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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Topic: Startups

Comments (11)

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 — 8:35 AM on September 18, 2008 Reply
Mark, the Flash version isn’t out till mid-October.

Liz Gannes, NewTeeVee — 8:36 AM on September 18, 2008 Reply
Thsi is really, very interesting blog! Thank you for this article!

gry logiczne — 9:40 AM on September 21, 2008 Reply
I love anime! Who doesnt?

Bleach Wallpapers — 8:54 PM on January 25, 2009 Reply
Are you planning to blog more on this topic. I would like to learn more.

Samson G. — 2:28 PM on February 10, 2009 Reply
Nice Site. I will be visiting more often as you have done a good job.

Latest Articles — 6:42 AM on March 10, 2009 Reply
Do you guys have a recommendation section, i’d like to suggest some stuff

Watch Anime — 5:22 PM on March 21, 2009 Reply
This advice is really going to help, thanks.

Credit Card Processing Vendor — 2:58 PM on March 22, 2009 Reply
Thank you for this, I really like reading your views.

Robert — 12:04 AM on April 2, 2009 Reply
This post was extremely interesting.

Tammy — 11:23 AM on April 2, 2009 Reply
I really liked your blog! Bookmarked :) keep up the great Work. Valuble Info.

Anime Fan — 6:25 AM on April 13, 2009 Reply

Linkbacks (16)

[...] 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… — 9:40 AM on September 18, 2008
[...] Confirmed: Joost is going all Flash [...]

GEARFUSE » Afternoon Linkage for September… — 10:54 AM on September 18, 2008
[...] [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… — 12:49 PM on September 18, 2008
[...] anuncio en el blog oficial. En Newteevee capturas de la próxima versión [...]

Joost con versión web | Noticias, novedades… — 8:19 PM on September 18, 2008
[...] 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… — 10:57 AM on September 19, 2008
[...] 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… — 9:13 AM on September 23, 2008
[...] anuncio en el blog oficial. En Newteevee capturas de la próxima versión [...]

Joost con versión web — 6:14 PM on October 7, 2008
[...] 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… — 9:01 PM on October 8, 2008
[...] 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… — 11:17 PM on October 8, 2008
[...] 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… — 9:04 AM on January 12, 2009
[...] Joost went all-web, dropping its error-prone software, and making it more competitive with the ease of web-based [...]

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

New Joost sanctioned player by Paul Yanez… — 9:33 AM on May 20, 2009
[...] are typically averse to downloads, especially as more functionality moves to the browser (see: Joost). And in order for Gleedo to really work, it will need lots of people to download the [...]

Gleedo Wants to Socialize the Web (But You… — 11:50 AM on August 14, 2009
[...] proprietary software to run on the web without the aid of a peer-to-peer process when he was transitioning Joost from a peer-to-peer service to a web-based Hulu [...]

Joost Sues Volpi for Taking Tech to Make… — 9:11 AM on September 18, 2009
[...] proprietary software to run on the web without the aid of a peer-to-peer software when he was transitioning Joost from a peer-to-peer service to a web-based Hulu clone. And with this knowledge, he was able [...]

Joost Sues Volpi and Index for Taking Tech… — 9:46 AM on September 18, 2009
[...] proprietary software to run on the web without the aid of a peer-to-peer software when he was transitioning Joost from a peer-to-peer service to a web-based Hulu clone. And with this knowledge, he was able [...]

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No Download Required: Joost to Go Flash

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