I finally had some time to download and play with the new Joost and I must say that my first impressions are quite good. Joost is still in beta, which means that to download the software you will need an invitation from a friend; the good news is that it is completely free so if you are interested i will be happy to send you one (just contact me via email).

Joost was created by Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom (founders of Kazaa and Skype) with the aim of merging the best of television with the best of the web. The system distributes television programs and other forms of video over the web using peer-to-peer technology.

“Joost is a new way to watch TV on the Internet. With Joost, you get all the things you love about TV, including a high-quality, full-screen picture, hundreds of long-running shows, and easy channel change.”

Created in 2006 and based in Luxembourg, the company currently has more than 100 employees and has already developed its business model based on targeted advertising. Ads appear from time to time and are usually placed in the lower right corner.

The beta version of Joost advertising also incorporates additional features, such as search and instant messaging, built into the program, and allows you to share playlists of your favorite shows with friends or chat with them online while watching the same show. The image quality is quite good and the content too (about 150 channels). Unlike YouTube, which specializes in short user-generated videos, Joost offers full TV shows from established producers and professional video creators. In fact, CBS and Viacom recently agreed to provide content to the service and will offer shows from MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, Paramount, and Comedy Central, as well as CBS’s CSI, Evening News, or Survivor.

Joost’s channel lineup Marketed as “Anywhere, Anytime TV …” is growing through word of mouth (so it is based solely on an invitation) and is rapidly creating quite a stir.

Stay tuned for more information on this topic.