Written by Janko Roettgers
Posted Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 12:00 AM PT

 

Five Ways to Save Joost

joostsfuture.jpgThe writing is on the wall for Joost: The company just fired its CTO under what can only be described as puzzling circumstances. Then there are all those rumors about disappointing user numbers, funding issues and staffers looking for new jobs. It’s hard to tell whether these are true, but it’s clear that Joost is getting beat left and right by its competitors. Just take a look at Hulu, and you know that the Joost team has good reason to be worried.

But all is not lost for Joost. The company has built some interesting technology that could be leveraged into a great online video platform, it just has to break down the walls to its deserted garden. Here’s some unsolicited advice on how to save Joost.

Integrate Hulu. Almost ever single comment made on our recent articles about Joost involves a complaint about the lack of quality content. Joost has Tropical Honeys, Hulu’s got Heroes. Go figure. But Joost can make use of Hulu because its application is built on Mozilla XUL-Code, making it basically a browser that is specialized for video. Hulu, on the other hand, allows its clips to be embedded into any web page. Veoh and formal partners like MSN already make use of it, so why not Joost? Sure, the interface will need some tweaking, but that’s a small price to pay if you get instant access to tons of quality programming in return.

Turn Joost into a podcasting client. There are literally hundreds of great video podcasts out there, and tens of thousands that, although questionable to some, still manage to tickle the fancy of others. So why can’t I watch any of them with Joost? Give me the ability to chat with users who watch the same content, just as it’s now possible with Joost shows, and I’ll even tolerate the occasional layer ad. There have been fairly reliable rumors about Joost working on this feature for quite a while now, so where the heck is it?

Build a web version. This is pretty much a no-brainer. Sure, P2P won’t work on the web, and there are plenty of competitors out there. But it’s about offering your users the convenience of being able to watch your content where they want and how they want. Joost’s advantage over platforms like Hulu will never be some software with lots of bells and whistles, but its potential to have a social dimension. Users that interact with each other and help each other find content. Build this community in your client, give it a home on the web and allow them to occasionally stream a clip there as well.

Build a Firefox plug-in. Consider it the next step in merging the web with the Joost app. A plug-in could make use of Joost’s P2P network, its widgets and its community and at the same time allow access to any other content online. Wouldn’t it be great if users could mash a single playlist out of YouTube videos, Joost clips and Hulu scenes and then send it to their Joost IM buddies?

Get Joost on the Wii. Forget about Apple TV. The real home entertainment powerhouse is Nintendo. The company has sold more than seven million consoles in the U.S. alone, but hasn’t shown any ambitions to get into the online video market. Joost could fill this gap by offering a Wii-optimized web app that’s accessible through the console’s Opera browser. Give me the ability to control my videos with some wild Wiimote gestures, and I’ll chose Joost over Hulu any day.

 

Sphere
Topic: Startups
« Previous Post Next Post »

Comments & Trackbacks

  1. Ive mentioned Joost on the Wii to the developers in their IRC channel on Freenode and they always say the Wii doesnt have enough power for Joost to run .Ill keep bugging them and maybe there will be a WiiWare Chanel for Joost in the next year .

    Joost might be able to create a flash version but Im sure they would have to use Flash 9 which the Wii doesn’t currently support because Abode hasn’t released the Flash 9 SDK for devices.

    Mike Volpi told Kara Swisher last year he wanted a browser based version and outlined his vision for Joost when he was the Fresh faced CEO .

    He also mentioned support for RSS feeds so Joost could double as a podcasting client .

    http://kara.allthingsd.com/20070913/kara-visits-with-joosts-mike-volpi-part-1/

    Hmm a Browser based p2p plugin I know a developer who was working on that for another company that recently let go of its p2p developers , but he doesnt work for Joost ;)

    Another thing Joost should do is add a Linux client its one of the most requested things on the Joost forums .

    http://www.joost.com/forums/search.html?q=linux

    Also Joost needs to listen to its users on its forums ,chats and emails and really ask us what we want .

    Please engage us Joostand you will be rewarded with our loyalty …if you have Hulu’s content ;)

    Matt Hendry on January 19th, 2008 at 6:07 am - Permalink

  2. [...] has some suggestions for what Joost can do to build some more traction, including getting more content from Hulu, [...]

    Is Joost headed for the deadpool? - - mathewingram.com/work on January 19th, 2008 at 6:12 am - Permalink

  3. The only real advice is the last one, but that would need to be backed up by a Web version. As you said. No brainer.

    The problem with joost is that it is a “Wannabe” gatekeeper type company in a world where we just invented teleportation.

    Maybe it can become some type of content aggrigator with a social networking bent. But that is so far from the current business model, its a start from scratch.

    The CTO going to BBC seems to be more in touch with where the real business it. Building content accessability platforms for content producers to interact directly with customers. This is the future in one shape or another.

    An example of this is BBC talking about going to AppleTV. Cool, but thats because its going to ANY platform that will have them let users access their content. Not because Apple TV is the way forward.

    To tell the truth, I doubt it will happen as Apple will want to clip the ticket. BBC will tell them to get lost. What gives them the right. In the end its ALL NET!

    James

    James Gardiner on January 19th, 2008 at 8:09 am - Permalink

  4. [...] downbound the walls to its forsaken garden. Here’s whatever uninvited advice on how to spend Joost. Continue datum at Newteevee.com. Tags: joost, joost.com, [...]

    Five Ways to Save Joost | Fresh Web 2.0 News on January 19th, 2008 at 12:12 pm - Permalink

  5. [...] Five Ways to Save Joost [image]The writing is on the wall for Joost: The company just fired its CTO under what can only be described as […] [...]

    Top Posts « WordPress.com on January 19th, 2008 at 4:01 pm - Permalink

  6. Joost is:

    1. Proprietary.
    2. DRM-encumbered.
    3. Not available for GNU/Linux, *BSD or Solaris (the only systems I use).

    So my conclusion is: I couldn’t care less about Joost, good riddance.

    Torgrim on January 19th, 2008 at 4:48 pm - Permalink

  7. I never cared for Joost’s proprietary player. Always seemed to cause problems with my PC. And required a very fast connection.

    The Zipityzap model still makes sense to me: for consumers an internet television portal: for programmers an internet television platform.
    http://www.Zipityzap.com

    Gerald Z on January 20th, 2008 at 6:49 am - Permalink

  8. I don’t know that “saving Joost” is something that we should be too worried about. They spent $45 million of other peoples money swanning around New York telling the world how things are going to be in the XXIst Century. As it turns out, they have about as good idea about the future as the former presidents of Citicorp and Merrill Lynch.

    But FWIW, if they asked me to fix Joost up I’d

    1) Move back to Europe
    2) Create linear channels..no more VOD
    3) Increase the adload (with global brands only)
    4) Offer a smaller picture that fits avg. upload capacities in Europe
    5) Create an embedded player ( primarily to allow syndication)
    6) One more…rebrand Joost with a name that doesn’t sound like toast.

    Drew Robertson on January 20th, 2008 at 10:55 am - Permalink

  9. [...] this comment on NewTeeVee says: Joost [...]

    Joost Needs a Boost « Kent’s Official Blog on January 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pm - Permalink

  10. I think Gerald hit it on the head. Create linear programming and an embeddable player.

    Craig on January 20th, 2008 at 4:16 pm - Permalink

  11. [...] There’s always the possibility that Joost could be turned around, and with a huge budget behind them, that’s got to be a priority. NewTeeVee have even been kind enough to list Five Ways To Save Joost. [...]

    Will Joost Last The Year? | Doesn’t Live Up To The Hype & Can’t Compete With Hulu Etc » Web TV Wire on January 20th, 2008 at 4:39 pm - Permalink

  12. If Joost has to worry about something as sucky as Hulu, then they’re really in trouble.

    Mike Abundo on January 21st, 2008 at 3:12 am - Permalink

  13. [...] er zijn roddels over achterblijvende cijfers, geld problemen en werknemers die zomaar vertrekken. NewTeeVee weet vijf manieren om Joost te redden. [...]

    Vijf manieren om Joost te redden | zoomz - Alles over internetvideo on January 21st, 2008 at 1:15 pm - Permalink

  14. Thats the way it goes.

    Mario Van Breda on January 21st, 2008 at 1:38 pm - Permalink

  15. Yes, Joost for Wii sounds like a very good idea!

    AleksOD on January 22nd, 2008 at 7:15 am - Permalink

  16. In short, you are saying: turn it into Veoh (aggregate content from everywhere, make it accessible on the web without a client).

    Maybe Veoh should just buy them out and get the talent. At this stage, they will probably a reasonable offer.

    Alex on January 22nd, 2008 at 7:28 pm - Permalink

  17. Hulu was made by the broadcaster themselves. They want to be in control of the content distribution and cut as many intermediate as possible. This is the only way they can max-out profits.

    Joost has always been the idea of full screen TV quality on your computer, you have enough Veoh, YouTube and various clones out there.

    Joost is banking of the fact their platform is encrypted, so content holder can put their content knowing it will not be copied and distributed elsewhere. If Hulu is flash video it will not be too hard to save those files.

    PhoenixP3K on January 23rd, 2008 at 6:49 am - Permalink

  18. [...] post at NewTeeVee was a thought provoking look in the mirror. His suggestions for Joost amount to six decisions where Joost went one way and ffwd went the other, like branch points on an evolutionary tree. It’s yet another way to define what we are doing [...]

    ffwd team blog » Blog Archive » ffwd evolutionary cousin of Joost? on January 24th, 2008 at 2:11 pm - Permalink

  19. [...] Joost Needs A Spark - Joost is in hot water. The company last week fired its Chief Technology Officer under mysterious circumstances. Usage of the P2P-powered TV service has underwhelmed, and the content deals have dried up. But all is not lost. A few savvy distribution agreements could save the online video provider. One of the biggest complaints about Joost is its lack of quality content. Hulu, the ad-supported content distribution effort from NBC Universal and News Corp., would make the perfect addition. [...]

    Articles of the Day | Dave Liu dot com on January 28th, 2008 at 5:19 pm - Permalink

  20. [...] has a list of 5 ways to save Joost. But as Andrew says… I’m afraid trying to save it might be like trying to start a [...]

    Internet TV Blog » Blog Archive » Whither Joost? on February 13th, 2008 at 11:44 pm - Permalink

  21. [...] There’s a Joost timeline in there which is over-the-top dramatic (”June 2007: Volpi, who was on Skype’s board, is hired as C.E.O. At tech-industry cocktail parties, people debate whether he’s the next Eric Schmidt.”). But this line, set up to be the dramatic climax, made me smile: “January 2008: Influential tech website NewTeeVee posts a blog entry titled ‘Five Ways to Save Joost.’” [...]

    Saying It Makes It True « NewTeeVee on March 21st, 2008 at 11:29 am - Permalink

  22. [...] každou cenu. Druhou pak převedení služby na nějaké patřičnější zařízení než jsou PC, třeba Wii? Co byste od služby jako je Joost chtěli vy, aby ji mělo smysl [...]

    Bombablog » Archiv » Joost se potácí. Postaví jej na nohy živé vysílání a web? on March 22nd, 2008 at 1:34 pm - Permalink

  23. [...] Röttgers hat vor ein paar Monaten bei NewTeeVee fünf Vorschläge gemacht, wie Joost zu retten sei. (Joost, dieses ehemalige Onlinevideo-Wunderding, dem die guten Inhalte fehlen.) Sein Vorschlag [...]

    Wortfeld » Konsolidierung on April 9th, 2008 at 2:58 pm - Permalink

  24. [...] I predicted. Lots of fodder recently, here and there, about how P2P video startup Joost is becoming increasingly irrelevant in the land of [...]

    Joost Passin’ Through « Digitalics on April 10th, 2008 at 7:16 am - Permalink

  25. [...] 2008: Influential school website NewTeeVee posts a journal entry named “Five Ways to Save Joost.” [...]

    Looks like I’m now the official P2P pulse monitor | Fresh Web 2.0 News on April 16th, 2008 at 4:16 pm - Permalink

Leave a reply








Safari hates me

If your comment doesn't show up immediately, it may have gotten caught in our trusty (but occasionally overly ambitious) spam filter. Please drop us a note and we'll retrieve it.