What is a hoverboard?

The Verge tested Lexus' hoverboard in August. Thanks to science and a considerable promotional budget, the car maker's hoverboard actually hovered above the earth — as its name suggested. The experience was the culmination of a shared pop culture dream dating back to Michael J. Fox's faithful special effects-aided ride in Back to the Future Part II. It felt perversely historic. Somehow, only a couple months later, the creation of an actual working hoverboard has been overshadowed by a trendy namesake that doesn't hover at all — though on occasion, it has been reported to burst into flames. Maybe you are so enticed by the modern hoverboard, which looks like a miniature Segway without hand supports, that you're considering buying one in the new year. Or maybe you find the rideable and its misnomer dumbfounding, and a dangerous nuisance that impedes your morning commute. Whatever either case, I've invited The Verge's Sean O'Kane to tell us about the history of the hoverboard, and speculate on whether it will capture the public's interest for decades like its predecessor of the same name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices