The founders of Skype and Kazaa who have been tantalizing people with The Venice Project, have now changed their name to Joost, and have a new web site presenting the new moniker.
The homepage boldly says, "Yesterday, we were The Venice Project. Today, we're Joost. Tomorrow, we're yours! Imagine having infinite choice, and TV that is truly interactive. TV anywhere, anytime..."
Niklas Zennstr"m and Janus Friis, the founders of Skype are probably the biggest assets that Joost have going for them, as they have the track recored that makes venture capitalists take notice along with the reputation for disrupting existing business models.
In the about section of the site they give us their general description of what they are wanting to do saying:
"Joost is a new way to watch TV, free of the schedules and restrictions that come with traditional television. Combining the best of TV with the best of the internet, Joost gives you more control and freedom than ever before - control over what you watch, and freedom to watch it whenever you like.
"We're providing a platform for the best television content on the planet - a platform that will bring you the biggest and best shows from the TV studios, as well as the specialist programs created by professionals and enthusiasts. It's all overlaid with a raft of nifty features that help you find the shows you love, watch and chat with friends, and even create your own TV channels."
Others are starting to enter this space, as Sling Media has an interest in developing something the same.
This is the type of thing that I've been looking to be developed for over a decade. The thing that surprises me is that the major TV networks continue to miss out on this being the service that a huge amount of consumers want. But those of us that want these types of services don't care who provides them as long as they're available.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out. I think that there are going to be many more players that get involved with this field before things start to shake out and we see what type of standard will be implemented and accepted.
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