattel had a prototype of this over a decade ago, why would we not at least
see the principles behind it in other technology?

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chaostheory
I was trolled twice. Once by the special effects guy and director from Back to
the Future II in the late 80s and today =) For details look up hoverboard on
Snopes.

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mistercow
Yeah, I remember that. It seems like the best evidence that this is for a new
BttF movie.

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richiverse
This should be possible with a powerful enough acoustic field, no?

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coomeral
You can see in this video [http://snip.ps/cDFL](http://snip.ps/cDFL) that the
riders are centering their gravity, they are all athletes so naturally they
make it look easy.

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treve
This links to an Ad.

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dangowango
Why is this on here?

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eudox
It has kind of a start-uppy name, wouldn't you agree?

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helloanand
So, it's a fake? Dammit, it got me so excited.

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eli_gottlieb
This is the trolliest troll that has ever trolled.

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michaelbuddy
somebody should have asked Moby why he was there.

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bigpool
Hahaha, I was thinking the same thing....

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cliveowen
Jimmy Kimmel, this is getting old.

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relampago
smh

