Joost, a much-publicized video service, is overhauling its technology and adding social networking services in a bid to boost its user base. From MediaWeek:
At the center of the new social-centric Joost.com is JoostFeed, which much like Facebook’s signature News Feed alerts users about what shows their friends are watching or have recently watched – hopefully stimulating more group viewing among Joost’s users and more “I didn’t know they had that show” moments.
Joost was originally released as a standalone application that required cumbersome download and installation, so the new Web-based version certainly offers a better user experience. But core technology has never been Joost’s problem. The old software app and the new Web interface sport sleek interfaces and strong platforms, but the functionality doesn’t overcome Joost’s lack of interesting content.
Joost isn’t alone. Every Web-based delivery platform is trying to find the right mix of content and technology. Since audience development is the ultimate measure of success in all of these video projects, I’m interested in hearing how the TOC Community interacts with online video:</p
- Do you watch TV shows or movies online? If yes, which sites/services do you use?
- What initially drew you to these services? Was it the service itself or the available content?
- Do you ever share video clips or links through social networks, blogs/microblogs, email, or instant messages?
- What do you think is the killer application for Web video? Access to any show/movie/clip? Availability across devices? Community features? Something else?
Please share your thoughts in the comments area.