Joost Abandons P2P - Or Not?
Joost has informed its users via email that it will discontinue the support of its desktop client today and instead completely concentrate on its new web site. This is a big step for a company that once aimed to revolutionize online video with P2P technology, and whose founders previously succeeded with P2P apps like Kazaa and Skype. But it’s way too early to declare the death of P2P video streaming, as some seem eager to do in light of Joost shifting course.
Not only are others far more successful with P2P video clients, but it looks like Joost may bring back some elements of its software sooner or later. This includes P2P distribution, but also other social and interactive features that made Joost’s software unique. Maybe we’ll have to hold off writing the obituaries for both Joost and P2P just a little longer.
Joost Connects With Facebook
Web TV platform Joost launched its Facebook Connect integration this morning, allowing users to log into Joost using their Facebook account. Once in, users can see all of their Facebook friends that are on Joost, interact with them, find out what they are watching and watch with them, as well as receive Joost notifications through the social networking site.
Facebook Connect went live last week, and has a host of partners that have agreed to use it, including video sites Hulu and Howcast (which has implemented its Connect). According to Facebook, users who log into partner sites using Connect have a roughly 50 percent higher engagement rate when compared to non-Connect users (though Om calls this “marketing hocus-pocus”).
This continues the opening of Joost, which went to a download-free, all-Flash version of the service in October, and follows hot on the heels of its iPhone app, which launched in November.
Vid-Biz: CBSSports, YouTube, “Mapple”
CBSSports.com to Stream SEC Basketball Games Live; select games from the 2008-2009 SEC College Basketball regular season to be shown live online starting Dec. 13. (emailed release)
YouTube Launches Abuse and Safety Center; will focus on providing tips and multimedia resources for dealing with cyberbullying, online harassment and hate content. (YouTube Blog)
Simpsons “Mapple” Clip Generates Nearly 2 Million Plays; the TV show attracted 8 million viewers, while the actual MacBook green ad that appeared during the episode only did 230,000 plays online. (Visible Measures Blog)
CBSNews.com and CNET to Merge Newsrooms; still no word on layoffs or how the web sites will be altered. (paidContent)
Discovery Doesn’t Believe in Long-form Content Online; speaking at a UBS conference, the CEO says there is no business model to support longer shows yet. (Broadcasting & Cable)
Joost Pops Up on DivX Set-Top Box; plug-in allows you to watch video from the web TV platform on your television set. (ZatzNotFunny!)
Create a Flight of the Conchords Lip Dub; contest asks you to lip-synch your version of the “Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenocerous.” (Flightlipdub.com)
Joost Launches iPhone App
Joost launched an iPhone app over the holiday break, making its P2P web TV service mobile. With the app, users can watch Joost’s content library of more than 46,000 videos on the go for free. The service streams video over Wi-Fi connections and not over the phone’s EDGE or 3G network. The content available is a mix of full-length movies like Men in Black, music videos and TV shows.
VentureBeat had some troubles with the app’s video playback being choppy. CNET praised the app as falling “just short of greatness,” lamenting the lack of decent content.
These outlets have frothed over the prospect of a Hulu app running on the iPhone with all its premium content. But the bigger wildcard may be YouTube, which is already on the iPhone and is making aggressive moves to acquire premium content with the likes of CBS and MGM.
Mobile video has bigger problems than what content is available. Finding a solid signal to stream a full-length movie while on the go is a dicey proposition (hello, train tunnel!). Even Joost’s Wi-Fi solution requires you to stay near your connection, limiting your “mobility.” In a conversation this morning, Liz called the Joost iPhone app “cute,” but thinks they should focus their efforts on the living room. While I agree with her, I like the notion that we are inching (no matter how slowly) to a world where we can pull down a video wherever we may be. Baby steps.
Vid-Biz: Gmail Video, Flip, ConAgra
New Video Chat Options From Google and TokBox; Plugin allows video chat embedded within the Gmail interface (CNET), while TokBox now lets users watch and discuss YouTube videos, SlideShare presentations and video mails together. (emailed release)
Pure Digital Ranked Fifth on Deloitte’s 2008 Fast Technology 500; maker of the Flip Digital video camera made the list of fastest-growing companies in North America with reported revenues of $54.6 million in 2007, an increase of 44,667 percent from 2003 revenues of $122,000. (emailed release)
ConAgra and MSN Partner for Comedy Series; The Working Lunch aimed at building buzz for the Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers line of foods. (AdWeek)
YouTube Brings Back Project: Direct; short film competition requires the use of a red phone prop, winner gets a trip to the Sundance Film Festival. (YouTube Blog)
Joost Appoints Jason Gaedtke to CTO; can his technical guidance help the once high-flying startup regain some of its lost luster? (emailed release)
ExtendMedia Launches OpenCASE 3.0; product manages the publishing and delivery of digital content across PCs, televisions and mobile devices. (release)
BoinxTV Now Shipping; video tool for podcasters comes in either a sponsored edition ($199) or an ad-free edition ($499). (The Apple Blog)
Boxee Wants to Enlist TV Pirates to Grow Hulu’s Audience
Forget filters, DRM and locked-down set-top boxes. The makers of the open-source media center Boxee have a novel approach aimed at getting people to watch TV from legitimate sources. The idea behind it is not to punish pirates, but to instead use them as taste makers that could drive others to Hulu, Joost and similar streaming media web sites.
I sat down with Boxee’s head of products, Dave Mathews, at the DCIA’s P2P and Video conference a few days ago. Boxee has been enjoying a busy month, issuing a major announcement almost every week. First it was unveiled that Boxee is now running on the Apple TV platform. Then Hulu came to Boxee, and most recently, the Boxee team won the CES i-stage competition, earning not only $50,000 but a booth at the next CES in Las Vegas. Boxee won the award, in part, because of its social features, which could help turn potential pirates into Hulu users.
Joost Leapfrogs to Flash, Dropping Plug-in Too
As expected, Joost is launching a Flash version of its Internet TV player tonight — though as part of testing it’s been somewhat available over the last few days.
Joost had previously been available as a software download, but that method for online video watching has fallen out of favor in the U.S., as did the company. Less than a month ago Joost stopped offering a full desktop app in favor of a small browser plug-in that managed peer-to-peer streaming. But Joost CEO Mike Volpi told us today that the company is actually dropping downloads altogether for the time being. Even users who have the new plug-in installed will default to Flash.
Vid-Biz: HealthiNation, Adconion, Kyte
HealthiNation Raises $7.5 Million; online video network gets second round led by Intel Capital and existing investor MK Capital. (paidContent)
Joost Picks Up Wizzard Media Content; catalog of video content from the podcasting network including Tiki Bar TV headed to the P2P online TV service. (release)
Adconion Launches Video Content Syndication Network; global ad network’s AMG-TV lets video creators access publisher sites, advertiser and agencies to distribute content. (release)
Kyte Mobile Producer Available for Nokia S60; live stream and record video; beta program was used by the likes of 50 Cent and National Public Radio. (release)
MSNBC Unveils New Political Video Player; fully-embeddable player allows people to skip to specific topics, reveals when a candidate brought up a particular keyword. (MSNBC) Elsewhere, startup Ved.io lets users watch the first Obama/McCain debate with accompanying facts. (Ved.io)
Watch the Volvo Ocean Race; watch live footage direct from cameras mounted on each of the boats in the regatta. (The News Market)
Hulu Adds Genres, Discussion, Search Features
Popular video aggregator Hulu, which says it now has roughly 900 titles from more than 100 providers, has added genre-based channel browsing to its list of features, as well show recommendations, discussion forums and actor-based search.
The site debuted 17 new genre-based channels, among them action, comedy and horror. Meanwhile, Hulu launched an anime channel with shows like Naruto and Death Note, as well as a “Web Originals” channel featuring such high-profile shows as LG15: The Resistance, The Line and Gemini Division.
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.
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