Remember the JooJoo? It’s coming back… maybe

Remember the JooJoo/CrunchPad?

That was the tablet computer that was once connected to Michael Arrington’s TechCrunch empire, then dramatically severed from it.

It started trying to build up steam a month before Apple unveiled the iPad, and then once the iPad launched, the first JooJoo immediately lost any chance of succeeding.

But apparently, the company behind it, Singapore-based Fusion Garage, is still kicking.

If you try to “buy” a JooJoo from its website, you see this message: “We are looking ahead to our next generation of devices of varying screen sizes. Stay tuned here for more information about these exciting products in the first half of 2011.”

Interesting — except that it’s already the second half of 2011, and we haven’t heard a peep. It’s understandable that the new tablets may be delayed — most other companies’ tablets have been delayed, and the first JooJoo was long delayed — but how hard is it to update a website?

So is Fusion Garage really alive? Yes, according to a rep whose firm works with the company.

“Fusion Garage is still in business and working on their new products. I’ll let you know when we have an update. We appreciate you checking in!”

So, we’ll see. Assuming Fusion Garage is still trying to make tablets, it will still have the same challenges it did before: It’s a small startup competing with giants, including Apple, Samsung, RIM, HP, and eventually Amazon, Microsoft, and everyone else. This is particularly difficult in the hardware business.

But anything’s worth a shot — even though this is definitely a long shot. These guys clearly saw the tablet story ahead of most big companies, so maybe they can innovate in interesting ways. I’d at least be happy to take a look at what they’re working on.