Review: Joost
In case you’ve missed the hype previously, Joost is the latest venture from the team that bought the world Skype, billed as Skype does TV (or similar), Joost is essentially a P2P TV and Video viewing platform currently in private beta testing. This morning I finally received my invite to give Joost a whirl, and hence this review. I started with very few preconceived notions about the service, it’s had good reviews elsewhere, but I was particularly interested in the performance of the service given my extremely remote location (country Western Australia) in terms of internet access.
Intro
logging in takes you to the Joost blog, with download and forum areas evident. Rotating colorful shapes seem to the logo for it all.
Download
The Joost client itself is fairly slim, only 9.44mb for the Windows version, and Mac fans will be pleased to note that a Mac version is also available
Client
Joost are determined not to expand the beta testing phase out beyond a controlled number as user name and login are required for the client.
On first launch, the client launches at full screen, which if you’re like me and you’ve got always on top widgets/ docks open makes for an interesting look. You’re taken at first to “My Channels” which provides a list of the content currently available on the service. It is still in beta testing, and as recently reported at TechCrunch they’ve only just recently signed a content deal with Viacom, but over all the pickings are fairly slim. 18 “channels” which then actually lead to video clips you can stream using the service. Again, it’s closed beta testing at the moment, so I wouldn’t expect a lot more. The 18 channels aren’t too bad having said all of that, there’s some great content from National Geographic, and a World Poker Tour Channel as well (I don’t get Poker on TV here so I’m looking forward to using this channel extensively).
Interestingly is the inclusion of feature called “My Joost” which is essentially a widget desktop within the client with typical inclusions, RSS ticker, clock, notice board and chat widget to name a few of the things I glanced there. Why? who knows. To me it’s an unnecessary feature.
Viewing
The content is remarkably clear in its delivery, and that’s even at full screen mode (1680×1050) on a 22″ LCD. Sound was also very surprising given it was essentially being streamed. Great quality sound. Admittedly, I wouldn’t say the content was HD, and I’m not sure the service is offering this as yet, but it was TV quality.
But now for the downside. Despite reports that it delivers content straight away, it doesn’t, although the wait is only about 7-10 seconds per video, but worse still I found with some clips issues with stop/ starting in a similar way to say Windows Media Player stopping to buffer. Given that it’s a P2P technology, I’d guess that the swarm for the files would be fairly low as well, hence issues, although the team behind Joost have said the software distributes content equally across the network…so I don’t know why. My recommendation if you do get your hands on Joost: start a show, hit pause, let it buffer for a couple of minutes whilst you do something else, come back and enjoy.
Overall
As a viewing experience Joost works. The interface is simple to use, smooth and the quality of the video delivered is extremely good as video delivered over the web goes. The team behind Joost have an extraordinary track record of delivering market disrupting platforms (Kazaa/ Skype) and despite the few streaming bugs now there’s little doubt in my mind that Joost will as disrupt the market as well. Recommended.
Tags: Joost
Do you like this article? Submit it to Blogosphere News!
Very cool. The only thing that bothers me to some extent is that it is a distributed stream through software, rather than the website itself, as I like to have my content anywhere I go, through the web, w/o having to bring software with me. I suppose that may be due to the fact that from what I’ve read they are using their own proprietary video codec as well as using encryption on the streams to ensure the content is not pirated.
Hopefully they are able to reduce or eliminate buffering time delays in the future, as that was always a pet peeve of mine when it came to the WMP. It will be really interesting to see how Joost plays out in the future, as it surely has potential in the Internet video market.
I’m still waiting on my invite, so I guess for now I’ll have to play around with my invite to undotv.com which I recently received instead.
By Curtiss Thompson on February 26, 2007 10:27 pm
Great review, very detailed. I hope the buffering clears up in beta. I haven’t used it enough to write a review yet, but I didn’t notice buffering.
BTW…. invites can be found at joostswap.com for those that are looking.
By John on February 27, 2007 7:43 am
[...] Joost review : I can’t wait to get my hands on the Joost client. If its half as good as it seem to be, I ‘d be happy. [...]
By Links 27.02.2007 on February 28, 2007 3:18 pm
能给个邀请吗，谢谢，ren2008@gmail.com
By 任天堂 on March 1, 2007 11:41 am
[...] Additional Reading: Andy Bennett, Scobleizer, Engadget, 901 am [...]
By Interesting: Joost » Webomatica on March 4, 2007 11:10 am
I’m really enjoying the Joost Beta. The videos look great.
By Jigsaw hc on March 23, 2007 11:16 am
Hi,
can you pls drop me a joost invitation at kishoremailid@gmail.com
Thanks,
Kishore.
By Kishore on March 28, 2007 10:36 pm
Hey. Great review. Mind sending me an invitation? These beta invites are like Wonka bars.
By JD Bauer on March 29, 2007 8:05 am
If you have anymore invites, I’d greatly appreciate one.
By cherry on March 29, 2007 1:05 pm
Hi, Can yOu Pls Post me a joost invitation at chosenfor2002@yahoo.com .. Many thanks..
regards,
Jisam
By Jisam on March 31, 2007 4:30 am
I just got my invite a couple days ago and haven’t been able to watch a full show yet. Granted I have DSL and my connection is not that great, but I literally get about 30 seconds of playtime before buffering starts, and if it doesn’t stop, the sound just gets all chopped up. So far I’m impressed with the interface and the concept, but I think there’s a lot of work to do still. Also I found it to be real buggy, and do crazy things when the mouse is clicked. Things like closing the window and not being able to reopen it even though sound is still streaming. I’m hopeful they’ll do some more work to get this going but so far I’m kinda skeptical.
By logikthought on April 7, 2007 10:05 pm
Looks like the whole world is looking for a Joost invite - including me! Could some kind soul have pity on me and send me one? Please??
By Noel Weafer on April 17, 2007 11:04 am
I couldn’t give this anything other than an E for effort..doesn’t work here, everything is “unavailable to YOU,” and even when it does actually start to work, it stops and reminds you again, “unavailable FOR SOME REASON to YOU(yeah, the reason is this crap doesn’t work).
By r draper on April 17, 2007 1:52 pm
Just installed last night after beta invite, it worked great!!, full screen video w/out any pixelation or audio noice, watched one hour Moscow circus program without any interruption and seamless audio / video, Installation was quick and easy
By Danzon on April 18, 2007 3:14 pm
Can somebody send me an invite to test Joost beta? Really interested in seeing what it’s all about!
Thanks,
ES
By Evan on April 19, 2007 4:31 pm
Can somebody send me an invite to test Joost beta? Really interested in seeing what it’s all about!
Thanks,
ES
By Evan on April 19, 2007 4:31 pm
I need an invite? Anyone?
By John on April 30, 2007 11:05 pm
I would really appreciate an invite if you wouldn’t mind. I am really excited about trying this out. thanks for the review.
Brian
By Brian on May 1, 2007 1:39 pm
So Joost is a cool application. But here’s what I can’t understand - how many of you would watch TV on your PC and in what circumstances? Are you really going to chat with your friends while watching TV? I keep trying to figure out if and how this will get out of the niche application category. Would love any thoughts.
By Diya on May 2, 2007 4:24 pm
hey… can someone please semd me an invite…
anantdang@gmail.com
By anant on May 4, 2007 3:39 am
I enjoyed your Joost review. I would be very interested in trying out the service. Would you be able to send me an invite?
By steve on June 12, 2007 3:19 pm
I would like to join the joost experience, could you send me an invite?
Thanks!
By John Russell on July 6, 2007 8:45 pm
I TRIED IT AT FIRST I WAN’T SURE I WOULD LIKE IT. IT DOESN’T HAVE SOME OF THE SHOWS I LIKE MOST BUT IT WILL DO. I WATCH MY CIS SHOWS AND SIMULAR WHEN I AM EXERCISING ON MY MACHINES INSTEAD OF A DVD OR WHAT IS ON TV AT THE TIME. IT IS VERY CONVENIENT. I AM STILL EXPLORING JOOST.
By ronna wiseman on November 23, 2007 9:40 am
I would also like to have an invite. I do not mean to appear stupid however I believe that it is better to show ones ignorence than to live in it. What is an invite in the context used above, And if it is nice I would love one. Thank you in advance.
By bernard mcdonald on January 5, 2008 2:54 pm
My Review:
Just like cable 100’s of shows, Yet Nothing worth seeing, No movies or just a few. At first I was exited about it but I quickly realize there was nothing to see.
My two cents
By rmunix on March 11, 2008 3:17 pm
can someone please drop me a invitation. thank you.
By sunny on August 15, 2008 1:32 am
can someone please drop me an invitation at sunil_val@live.com. thank you.
By sunny on August 15, 2008 1:33 am
Thanks You
By sohbet on September 13, 2008 6:47 am