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Boosted's planned products included e-bikes and an 'Ultimate' skateboard
Boosted was working on a number of boards before Lime snapped it up, including two e-bikes and an 'Ultimate' skateboard.
Lime is buying Boosted's assets and IP
Electric scooter company Lime is buying the designs, software, parts and test equipment of Boosted, according to The Verge. Additionally, two former Boosted employees have also told The Verge that Lime has been working on buying Boosted’s IP since late last year.
Electric skateboard maker Boosted announces 'significant' layoffs
In 2012, Boosted came onto the scene with its crowdfunded Loaded Vanguard light electric skateboard and has since produced a string of personal vehicles including last year's Rev scooter. Unfortunately things may be nearing the end, as the company announced "the incredibly difficult decision to let a significant portion of the Boosted team go." It cited the "unplanned challenge "of the US-China tariff war as a factor in its struggle, despite the many riders putting in millions of miles of riding on its products. Since its launch, the "micromobility" field has become increasingly crowded, and there doesn't seem to be a sure winner at this point, but as its CTO and CEO noted in the post, the need to keep capital flowing to maintain production and maintenance of vehicles is tricky. Now the plan is to "pursue strategic options under new ownership," so we'll have to wait and see what that looks like in the future.
The best electric bikes, scooters and skateboards to use at school
We hear you're going places? That's what school is all about, after all. But we're being a little more literal: Getting to class is often half the battle. That's why we've dedicated a whole section of our back-to-school guide to the best personal electronic vehicles for navigating your way to campus or between classes. We also know that every journey is different, so we picked a few different modes of transport that should cover all the bases -- whether you're going 20 miles or 20 yards to the vending machine. (We're not judging.) What did we consider when compiling this list? Glad you asked. For us, the key factor had to be that each ride was focused on a different type of commute. After that, we considered portability, price (hint: these things don't tend to come cheap) and good old-fashioned fun. Going to school can feel like a chore, so we wanted to make the experience as enjoyable as it is practical. Below you'll find our top picks, with arguments as to why each is perfect for the job.
The best personal EVs for any commute
Beyond recouping precious minutes of personal time, there are other, wider-reaching benefits to upgrading your commute. For those who only have a few miles to cover, a personal EV could replace a car ride.
Boosted’s Rev scooter is an inconveniently fun powerhouse
Boosted made its name by becoming the de facto electric skateboard. When rumors emerged that the company was working on a scooter, I had mixed feelings. I worried Boosted might bring out a me-too product and, well, scooters tend to be a little dorky. When the $1,599 Rev was finally revealed earlier this year, I was proved wrong (at least about the first part). The Rev is clearly inspired by San Francisco, the city Boosted calls home. Most garden-variety scooters offer somewhere between 250 and 500 watts of power. At the high end, that's enough to get you up some pretty decent inclines, but you'll feel every slow, meandering yard. The Rev offers a whopping 1,500 watts.
Boosted's next electric ride is the Rev scooter
When Boosted launched a new series of boards in 2018, including the Stealth and Mini options, it claimed its mission was to redefine transportation -- at least from the electric rideable standpoint. Now, it's finally broken out beyond the skateboard mold and added the Boosted Rev electric scooter to its stable of products.
The case for Boosted's Mini electric skateboard line
Electric skateboards are riding a surge in popularity this past year, with Boosted being one of the more notable players. It's also one of the more recognizable, with its iconic orange wheels. Until now the company's output has strictly been longboards, which is par for the course barring a few exceptions, but the floodgates of mutation are opening. The company's recently released 2018 lineup includes two Mini versions, which is a form factor I've been on the fence about for a while. There are the obvious benefits, including improved maneuverability and portability (they weigh a couple pounds less than longboards). On my part, at least, there's a desire to try and apply street-skating tactics to these smaller boards, but they're new and unique creatures. Is this hybrid format the best of both worlds? No. These are still transport boards, but given some time, I'm sure someone will get a bit crazy with them.
Boosted tells skaters its latest electric board isn't safe
One of the best electric skateboards on the market is suffering from battery problems. In a blog post, Boosted confirmed that its second-generation board has overheated on two separate occasions. In both instances, a lithium battery cell "vented" inside its fire-retardant enclosure -- no-one was hurt, but as a precautionary measure the company has advised against charging and riding its boards. At least for the time being, until it can finish a "thorough investigation" and figure out the root of the problem. For now, Boosted has said it will stop shipping new boards to its customers too.
Boosted's new electric skateboards go further, ride smoother
Many a short journey has been livened up with one of Boosted's electric skateboards underfoot, but after selling the same line-up for a few years now, it's time to pimp that ride. The second-generation Boosted boards unveiled today keep the same, classic longboard styling and bamboo deck, but are otherwise different beasts. For starters, the boards will now take you a lot further thanks to swappable batteries and an extended-range option that increases average distance from 6-7 miles to 12-14 miles. Bigger 80mm wheels, custom-built trucks and various improvements to the motors and transmission should make those longer trips that much smoother, too.
Coping with the new raid realities of level 90 boosts
The above image is not remotely a reflection of what raiding in World of Warcraft is like, but wouldn't it be great if it were? The addition of the level 90 boost to WoW means that we're seeing a lot of players leaping to max level where they can jump immediately into raids. Their ilvl of 483 is high enough to let them into LFR raids for anything outside Siege of Orgrimmar -- and let me tell you, it's kind of a nightmare. No, I don't mean that the influx of new 90s in itself is a nightmare: it's the fact that now anything going wrong in LFR results in 10 minutes of bemoaning the boosted characters who are keeping everyone else from progressing. It's drama city out there. It's not that the moaning is entirely off-base: boosted players don't necessarily know how to play their boosted class at 90... but none of us were class experts as soon as we hit 90. And, come on, a random LFR group doesn't need boosted characters to mess things up and wipe. So what's a player to do with this new LFR annoyance?
