Getting started with Joost – Part 1 – The quest for the Beta user account

Joost™ is a new plattform that offers free-of-schedule TV. It uses secure peer-to-peer technology to stream programmes to your computer. Unlike other TV and video-based web applications, it does not require users to download any files to their computers or browse through complicated websites.

Joost was founded in early 2006 by serial entrepeneurs Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis (in case you didn’t hear those names yet, these are the guys that founded Kazaa! and Skype).

Joost is currently in its beta phase. As of now only a handful of beta users are currently playing around with the tool. Beta Joost accounts are difficult to get. You can register in the Joost website, however they do not state a precise timeframe in which you will be mailed your beta account details and be able to access the system.

Joost Beta users are normally provided with several accounts, that can be transferred as the Beta user sees fit. Today i stumbled upon Joostswap.com, a website that provides a forum that enables Beta users to trade their Joost Beta accounts. I have seen people requesting for 15 euros for a single account ?!, but i am sure that if you are really interested in an account you will be able to trade some goodies (old CDs, DVDs etc’) for it.

During the next couple of weeks, I will try to find myself a Joost Beta account, and keep you posted about my impressions from this great technology. So stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog, on how to get started with Joost.

[tags] Joost, Niklas Zennstrom, Janus Friis [/tags]