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The race is on: 'iShoes' go on sale

They're like a mashup of a Segway and a motorized skateboard, for $599.

Mike Yamamoto Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Mike Yamamoto is an executive editor for CNET News.com.
Mike Yamamoto
GizmoWatch

The gadget world is filled with concepts and prototypes that never come close to going into production. So it's particularly encouraging to see one finally make it that far, especially one as whacky as the "iShoes."

These personal conveyances went through two versions before brother-partners Ilya and Borish Kaganovich were apparently satisfied. Now GizmoWatch says the powered footwear, which we still think are best described as a cross between the Segway and a motorized skateboard, are actually for sale.

That's the good news. The bad news is the price--$599 plus $20 shipping--which is significantly more than the range of $399 to $499 estimated earlier, and the maximum speed of 13.5 miles per hour is down from the originally projected 15 mph. Then again, if it went much faster, the price might need to be even higher to defend against all the liability lawsuits brought by idiots who crashed and broke their necks.