Joost wants to enter the hardware world
You remember Joost, right? Everyone’s favorite streaming TV service has been making waves with its innovative interface and somewhat comprehensive content offerings. While Joost has yet to officially leave the beta stage, the company is already talking about taking a rather large step from software to hardware. Joost is apparently in talks with several manufacturers to include their service in future TV component boxes. No specifics have been provided, so we’re not sure exactly who they’re talking to, or just what they’re trying to do. What is clear, however, is that allowing their content to be viewed on traditional TVs is a natural step, and a requisite one at that. If Joost successfully pulls this off, they will find themselves in direct competition with Apple’s new YouTube/Apple TV union. Let’s hope this pans out, because we would love to get our Joost on in a full screen plasma setting.
I see this as a hard struggle, and now that the Archos TV is coming they will have other devices and well since its also a new area for all three the fight for supremacy will be bigger.
whose to say that one of the hardware companies they are talking to is none other than Apple. I think YouTube and Joost are more of a complement to each other rather than in competition. Think about it…yes YouTube runs programs from content providers, TV networks, and Hollywood but its main resource is the general public – where as Joost is more like a Comcast or DirecTV only via the Internet and software running on your computer. So its like YouTube=consumer content and Joost=professional content. I just wish I could get Joost already…getting a code to access the beta has been harder than getting water from a stone!a