Signature - Q4, 2007 - (Page 26)

Wacky Apps | By Mike Sharsky | Photography Courtesy of Ratleads | Q4 ’07 Experience More What do you call a three-wheeled board that’s ridden on the streets, powered by an electric motor and has its speed controlled through a Bluetooth enabled cellular phone? Whatever you do, don’t call it a skateboard, at least not so Stéphane Pelletier hears you. “First of all, it’s a surfboard, not a skateboard – the surf feeling, but on the ground,” says Pelletier, whose Paris-based company, Ratleads, designs the Groundsurf. “It’s been tested and developed with professional surfers. The back is a very speciﬁc truck that moves in different dimensional ways. Compared to a skateboard, it’s not moving the same way at all. You really have to try it to believe it!” Behind the single front wheel is an aluminum block with a battery and, on some models, a Bluetooth wireless receiver from Stollman. For those models, Ratleads will offer downloadable software, initially for HTC touch-screen phones from High Tech Computer Corp. A Groundsurf rider who wants to go faster will slide a ﬁnger up the screen; a downward slide will slow the board. While it may sound like a novelty, Groundsurf is serious technology: The ﬁrst available model has sensor pads that cause the board to accelerate or brake when a rider leans forward or backward. And Ratleads has serious marketing plans. Initial availablity is from California-based surfboard manufacturer Gordon & Smith, where it will sell for €1,300-€1,500 (US$1,770-$2,040); Ratleads is also negotiating with cell phone retailers. It’s a whole new way to ride the OK, so you’ve created your own novel application of Bluetooth technology Bluetooth wireless wave. or know of someone who has. For more information, visit Share your Wacky Apps by e-mailing www.ratleads.com. signature@bluetooth.com. Groundsurf’s Up! Forget the urban cowboy – on a Groundsurf you can ride the metropolitan curls as an urban surfer. This skateboard features controllers that mimic the motions of surfing. It’s been tested by top surfers like Laird Hamilton and will be sold through surfing shops worldwide. Ratleads hopes to sell 10,000 boards in the coming year. Go grab a pavement wave! 26 | SIGnature | Bluetooth.org http://www.ratleads.com http://Bluetooth.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Signature - Q4, 2007

Signature - Q4, 2007 Contents The Road Ahead Getting Noticed In the News Keeping the Edge Why Wibree? The Message Zone Do You Compute? Command Center Mountain Magic On the Fast Track Give or Get? Groundsurf’s Up! Get in the Game Get on the List Number, Please! User-Friendly The Tell-Tale Car

Signature - Q4, 2007

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