but won’t.
The ‘JooJoo,’ still known as the CrunchPad here AgentGenius is a gorgeously touchable 2.4lb, 12.1 inch finger stroking tablet designed to load just about any operating system that your heart desires. This is an idea that was incubated by Michael Arrington of TechCrunch, allegedly stolen by his partners. I say allegedly because it’s now all going to be litigated as to whether Michael owns any intellectual rights to his own product, but I can tell you that I’ve watched for and anticipated the launch of this tablet for over a year now via TechCrunch. Why have I waited? Because of the reason the product was developed- it was designed to be a portable tablet for lounging readers at the affordable price of roughly $200 bucks. Simple, right?
Friday, JooJoo.com (the little tablet that couldn’t and now shouldn’t) will launch at a retail price of around $500, virtually $300 more per unit without it’s real name and without Arrington reinstalled behind it.
We suspect the rumors are true that the tech industry will boycott retailers that carry the unit, as well as publishers advertising the unit online through ad placement until litigation has concluded, especially at such an inflated price. My suspicion is that this case will be held up in court for a very long time, unfortunately leaving plenty of room for Apple to sneak in with it’s much anticipated version (which Apple has not yet confirmed, nor denied).
The startup world (TechCrunch audience) is built on ideas and trust, and the possibility that any idea can be stolen in such a blatant, public fashion such as this is unconscionable and punishable, and the industry is looking to Arrington to take a stand.
The CrunchPad as seen on TechCrunch is not only beautifully touchable, but now possessed by an awful name and in the custody of alleged kidnappers.
We hope the two sides can come to an agreement before the launch, but that agreement should be nothing less than what was agreed to by the two parties prior to November 30 when the relationship fell apart.
The appeal the CrunchPad has to the real estate space is its simplicity, and ease of use. Demonstrating properties, documents, maps, and other real estate material with this product was an exciting proposition as app development was sure to take it to new heights.
