Those of you who rely so heavily on the iPhone, so much so that it is is the key to outside world, you’ll be amazed to see it’s also the key to an electric scooter. But not just any electric scooter, we are talking about the Scoot from San Francisco-based startup Scoot Networks. The company plans to rent out Scoots as a cheap and eco-friendly way to get around, and all you need is your iPhone to start the vehicle.

The company owns 20 scooters so far and is conducting a test service in San Francisco. The service is expected to be available in late 2012 or early 2013 to people 21 and older in the city. The scooters feature a plastic-covered smartphone dock, and to rent it you have to dock your iPhone (needs to have the Scoot Networks’ app) which will then act as both the scooter key and dashboard (Android phone docking will eventually arrive).

After docking, the handset will ping a server to check whether the vehicle is available and if it is, and if you are an approved rider, the server sends a code to the phone that will unlock the scooter. At present, you have to press a virtual “start” button on the device to turn the scooter on. While riding, the phone will show you your speed and range based on the battery life of the vehicle, and there will also be an on-screen map.

The Scoot will be available for $5 per hour or you can take one at 5 p.m. and return it at 9 a.m. the next day for the same price. It can reach up to 30 miles per hour and will go 25 miles on a single charge (recharging takes 6 to 8 hours).

According to the company’s founder Michael Keating, “We really do want folks to make this a big part of how they get around town. If they do, we think they’ll really like it. It’ll save them time, it’ll save them money, and it will make the whole city work better“.  And since these are small vehicles and won’t be allowed to be rented for more than 2 days, it is expected that the service will be allowed in most states.

But a few analysts believe that the business won’t become big as it will most likely become popular only in areas like university campuses and also because many would prefer a bicycle if the destination is not too far away. What do you think?  Would you scoot?

The post Scoot: iPhone Enhanced Electric Scooter Rentals appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Ever wondered what would happen if a scooter and a suitcase would procreate? Unless you have a very active (and strange) imagination, probably not. Still, that is pretty much exactly what the Boxx Scooter seems to be. The oddly designed scooter is built by Oregon-based Boxx, is about 39-inches long, and promises to move you up to 80 miles (or 129 km) on a single charge. The scooter is also capable of up to 35 mph.  Unfortunately, strange suitcase-scooter hybrids apparently don’t come cheap, and this unique electric scooter runs in at just $4,000 for a base model. In fact, in order to get the boasted 80-mile range, you need to have the extra “Core2” system battery, which adds another $500 to the price tag.

If you don’t want one now, but might in the future, you can pre-order for a later production run and save $255 on the total cost of the bike. For most of us, the price is probably a turn off, but for those who really need a short-range traveling unit like this, who knows? I do know a friend that used to manage a small convenient station that lived only three miles from work and would ride a scooter back and forth. He looked a bit silly, but saved a fortune in gas versus a car. Of course he only paid around $600 for his old, beat-up scooter. The BOXX was first introduced just last week at the Portland International Auto Show, designed by founder Eric Vaughn. Before his days at BOXX, Vaughn actually worked in television as a visual designer for the series Stargate. If the BOXX looks a bit dorky (and bizarre), Vaughn says it’s meant to be that way, though he doesn’t specifically call it that. The idea of the unit is to attract a wider array of riders, including women and seniors. Vaughn is taking orders right now at his website.

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