Written by Liz Gannes
Posted Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 5:00 AM PT

 

No Download Required: Joost to Go Flash

As we previously reported, Internet TV startup Joost is ditching its downloadable desktop software. But now the company is taking things a step further, to give users the option to access the site without even downloading a P2P browser plug-in. All its content and new social features will be available in Flash, with higher definition, live, and some international programming only available with download of a “premium” (but still free) plug-in.

What’s more, the company says it expects the majority of its users will come to its content through the Flash player. The premium version of the site is open to the public today; the standard version will launch in mid-October.

Also — yay! — Joost is improving its terrible navigation system. The site will now organize shows, films, and music into hierarchical categories.

Joost is also adding new content throughout the course of the fall. Its library of 28,000 shows includes some that no other web video sites offer, for instance the largest collection of anime on the web, according to a spokesperson.

With general consumer knowledge and adoption of the availability of TV online just beginning, Joost may just have an outside chance at reclaiming the ground it lost with its (often faulty) desktop client.

Screenshots below, courtesy of Joost PR:

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Comments & Trackbacks

  1. Not quite true that there is no downloads. You have to install a rather sneeky Java app for the P2P stuff to work. Sneaky as in even if you leave the Joost website, it’ll sit there eating up (in my case) 10% of your CPU.

    That’s not immediately clear when you first go to the site.

    Mark on September 18th, 2008 at 8:35 am - Permalink

  2. Mark, the Flash version isn’t out till mid-October.

    Liz Gannes on September 18th, 2008 at 8:36 am - Permalink

  3. [...] Joost when it launched a desktop client for Internet TV five months ago, is now in step with Joost in announcing today that it will make most of the functionality of its desktop client available [...]

    blinkx Also Going Download-Free for Its Joost-like Product « NewTeeVee on September 18th, 2008 at 9:40 am - Permalink

  4. [...] Confirmed: Joost is going all Flash [...]

    GEARFUSE » Afternoon Linkage for September 18th, 2008 on September 18th, 2008 at 10:54 am - Permalink

  5. [...] [fonte] [fonte] The Joost “finalmente” dentro il navigatore by Luca Palli, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License. Flash, Italiano, Joost, P2P, Player, Plugin [...]

    Joost “finalmente” dentro il navigatore - Video Monte Ceneri on September 18th, 2008 at 12:49 pm - Permalink

  6. [...] anuncio en el blog oficial. En Newteevee capturas de la próxima versión [...]

    Joost con versión web | Noticias, novedades, tecnología, programación - Bit & Bit on September 18th, 2008 at 8:19 pm - Permalink

  7. [...] this week, Joost released a plug-in alternative to its downloadable client (which it is ditching entirely), and said it would [...]

    Veoh Will Also Make Web TV Software More Lightweight « NewTeeVee on September 19th, 2008 at 10:57 am - Permalink

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  9. [...] this week, Joost released a plug-in alternative to its downloadable client (which it is ditching entirely), and said it would [...]

    WizReport » Veoh Will Also Make Web TV Software More Lightweight on September 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 am - Permalink

  10. [...] anuncio en el blog oficial. En Newteevee capturas de la próxima versión [...]

    Joost con versión web on October 7th, 2008 at 6:14 pm - Permalink

  11. [...] streaming really high-quality video means getting end users to download a special plug-in. But like Joost and other services are starting to do, RayV also offers a more standard, lower-quality feed (in its [...]

    Exclusive: RayV Takes Live Broadcasting to a New Level « NewTeeVee on October 8th, 2008 at 9:01 pm - Permalink

  12. [...] streaming really high-quality video means getting end users to download a special plug-in. But like Joost and other services are starting to do, RayV also offers a more standard, lower-quality feed (in its [...]

    Exclusive: RayV Takes Live Broadcasting to a New Level [NewTeeVee - Start-Up News] | Internet Startups on October 8th, 2008 at 11:17 pm - Permalink

  13. [...] comes to executives in C-level positions. And whereas most, if not all, online video companies have abandoned the notion of requiring downloadable clients to watch content in favor of a web-based viewing solution, [...]

    Babelgum’s Web TV Goes Mobile on 3G (in the U.K.) « NewTeeVee on January 12th, 2009 at 9:04 am - Permalink

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  22. [...] Joost went all-web, dropping its error-prone software, and making it more competitive with the ease of web-based [...]

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  23. [...] Joost went all-web, dropping its error-prone software, and making it more competitive with the ease of web-based [...]

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