Archive for: fusion garage
- November 11, 2010 9:41 am
The most highly acclaimed, globally praised Fusion Garage’s re-branded CrunchPad JooJoo tablet is dead — this according to tech site e27 in an email exchange between themselves and Fusion Garage founder Chandrashekar Rathakrishnan. The news isn’t all that entirely surprising given rumors of a rather pathetic 90 units sold…total. (Though Chandra obviously denies such low numbers.) But don’t count Fusion Garage out just yet. Chandra reiterated that they are working on a couple of new devices for 2011 powered by a customized version of Android and packing newer, more powerful hardware.
Getting rid of that god-awful in-house OS was an important first step towards relevance. Now they just have to show some restraint in going hands-on crazy with Android customization. Does an Android-powered JooJoo 2, 3, or 4 sound more appetizing?
Lawsuits and bad sentiment be dammed, the JooJoo and it’s creators will not give up. While their first stab at this whole tablet thing was pretty pathetic, the company hopes that version 2 will be a much bigger hit. Helping to accomplish this goal is the abandonment of their own, in-house OS in favor of the latest and greatest flavor of Android (we hope the latest at least…).
The only differentiating decision that will surely set the JooJoo 2 apart form other Android tablets, however, is the lack of any Android Market access. Instead, the Fusion Garage team will be tweaking Android to tie into many different web services such as Gmail and Facebook, leveraging the open web and ignoring stand alone, native apps.
Sounds risky enough. Just one question: Does anyone want a tablet without dedicated apps these days…?
The JooJoo claims it’s better than or at least equal to the Apple iPad because of it’s support for Adobe Flash. Generally, this is a pretty big bragging point to make note of. However, in the JooJoo’s case, the reliance on a lonely Atom processor and beta build of Flash (designed for desktop PC’s mind you) means the overall experience is lacking. Adobe apparently isn’t too thrilled in being so closely associated as a “JooJoo partner” and as such, has released an official statement on the matter.
JooJoo has no direct relationship with Adobe and has not worked with us as other manufacturers have to ensure a great Flash experience. By attempting to use a public beta release designed only for desktop use, we’re not surprised by the lackluster performance and disappointing browsing experience.
Silicon and device platforms from companies who have worked with Adobe as part of the Open Screen Project are setting the bar for a great Flash experience on this exciting device category and we encourage you to check out devices from Dell, HP, Lenovo and other partners.
The most insulting though somewhat humor laden aspect of it all is that Adobe recommends users looking for decent mobile Flash usage check out other actual Open Screen Project partners like Dell, HP, and Lenovo and their respective tablets. The zinger: None of those manufacturers currently have competing tablets on sale. Ouch! Even non-existent hardware is being recommended over the JooJoo.
FusionGarage has made claims in the last few days that Flash performance is indeed in need of an upgrade. With that said, hardware acceleration for Linux isn’t yet supported which in turn is the reason why Flash on the JooJoo just isn’t so great. Looks like FG either needs to dump the desktop version of Flash or get out the Chinese because they’re going to need to camp out at HQ for a few weeks to get it all working the way it should.
Is anyone surprised?
Engadget
I won’t deny one bit that 24 hours ago, my outlook on the JooJoo by Fusion Garage was this — crap. From the meager hardware specs to god awful UI, it had failure written all over it. On top of it all, an untimely delay meant the whole plan of beating the iPad to market was lost. A delay is never a good thing. But Fusion Garage went back to the drawing board and at least made the best of what they had, turning this seemingly downtime filled delay into a workshop of sorts and bringing the UI into 2010. Just look at it. The updated UI is exponentially better. So much so that I’d almost overlook the so-so hardware.
Some may still knock it for the overly simple UI appearance. But that’s what get’s me. It’s simple yet nice to look at. Of course, greatly improved input support and multi-touch tweaks aplomb. The only software issue now withstanding is all about apps. What does Fusion Garage have to offer?
Anyone thinking another look at the JooJoo is warranted? As far as writing off FusionGarage and their once crap gadget, a believer I have *mostly* become.
Nexus
The JooJoo, CrunchPad, wonder tablet — call it what you want. Since the much publicized falling out between TechCrunch’s Mike Arrington and Fusion Garage’s Chandra Rathakrishnan, the JooJoo’s future has been rehashed many a time. On one hand, you have this small company putting out their own in-house creation against countless other tablets as well as the big gun Apple iPad. After seeing countless reviews full of videos and pictures, I have come away pretty unimpressed. For $500 — the same price as an iPad — you have yet another proprietary device that runs a proprietary OS that will require a completely separate SDK with all new apps. I’m not saying the JooJoo is going to fail, I’m just saying that for the price, and seeing the competition, there isn’t really all that much that drives me towards it and choosing it over any other of the options on the market.
The big deal with the JooJoo however was it was going to get an early lead on the iPad with a late February release. That early lead has since fallen with the new launch date slipping all the way back to March 25th — within days of the iPad. Now that the early lead is gone, does the JooJoo stand even less of a chance? Personal opinions aside, the JooJoo is still a unique device, offering up a slightly different spin on the standard tablet computer. It’s just that now that all the ducks are in a row, the battle has become increasingly heated.
Do you think a developer eying the market is going to be wooed by the JooJoo? Or does Apple’s App Store and numerous different platforms (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad) make the ROI too hard to resist?
Wired
[Image Source]
- February 3, 2010 10:21 pm
Were you on team TechCrunch/Michael Arrington or team FusionGarage in the whole CrunchPad JooJoo drama? It doesn’t really matter how you feel as the JooJoo is coming to market. Fresh of the press, FusionGarage went live today with word of a manufacturing deal with CSL. The good thing for FG is that all up front manufacturing costs are paid for by CSL in exchange for a “single digit percentage of sales”. Well alrighty then.
I’m just going to come out and say it — after watching the demo movie that FusionGarage CEO “Chandra” was featured in back in December, I’ve come away with my impressions. The JooJoo looks like shit. Michael Arrington should be glad he doesn’t have any ties to this piece of junk. The biggest thing that caught my attention right away was the horrible navigation. The UI was smooth…if you could get it to register your finger touches.
To be fair, it could very well have been pre-production hiccups in the software. Let’s hope they removed such things as if it is even remotely like the demo video, it’s going to suck (read: fail) epicly. Anyone else less than enthused about this?
But the real cherry on the cake is a more recent development. Apparently humility (and common sense for that matter) isn’t a stong suit of Chandra’s as he openly mocks the iPad and even goes as far to say that the JooJoo inspired it — a “rip off” of sorts. I really don’t have any words to come back at. I mean, no one in their right mind is going to look at the JooJoo and then look at the iPad and instantly see a copy & paste situation. I don’t at least. Am I missing something?
I’m by no means a super iPad supporter geek. I wasn’t that impressed honestly. But to compare the JooJoo and iPad is like comparing your typical urban street whore to the rich, prissy bitch who lives next door. Both more or less do the same thing. It’s just one is put together much better than the other…
Color me slightly optimistic, but reports around the JooJoo today (remember, the CrunchPad that evaporated into vaporware only to re-emerge as crapware) have it not only on track, but enjoying increased pre-orders since the iPad announcement, a new round of funding, and a South African carrier deal in the mix — quite the buffet of luck if you ask me.
As far as the increased pre-order claim, Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan didn’t actually post any numbers for us to look at so his claims are unverified at this point. With that said, being able to actually track whether or not JooJoo pre-orders did rise after Apple’s mid-week bonanza last week is next to impossible without said numbers.
Moving on, Chandra has also stated that he and FusionGarage are committed to starting shipments of the JooJoo in February. That’s fine and dandy and all but those who have pre-ordered so far have been met with the same 8-10 week shipment date that’s been around for well over a month now. If I were you, I wouldn’t put down any money until these things actually make it into the streets. They call “vaporware” by it’s name for a reason.
As for the new round of funding and carrier deal in the mix, could the JooJoo be the poor mans iPad that costs the same as an iPad?
Engadget
[TechPluto]
Fusion Garage and TechCrunch have been going at it for the last several days in a cut throat manner, both accusing the other of lies, deceit, and all kinds of other hurtful things. We all know what Michael Arrington and the entire ‘Crunch team think. Fusion Garage announced today that any IP property or copyright claimed by TechCrunch and Michael Arrington is “ludicrous” and simply not true. Fusion Garage CEO even goes as far as to say that Michael Arrington didn’t do enough — practically anything worthwhile or useful in the advancement and development of the CrunchPad. Ouch. Bickering aside, you just want specs and pictures.
Sadly, no one is going to be impressed with the underpowered specs that include 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, 4GB RAM, 5 hours of battery life, and a few other mid to low range features that now cost $500. The OS boots straight into a browser (ala Chrome OS) so native apps are looking pretty unlikely at this point. Overall it looks to me as if Fusion Garage just created another table clone computer that will only appeal to a small, select group.
Ya, so much for actually wanting a CrunchPad JooJoo. At the size and price, I’d rather get a cheaper laptop or a nice smartphone. It’s sad, the CrunchPad was a novel idea. Now it’s legacy is nothing more than a typical over-hyped, under performing hardware/software combo yet again. Anyone still interested?
Electronista
- November 30, 2009 12:42 pm
If there were ever a gadget that the tech world was so eager to see, touch, and play with, the CrunchPad was perhaps one of the top contenders. Eschewing any Apple related gear, in recent memory I honestly can’t think of a gadget that so frequently soaked up headlines. While the headlines were often negative in nature, detailing yet another delay or setback, geeks alike were still primed and ready, waiting for a date they could get their hands on this wonder device. After reading the final account by Michael Arrington himself over at TechCrunch we can now see the real reason to not necessarily past delays, but to why that now hallowed November 20th date came and went. A personal account by Michael Arrington sheds light on what is easily one of the saddest and most disheartening events for tech enthusiasts as well as the CrunchPad team alike.
To get things started: Greed. Need I say more? In reality there’s a lot, lot more. Essentially, Michael was told by his partner and best friend who’s company, “Fusion Garage”, was helping build and distribute the CrunchPad that he and TechCrunch were no longer involved in the device and that the only option for forward progress was the surrendering of any and all remaining CrunchPad trademarks and rights to Fusion Garage. You can see where this is going…
