In the same week that Facebook announced it is opening up content to search engines, the internet TV platform Joost has quietly released an API to allow developers to make widgets that will work within the Joost environment.
One take on this is that development of social bookmarking and 'what's similar' features could see Joost become the TV version of Last.fm.
Joost has also acquired OnTheToob, which allows you to create customized channels, interactive tags, and RSS feeds of Joost content.
I expect Joost will allow advertisers into the widget game carefully. Smart agencies representing brands already advertising on Joost are going to want to get involved, but they will need to work out how to add something to the Joost experience, or risk a Facebook style user-backlash.
Meanwhile Joost competitor Veoh is claiming that the very premise of Joost is a closed system. Veoh is launching VeohTV, described as TiVo for the Internet, or distributed Joost. It works by scraping RSS feeds for all available video content on the web. It then presents this video to users in a TV like interface, along with recommendations and targeted advertising.
A potential YouTube killer? Maybe, but they are not the only ones with such lofty ambitions, and being like YouTube brings its own kind of reward.
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Nathan McDonald
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Member since: 03 Jun 2008
Last login: 22 Jan 2009
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