More Ginger rumours - they're messing with our heads

Does anyone know what the real story is behind Ginger?

Its inventor, Dean Kamen, might, but the rest of us are confused. And there may be a few naughty people out there trying to bait the great, the good and the gullible of geekdom.

The device - officially known as the Segway Human Transporter (SHT) - was unveiled to an expectant world late last year. It had also been known as Ginger and IT during the long period of hype which preceded its launch.

And by hype, we mean hype. It was meant to change the way we work, the way we live and even the shape of cities around the world.

Then a two-wheeled scooter was unveiled. A lot of people said: Is that it?

The plot soon thickened. 3Com founder Bob Metcalfe was party to Kamen's secret, pre-launch plans. After the Segway was unveiled and the world had shrugged its shoulders, he told the New York Times that the IT he'd been shown wasn't a Segway. So the hype was justified - we just hadn't seen the real IT yet.

That view has been promulgated by one chat room host - someone known as Spliff (and written about by us last week: see http://www.silicon.com/a55054 ).

Our story whipped up yet another storm of claim and counter claim, none of which is verifiable because - just like Metcalfe - anyone who has seen IT (whatever it may be) is bound by a confidentiality agreement.

Take this email silicon.com was sent shortly after we published that story:

"I was amused to see Graham Hayday's article sourcing a chat room. If he wants to see a real discussion on the subject and is willing to use anonymous chat rooms as sources, then he should point his browser to the TIQ (http://www.theitquestion.com/ ) where the source for his ridiculous rumour is routinely lambasted."

Fair enough. And on that forum there is indeed evidence to suggest that IT, Ginger and Segway are one and the same, and that Spliff isn't the authority he might at first seem to be.

Then another email arrived in our in-box which seemed to confirm this.

"I worked at Deka [Dean Kamen's company] between '95 and '98 as the information technology guy. Ginger was originally the 'prototype'/test for the technology. The same technology was used in the Johnson and Johnson iBot (see http://www.independencenow.com/ ). Developing Ginger was secondary to iBot. As for IT, that was after my time. My guess is that the media hyped something from nothing and Dean played along. Segway is Ginger, I can confirm that much for you. I would assume Segway is IT as well."

But within minutes of that came this: "Your article regarding the Segway is right on. I was involved in supplying prototype castings for the next Deka product. Confidentiality agreement prevents any discussion."

So we're none the wiser really. The last email could of course be a hoax. Metcalfe too might have a mischievous streak. You get the impression that there the rumour mongers are monitoring who has fallen for what line.

Just to be safe, we're going to sit on the fence for the time being. Sorry. If anyone can tip us one way or the other email (in strictest confidence) editorial@silicon.com . Scurrilous rumour mongers need not apply...