

Joojoo is dead - e27sg
http://e27.sg/2010/11/11/the-joojoo-is-dead-but-fusion-garage-plans-new-products/

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TamDenholm
The whole tech industry saw this coming a mile away. I wonder if they now
regret their decision to release it themselves, i think they would've done
well with TC behind them.

I also think Fusion Garage will have a very hard time finding people to work
with them in the future.

~~~
AlexMuir
With hindsight this would have been a flop even with TC's backing. In a way TC
have got away without a failed product to their name. I think TC assumed that
Apple would be launching that iPad at $1000, and that they could then shift
the JooJoo for $500 easily. Wrong - Apple's pricing approach has changed.

~~~
hvs
I seem to remember Arrington wanting to release at a price point of about $200
or less. The price didn't go up to $500 until after FG broke with TC, I
believe.

At $200, it would have been an interesting competitor, but I don't think they
had a viable product at that price.

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tav
It's interesting that they seem to believe that they need to have iPad-like
apps in order to compete in the consumer market. I certainly like my apps.
However, I also can't see how "native" apps could ever hope to compete against
RESTful Web services of the future when the browser supports rich "native"
functionality.

It sometimes feels like that I'm the only person in the tech world who feels
this way. Am I being naive? Are "silo-ed" apps and app stores the only viable
future?

~~~
michaelneale
Perhaps - in that article it read to me like that was being as a bit of an
excuse to move to android (of course it makes sense for many reasons). It
certainly sounds better than "we stuffed up - going to android" - sell the
upside !

~~~
nikcub
When TC was still involved we were looking at Chromium OS - which wasn't
ready, and also Android. If we stayed with the project there was a good chance
that it would have been Android at launch (with support for Marketplace and
all the other good things that come with Android)

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AlexMuir
_A preliminary hearing in August, however, struck out most of TechCrunch’s
claims_

That's not my recollection of it? [1]

[1] <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1695843>

~~~
hartror
_TechCrunch has made a credible showing that it may be able to establish the
existence of a joint venture under which Fusion Garage owed it certain
fiduciary duties._

Depends on what other claims TC made, probably some claims with _malice_ and
_intent_ in the wording which the judge decided there wasn't any/enough
evidence to proceed with.

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shadowsun7
I think what worries me most about the Joojoo is how Chandra puts a positive
spin on everything that happens. iPad came out? Oh that's okay, we think the
cloud will work (not a convincing argument). Oh so little sales? Not to worry
- we have higher adoption in Europe (doesn't matter in the long run). We're
shutting down Joojoo (but don't worry - we've got more VC funding, learnt from
our mistakes, and are going to release a whole new stack of Android-based
devices!)

While I think Chandra is a nice guy, I'm beginning to question his ability to
see things as it is. He's done two startups now, both with near zero traction.

A constant positive spin on everything, an inability to see or create unique
value propositions (they _are_ one product cycle behind their competitors -
two if you're talking about the iPad) and you've got one hell of a sticky
situation.

I support the Singaporean startup scene, I do. But I'm beginning to worry at
what this says about us.

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iantimothy
The decision made by Fusion Garage seems like a good one, based on where the
market is going now. The company has clearly shown they can get a product
built. To me, the question is whether they can shake off the stench from the
mess with TechCrunch such that future marketing efforts for new products will
not be pointless upon arrival.

Can the tech crowd be won over?

I'm really curious about the family of products to be released. The line that
the products would talk to each other in a unique way is intriguing. It is the
synergy between the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and iTunes products that is a really
strong point for Apple. I wonder whether anyone has tried replicating that
with Android-based systems, and done so successfully.

~~~
napierzaza
I don't know if they've proven much of anything. End of life in what? 6
months? The iPad and most Android tablets will likely have updates for a few
years into the future.

That's a big stinking fish if you don't even factor in the TC controversy.
Anyone who bought a Joojoo is kicking themselves right now.

~~~
gvb
Straw poll: Has anybody here on HN...

a) Ordered a JooJoo?

b) Paid for a JooJoo?

c) Received a JooJoo?

~~~
nkohari
I've never seen one, nor heard of anyone who even considered buying one.

~~~
pbhjpbhj
I would have bought one from TC if it had been the original product that they
touted, even the second version that was $100 more IIRC but nicer styled.

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FiddlerClamp
It's a pity just because of the 12" capacitive tablet format...there are no
shipping competitors with that size yet.

Of interest, JooJoo users have been hacking away and have figured out how to
install Android, Windows, and OS X on it. I think that's what JooJoo should
have done all along -- sell it as a reference platform.

I wouldn't buy it because of the cloud that hangs over the company, but the
hardware looks nice.

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jorkos
Don't count them out. Let's see how version 2.0 does on Android. They've shown
they can build something with a very lean team...

~~~
metachor
Is it on Android, or on an "Android-based operating system" as mentioned in
the article?

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raymondhome
The VCs must be a very optimistic bunch. Fusion Garage is 2 product cycle
behind Ipad, one product cycle behind the current Android tablet entrant.

I don't see the Android tablets competing with the Ipad yet (the UX experience
just isn't there). However, once Android tablets pricing drops to $350 in
another 2 product cycles, sales will take off as people buy Android tablet in
lieu of netbooks.

As long as people are not looking at Android tablet as netbook replacement,
Android tablet would continue to be a niche product.

~~~
dagw
The most interesting quote from the article was probably "Chandra said
transportation companies, hospitals and advertising agencies were interested
in a customized version of the Joojoo." If that is in fact true and they can
meet that demand, then I imagine there is a lucrative niche for them in low
volume, highly customized tablets. You don't have to have mass market appeal
and mass market sales to be successful company.

~~~
napierzaza
He's talking about a market, and possible luke warm interest in people's he's
spoken too. It's basically marketing.

It's going to be easier to get a iPad programmer than a Joojoo programmer so
it's unlikely many places will get behind a company that EOL'd their product
in less than a year's time.

~~~
dagw
_It's going to be easier to get a iPad programmer than a Joojoo programmer_

Think hardware rather than software. If you're some obscure industry and need
a small number of tablets that fulfill some obscure hardware requirements do
you really think Apple is going to help you? Their best bet at this point is
probably to take a good look at companies like Psion. Leave the mass market
behind I focus on niche hardware for niche markets. There is still a very good
chance that they will fail, but it is probably the only realistic chance they
have.

