Bleeding edge is getting bloodier
Call it Web 2.0, resurrection of the dot coms, or even the demise of TV as we know it.
Just don’t call it boring. Seems like everyone has decided to jump on the internet video bandwagon trying to make that next multi-billion bucks. Google proved that you could take a handful of decent web based apps, and make tons of money by selling click adverts to go along with them. People said…, “Damn! It’s that easy?” Well not quite…, however every schmo that can surf the net, or had an extra $100,000 laying around to fund a project was looking for some geeks that had a general ideal to make money off the internet to be the next you tube founders Chad Hurley,Steve Chenor Jawed Karim,which the latter of the 3 sounds like a type of fish.
The majority of the thrust to get video on the net started in early 2005. Grant you.., there were some earlier tries, however the major “kick the fat pipe and lets pump some video in some form” got going in Febuary of 2005 when the three aforementioned folks activated the domain name You Tube. The public was offered a preview in May of 2005, and 6 months later it was pumping viewer content, and got a 3.5 millon cash infusion from Sequoia Capital. That was the begining of the uploaded viewer content.
At about the same time in 2005, Apple Inc. had anounced that it would begin selling video content to the masses, even though it had been speculated over the last year, that Apple was going to do this. People knew Apple’s ability to maket cool, hip items, and they had done so well with music, and iTunes, that they didn’t want to be left at the dock with the ships pulling out, so the industry scrambled to throw money at any project that could make money like Google, You Tube, and Apple.
Some of these projects are half baked, and variations of stuff that are already out there. But hey…, competition is a good thing, and some of these projects including video, and popular blogging sites and trackers need to go under (”cough-Tecnocrapi”) if they can’t keep with the publics demand of them.
A new site that’s on the bleeding edge that I’m keeping an eye on, but is only in their Beta as of this writing is a site called Joost. They describe theirselves as a new way of watching TV on the internet, which uses new and established technologies to provide the best of both the internet and TV worlds. We’re in the process of making it as TV-like as we can, with programmes, channels and adverts. You can also see some things that we think will enhance the TV experience: searching for programmes and channels, for example, as well as social features like chat.
Now, I don’t know if it will go over, but if I had to make a bet, I’d think it would. Here is my reasoning as for why it might work. I love the internet…, and when I say love, I mean it very, very, affectionately! Good thing I’m married. 
I hardly watch TV anymore. Maybe 2 to 3 hours of programing a week. Most of all my entertainment come in some form from the internet. So all these people have been going out and dropping $2000 to $8000 dollars on flat screens, and I’m thinking that is nuts, because I’m still very happy with my 27 inch tube from Sanyo, that I’ll watch maybe a few hours a week.
Someone asked me about TIVO, and why I did not have it. Well…, I have EyeTV on my computer and it does the same thing, and I have this wonderful 23 inch HD Cinema Display from Apple…, so there is not much reason to buy a flat screen. However that may change soon with Apple’s soon to be released AppleTV, that will take everything from your computer and place it in your living room with the flat screen.
I digress…, anyhow Joost could soon replace my $60 a month cable fee, if the content was good and captivating. You can see the screen shots of Joost here.
Anyhow, it looks to be a interesting project if they play all their card right. I was hoping to be a Beta tester, however I just found out that they don’t have a Mac PowerPC, or Linux port yet. If you have a intel Mac, or windows you are good to go to sign up to be a beta tester. Mannnn…., anyone want to lend me a couple of thousand dollars to buy me a new intel MacPro? Well at least click a google ad for me so I can be on my way…, a few cents at a time. 