Facility showcases its exciting proposition at the 2024 arabian travel market
uae10 hours ago
The very first device ever reviewed on HD was a little e-reader from Merlin Digital. Fast forward to today and they have something to offer - completely different from what we usually feature here - that will speed things up for when you don't feel up for a walk. Ladies and gents: the Merlin E-Scooter.
Merlin Digital is a Dubai-based company that has been around for quite some time. Their latest offering is a 14kg beast that's robust enough to have you flitting through the streets (it's one of the world's lightest), save you time getting to your destination, and is still fairly easy to carry around those spaces where using it is not permitted. You can unfold and fold the E-Scooter in a matter of seconds - just make sure everything's secured properly, such as the lock and screw on the T-bar. There's a little LCD display on the left handle bar, with four buttons: one each for power and headlight, and a couple for speed assist. The display shows your speed, distance travelled and speed assist level (1-5).
I decided to take it for a little spin from my humble abode near BurJuman, all the way to Ibn Battuta Mall. with a little help from the Dubai Metro, of course. The E-Scooter also includes a carry bag, so you can fold it, tuck it inside and pull it around like luggage. It won't kick up a fuss on the public transport systems, and will easily fit in your car.
Give it a little kick, push down the trigger accelerator on the right handle and you're ready to scoot. I personally would've liked the accelerator to be like a throttle grip (as on an actual motorbike), in which you would only need to control the handle; having your thumb control the trigger accelerator is extra work for your hand, aside from holding the handle bar.
Merlin claims it tops out at 25km/hr, but I was only able to max it out at 21km/hr, which is still not bad. Here's where we start to have issues, though... a full charge, which takes three hours, will give you a range of about 30km. That is basically a bit over an hour of riding around, depending on what speed you choose.
Audiova Conduction Headphones - a Bluetooth headset that ?uses bone conduction technology - comes included. It doesn't need to be put in your ears (just on the bone area near your ears) allowing you to take advantage of Bluetooth headset functions without blocking the sound you need to hear while on the scooter.
AND SO.
The Merlin E-Scooter will work great for certain situations, but it doesn't come cheap. Also, don't forget the law: make sure you have a reflective vest (included) and a helmet (not included) when riding one of these. alvin@khaleejtimes.com
THE LOWDOWN
Build- Aluminium/steel; 14kg
Controls - Trigger accelerator with five speed levels; LCD display
Battery- Up to 30km on single charge (3hrs to charge)
Accessories - Audiova Conduction Headphones; reflective vest
Price - Dh3,449
Pros - Portable, durable
Cons- Charging time takes a while, battery life not long, might've been better with a throttle grip
Editor Rating - 8/10
EXTRA BYTE
(Wi-Fi - Dh1,599 for 8" and Dh1,999 for 9.7"; LTE - Dh1,799 for 8" and Dh2,199 for 9.7")
Facility showcases its exciting proposition at the 2024 arabian travel market
uae10 hours ago
Dube has established himself as one of the most destructive middle-order batters in the IPL, scoring 350 runs at a 170-plus strike rate
cricket11 hours ago
Fraser-McGurk has blasted 309 runs in seven matches for the Delhi Capitals at a strike-rate of 235.87
cricket11 hours ago
The mayor of Seoul also extended a cordial invitation to the RTA to participate in the upcoming Seoul Smart Life Week
uae11 hours ago
The units are equipped to transform residences into golfing sanctuaries while eradicating the limitations of weather, seasonality and tee times
sports11 hours ago
When the Paris opening ceremony begins on July 26, it will be the first time the city has played host for a century after previous editions in 1924 and 1900
sports11 hours ago
This decision to invite players outside of the top 100 has precedents which is an interesting initiative to watch
sports11 hours ago
Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Al-Qahtani meets Morocco's Taha Bendaoud in the main event
sports11 hours ago