CrunchPad Dreams Die As Partners Pull Out
Who didn't see this coming? Okay, okay, so maybe there actually were a few people out there holding out serious hope that the CrunchPad would indeed see the light of day, but we've been skeptical of the whole thing from the get-go. That said, it looks like the tablet was actually really, really close to going retail, but a long-winded explanation surfacing today from Michael Arrington has confirmed that the project is (at least for now) dead.
Reportedly, the CrunchPad was "ready to launch" just two weeks ago, with a demo device proving exceptionally stable. If you'll recall, the device has been in the works for 1.5 years, and Arrington was hoping to showcase it recently with Chrome OS and Windows 7 hacked on. Mass production was slated for early 2010, and everything seemed to be on track. Things were looking up. The tablet would be a huge hit. It might even steal some thunder from Apple's rumored tablet. But then, this.
Arrington noted that "entire project self destructed over nothing more than greed, jealousy and miscommunication." What's that mean? It means that Michael will "almost certainly be filing multiple lawsuits against Fusion Garage, and possibly Chandra and his shareholders as individuals, shortly." He blamed those parties for pulling out and possibly trying to renegotiate the contracts shortly before launch, but due to the trademarking process, he's sure that no one can go ahead and produce this without his say-so.
It's been a wild, wild ride, and for some reason, we don't think that this is really the end. A project that lasts 1.5 years doesn't just vanish from your mind. Something you poured love and effort into hangs around, and we're hoping that the differences involved can be pushed aside for the sake of progress. The tablet market needs a revolution, and this was just the device to do it.
Reportedly, the CrunchPad was "ready to launch" just two weeks ago, with a demo device proving exceptionally stable. If you'll recall, the device has been in the works for 1.5 years, and Arrington was hoping to showcase it recently with Chrome OS and Windows 7 hacked on. Mass production was slated for early 2010, and everything seemed to be on track. Things were looking up. The tablet would be a huge hit. It might even steal some thunder from Apple's rumored tablet. But then, this.
Arrington noted that "entire project self destructed over nothing more than greed, jealousy and miscommunication." What's that mean? It means that Michael will "almost certainly be filing multiple lawsuits against Fusion Garage, and possibly Chandra and his shareholders as individuals, shortly." He blamed those parties for pulling out and possibly trying to renegotiate the contracts shortly before launch, but due to the trademarking process, he's sure that no one can go ahead and produce this without his say-so.
It's been a wild, wild ride, and for some reason, we don't think that this is really the end. A project that lasts 1.5 years doesn't just vanish from your mind. Something you poured love and effort into hangs around, and we're hoping that the differences involved can be pushed aside for the sake of progress. The tablet market needs a revolution, and this was just the device to do it.
