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Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis' Joost is an eagerly awaited Internet TV service from the entrepreneurs who also created Skype and Kazaa. The media were positive about Joost, based particularly on the earlier successes of the two developers. However, making Joost the next broadcasting motivating force will have its difficulties, since, for the first time, the two inventors will have to 'outmaneuver powerful competitors and form partnerships with major content producers that have so far remained on the sidelines.' Joost (previously The Venice Project) will allow viewers to watch TV at no extra cost over the Internet and will include channels for finding shows. A keyword search function will allow viewers to pull up programs on demand. With Joost, users will have chat features available as they watch Internet TV, and the company 'wants nothing less than to merge the best of television with the best of the Internet.' Joost definitely emerged at the right time as online video use is growing fast on new sites and services, including the YouTube video sharing site. Joost, however, will offer full-length, professionally produced TV shows and movies, and the company also plans to move Internet services to TV sets through set-top boxes. Joost will use quite a bit of bandwidth, and Joost has to date signed on only a few content providers. Many more advertisers will also be needed.
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