I didn't really make any of those New Year predictions about the future of the web in 2007, other than Internet-driven television services would launch and start making it big (IPTV, for short). Apple TV is not what I meant, although it's part of the way there. Something like Joost is, though.
For the past month or so the ad/marketing/techie blogosphere has been alight with excited talk of The Venice Project, the code name which is now the net's coolest-to-be IPTV service, Joost. Basically, when it's launched soon, you will be able to watch an infinite number of channels (not just the 480 you currently have), anywhere (no need for a digi box, just some wifi or hardwire connection) and at any time. Linear broadcasting is dead, as Emily would be proud to hear me say (I do learn something from that podcast, btw, but you do need to get yourself your own blog).
You won't have to watch the telly when Aunty tells you to, you won't even have to wait for the repeat at 10pm on BBC3. Tourists in the States trying to cram the latest 24 into their suitcases can use the space for Bourbon instead. Hurrah!Is it going to work? Is it going to last beyond next week? Well... um... yes. It's produced by the two guys who invented Skype, including Niklas Zennström who was given top polling at LeWeb3 last month when he hinted at what was to come.
I have one, small ambition for this service and others like it this year: that education might not muck up the use of telly in the classroom for the second time round. Embrace IPTV: it's the 70s all over again but without the bad flares.
I can't agree with you more, coz I thought the same way too.
Net TV, Web TV or IPTV is the way to go, which is good news to us the Net surfers.
But the issue is, unavoidably the commercial (advertisement)will also penetrate into this new media.
Posted by: Keith Lee | January 19, 2007 at 05:14 AM