What do you a call a full-size touchscreen tablet with Wi-Fi connectivity, the ability to run applications, and iPhone-like touch controls? Until a week or so ago, it was called the CrunchPad, as envisioned by TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington.
Now the device has a new name, JooJoo, and Arrington has been cut out of the equation. Arrington’s former partner in developing the device, Fusion Garage, has claimed full ownership and the device will be available for $499 starting Dec. 11. Customers can purchase directly from thejoojoo.com.
Arrington revealed the rift between TechCrunch and Fusion Garage in a blog post on Nov. 30 in which he accused Fusion Garage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan of double-dealing and backstabbing, and promised a lawsuit over his being cut out of a product for which he provided the initial inspiration.
Returning Fire
Rathakrishnan took the opportunity of the product launch to issue return fire, as well as to announce the technical details.
“Anyone can repeat e-mails, and anyone can write a blog post … but Fusion Garage is the only actual doer in this story,” Rathakrishnan said. He said Fusion Garage had been independently developing a browser-based operating system. After reading a post by Arrington laying out his concept for the CrunchPad, the two got together.
Arrington promised to provide marketing muscle and bring in investors and ultimately acquire the company, Rathakrishnan said. “There was never any agreement of any kind between the two companies. This was nothing more than a potential acquisition that didn’t occur. Michael sat back while we took all the risk. The suggestion that Michael or TechCrunch owns anything is simply ludicrous,” Rathakrishnan charged in comments clearly aimed at the prospect of a lawsuit.
“TechCrunch didn’t contribute a single line of code,” he said. “As Michael wrote in his own April 2009 blog post, ‘All credit should go to…