Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Did eBay Miss Out on Joost?

And did Google get Foogled?

Just two years ago, eBay made a huge $2.6 billion purchase of Skype the internet phone software that swept through Europe like wildfire.

Skype was the invention of Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom, who may have walked away from eBay chuckling to each other. Why? Because the co-founders of Kazaa and Skype may have been planning their next big thing while putting oodles of cash in their pockets.

On Tuesday, Friis and Zennstrom announced the beta for their new internet TV service, Joost. The concept had been in development under the code name Venice Project, but yesterday went... well, public.

Joost (pronounced "juiced") is presently accepting beta testers, but one has to wonder, after Google's recent purchase of YouTube for $1.6 billion, and eBay's investment in Skype, what these present-day Robin Hoods will come up with next.

If Joost allows peer-to-peer TV to evolve, get ready for a brave new world - Scandanavia-style. Buh-bye networks and HD-TV. Hello, Joost-world.

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