Michael Arrington's CrunchPad still not available, maybe never will be?
By Tim Stevens 
posted November 5th 2009 6:48AM
posted November 5th 2009 6:48AM
posted November 5th 2009 6:48AM
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This would have been really cool too...
Ahhhh vaporware I always thought that Duke Nukem held that title firmly but someone is fighting for the gadget classification it seems.
For what purpose?
MIDs have been around for years, and have singularly failed to set the world on fire.
YAWN.
"MIDs have been around for years, and have singularly failed to set the world on fire" -- yeah, but a large part of that is the price.
I have to agree with the YAWNs of the comments.
What makes something like this more compelling than a convertible netbook, like the T91, or the yet to be released Acer 1820 which will have the same basic specs as a Timeline?
I just wish that netbook manufacturers would get more aggressive with making convertible tablets, because the manufacturing cost to add the swivel, touchscreen (and maybe a little 3Qi screen tech) would be well under $100, and the device would go anywhere, can be used for real work (you know typing something more than a URL), replace a proprietary e-book/e-comic reader (CBZ, FTW), and depending on the touch screen technology (I'd pay extra for Wacom or Stantum) becomes an art pad of sorts (think MS Courier, or Gimpshop tablet, or Alias Sketchbook Pro).
If a device like that made it to the big box stores, it would be a hit.
The CrunchPad, or any netbook-sized tablet without a physical keyboard is just half-assed in comparison.
I personally do not see myself in the market for a netbook without a keyboard.
I am glad to see it fail.
Michael Arrogant thinks he knows everything, its nice to see him put his money where his mouth is and come up empty.
BTW, this photo is not what the Crunchpad looks like - there was a video of a working unit and it was big and fugly.
ah, the cold, merciless grasp of reality breaking apart the idealistic dreams of millions...
Perhaps they never actually intended to release it. A well respected blogger stands up and says "This is what I want" All of a sudden the industry takes notice and says "Look, this is what they want. Lets make one too"
It could just be that he is making a really bold and well thought out statement...
or not...
just saying.
Bummer
Your avatar is great. It makes it look like you are shooting the words onto the internet. It does, however, necessitate more exclamation marks.
At first glance I thought it was the Apple Tablet. Anyway, it's not, but this is what I would picture it will look like if it ever comes out.
Or maybe he shat his pants when he saw the Microsoft Courier leaks.
LOL !! I would say that Courier is awesome, but this device is a Internet Tablet in the true sense, won't let you do all the fancy collaborative stuff (read: Google Wave-ish stuff) that is possible in Courier, but it will let us browse sites, listen to internet radio, etc. It will make use of all that cloud computing offers and some. I speculate that it would launch in Mid 2010, i.e, if it ever launches !
Why would yet another worthless non existent vapor ware product that will never be released scare anyone from releasing a worthless non existent vapor ware product?
Screw you Mike Arrington, screw you!
Arrington's a tool, first for being an arrogant jackass, and second for promising and not delivering.
Agree with both of you, what a jackass
hey engadget, sound like something else we havent heard from in a long time? Onlive gaming?
A sub-$300 price-point for a touchscreen netbook with no keyboard is totally feasible. I've seen Dell Acer, and Asus selling netbooks for $200. I'm not entirely sure that anyone would actually buy such a device.
Do people really need a device between the web-friendly smartphone they already have, and the netbook they also already have? Perhaps there are some techophiles who like the possibility of yet another way to browse the internet on the toilet, but even they would be a hard-sell. For the same price as a netbook, would they be content with such a single-purpose device?
You sir, are stupid.
CrunchPad is not from Dell, Acer, or Asus. "Totally feasible" for TechCrunch, not at all.
BTW, Dell, Acer, and Asus make less than 5% on any PC they "sell" for
I'm not sure that follows. The touchscreen is really expensive.
it would really blow if they don't get this out. I held off from purchasing other crap (kindle, etc...) because I wanted this one. It looks as close to the a real magazine style reader in color that has better specs. I even so myself mounting one these things on my wall... Rethink it - fix the price point, and classify the damn thing as a digital photoframe like everyone else is doing and get it out there.
Probably was Apple's fault. the CrunchPad likely looks too much like the Apple tablet for Apple to not preemptively take action.
Ahahah, Gosh, you iDiots really are something.. *facepalm*
Investors, investors, investors! Developers, developers, developers!
When did it become trendy to highlight that your screen has glare issues?
Since http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/14/live-from-apples-spotlight-turns-to-notebooks-event/
When Apple did it.
funny you mention it, vaporware is the word of the day, i bought one of those electronic word-a-day calenda-...hey....where'd it go?
just like icontrolpad
I suspect that everyone here is wrong on predicting the demise. I think the reality set in and that launching a blank tablet with no content or app store was overlooking a huge revenue opportunity. I think they could still hit the $300 price point if they cut some sort of revenue deal with apps, ads, or online affiliate purchases. Just like mozilla makes most of its coin off the search bar affiliates and ad revenues. I think there is a similar story here. My guess is they are getting some of these content issues and revenue issues sorted out and taking the extra time continue improving the firmware / OS. The leaked images and videos are proof this thing exists. Better to just get it right the first time, or minimize the wrong. After his perpetual bashing of all comer competitors, like the HP Photoscreen and the HP AllinOne touch PC he better have the gear to back it up.
Mike really needs to clarify the situation
if not, we will continue to speculate and the Crunchpad will become a running joke
I don't think anyone would blam him for saying cost pushed it past $300 mark
He's got pretty popular Blog (yes Blog its not a news site)... Speak Mike. you always do
It's funny that both Giz and Eng are trying to exert pressure on Mike. He won't say anything until it's appropriate. I'd take no news as good news.
Funny, why? Dan Frommer wrote about it yesterday, and there's not much going on today, so these and other sites repeated essentially everything that was in Frommer's post because Arrington's an asshole and when assholes fail, it's funny...
Maybe there is no CrunchPad at all and this was just a ploy to get tens of thousands of readers to come to their site each month and follow them on Twitter. Right now Engadget is basically pushing readers to them by writing this story. I wouldn't be surprised if Michael Arrington is sitting in a giant velvet chair right now, rubbing his hands together and laughing evilly to himself, knowning that has Ballon Boy'd all of you.
muahahahahahaha
That is the most terrible photoshopped glare I've ever seen.
I have stopped caring.
Courier ftw!
Apple is giving them the shank eye.....
WHAT SAYETH YOU, MICHAEL? OR DO YOU ENJOYETH THIS?
I just have this dreadful feeling that its going to appear with windows 7 pre-installed...........
I just want someone to make a solid touchscreen tablet so I can sit at home in my undies playing diablo 2 all day.