The highly-anticipated online video site — which promises to provide a TV experience on the web — has launched in private beta as Joost.com (which is pronounced “juiced.”) Initially dubbed “The Venice Project,” Joost is the brainchild of Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis, who sold this little company called Skype for $2.6 billion to eBay in 2005. Just like Skype, Joost requires a downloadable app. The idea is to make it “as TV-like” as possible, with a program guide, channels and full-screen viewing. It’s powered by peer-to-peer technology, and it allows real-time chat and comprehensive search. Joost has inked deals with a handful of content providers, including Warner Music, and the company has said it will add many more in the near future. I haven’t seen it in action yet (waiting for my beta application to be approved), but Om Malik has taken it for a spin and has this to say. Meanwhile, here’s a screen shot with a couple more after the jump…

No related posts.