Joost, formally known as The Venice Project, has wedged open its doors to the public allowing current beta testers to invite anyone and everyone to use the Joost beta software.
For those of you that don’t know Joost is a new internet TV program that features 150 content channels with videos and TV shows being available on-demand.
It uses peer-to-peer technology to deliver video and aims to feel like a true TV experience.
Up until now Joost was limiting the amount of people it was inviting to try the software out. But as of today Joost has lowered the draw bridge a little allowing any current beta tester to invite as many of their friends as they like.
This leads me to beleive the full launch of Joost must be due very soon, possibly by the end of the month.
Press release from Joost below:
JOOST™ LAUNCHES COMMERCIALLY
Existing Beta Testers Now Have Open Invitations to Invite Friends to Joost
Campaigns from 32 Launch Partners Begin to Run on Joost in May
NEW YORK – May 1, 2007 – Joost™ (www.joost.com), the world’s first broadcast-quality Internet television service, today announced that it has commercially launched. Campaigns from the 32 companies announced as advertising partners last week will begin airing on the platform this month. Additionally, as a part of this launch, all existing Joost beta testers now have an unlimited number of invitations that they can send to their friends, family and colleagues.
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting phase for Joost – we are officially open for business,” said David Clark, executive vice president of global advertising for Joost. “We’re enabling our viewers to share Joost with their friends and family, and we’re working collaboratively with the world’s leading advertisers and agencies to design a new ad model for the next generation of television.”
Last week, Joost announced that it had signed more than 30 blue-chip brands, including The Coca-Cola Company, HP, Intel and Nike, as advertising launch partners. Beginning today, advertisements from some of the ad launch partners will begin to play on the platform. Advertisements from all ad launch partners will be on Joost later this month.
Previously available in an expanded beta, Joost now is available to an unlimited number of friends, family and colleagues of existing beta testers. Starting today, when beta testers visit the “Invite Friends” widget in the “My Joost” area of Joost, they will be able to invite anyone they know to the Joost community. Both new and existing users can download a new version of Joost today.
Founded by Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström, Joost combines the best of TV and the best of the Internet by offering viewers a unique, TV-like experience enhanced with the choice, control and flexibility of Web 2.0. Joost is the first online, global TV distribution platform, bringing together advertisers, content owners and viewers in an interactive, community-driven environment. Joost can be accessed with a broadband Internet connection and offers broadcast-quality content to viewers for free.
Previously known as The Venice Project, Joost features more than 150 channels with programming across all genres, including: cartoons and animation; entertainment and film; sports; comedy; lifestyle and documentaries; and sci-fi. Channels and programs available on Joost vary by geographic region, based on copyright ownership. While the most programming currently is available to viewers in the U.S., Joost is enhancing its worldwide offering with the addition of international, regional and local partners on a continual basis.
About Joost™
Joost™ provides a new way of watching TV that combines the best of full-screen television entertainment with online interactive and community benefits to bring an unprecedented selection of video content to viewers anytime, anywhere. Joost is based on a state-of-the-art, secure, peer-to-peer streaming technology.
To learn more about Joost, visit www.joost.com.
