The last time we spoke about Joost here on Web TV Wire, it was to talk about its possible demise.
Many bloggers and industry analysts claimed at the time that it would be dead within a year.
I ended that article by concluding that Joost would probably be around beyond 2008, but for it to happen, some major changes would have to take place to the service.
And we could be in luck…
Live Streaming Video
Since then, we have seen the introduction of live streaming video via a deal with CBS. On that score, Joost is one step ahead of YouTube, although they have announced their intention to go live in the near future.
One thing which YouTube does very well though is being user-friendly, with no need for a software download, or any type of technical know how to operate.
The fact that both these things are essential for you to be able to use Joost has been cited as a reason for it’s relative failure to impact on the Web video market.
A Web Browser Based Joost?
But that could all be about to change, as buried deep within a Portfolio article on the company, is the nugget of information that a Web-based version could be on the cards, and soon.
Amongst a lot of other corporate guff, Joost Chief Executive Mike Volpi had the following to say:
“This year, viewers will be able to watch Joost videos in a browser window.”
“Go to Joost’s website, click on shows like Seth Green’s edgy Robot Chicken or an old Rocky and Bullwinkle episode and you can watch them as easily as you’d watch a video on YouTube.”
Wow, if this is true, then it could massively help Joost out of the hole it seems to have climbed in to to die.
Competing With Hulu
Although Hulu already offers a similar service, a bit of healthy competition never did anyone any harm, and I’d love to see the two go head to head on an even level.
The main reason I stopped bothering with Joost was that the software slowed my PC down considerably, and once I had uninstalled it, that was it.
If there were an option to just visit the site, and watch a programme or two on a casual basis, then maybe just maybe, they’d get my eyes interest.
