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CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XLVI: Skype's former CEO admits eBay paid too much

Apparently former Skype CEO and co-founder Niklas Zennstrom isn't just one to take the money and run. No, he found time in his busy schedule to confess that eBay paid too much for Skype, which is something that's become increasingly evident to eBay in the past months: the company is cutting up to $1.2 billion off the $4.3 billion potential price it agreed to with Skype two years ago. "We had to chart the trajectory of growth and how fast that would run, (but) we found out that was a bit front-loaded," said Zennstrom. "We overshot in terms of monetization ... Our position in the market has strengthened ... you need to look at the long-term value of companies." Seems a little odd for Niklas to be preaching it to eBay in this scenario, but perhaps he just wanted to clear his name now that Joost has gone public and is potentially looking of suitors. He wouldn't predict if Skype could've made its original goals if he had stuck around until 2009, but somehow we doubt it.

Browser-based WiTV video player gets sneak preview


WebwireTV got a sneak preview of a new online video client designed to compete with the likes of Joost and other higher quality online video offerings. The few differences between the two clients include a central content distribution model -- Joost uses P2P -- and support for Steve Jobs' hobby. Beyond that, WiTV doesn't have the same kind of content deals that Joost has, although the interface and the absence of any kind of software installation definitely shows potential.

Joost evaluating its hardware options

Joost, the hard-partyin', beta-stage releasin', streaming TV-service you've been watching on your PC appears to be making baby-steps towards integrating their service with somebody's third-party set-top box. Joost began making public statements this week suggesting that it's already in talks with manufacturers, although we don't know who or where. According to their executive VP of global advertising, "You will see Joost in the living room," which really only makes sense. Paradigm-shifting media delivery platform or not, people still seem to typically prefer to watch TV sitting on their couch and with their TV.

[Via BGR]

Skype founders to try online video distribution with Joost

Chances are that anyone remotely in the loop these days would be familiar with "Kazaa" and "Skype," but only time will tell if folks warm up to "Joost." The duo who founded one of the most popular P2P networks as well as a mainstay in every VoIP conversation are finally naming (and launching) its video distribution service, aiming to "cheaply and efficiently distribute high-quality video over the internet" via the same P2P technology that has treated them so well thus far. Unfortunately for them, the road from here is quite rocky, especially when you consider the already well-established iTunes Movie Store, YouTube, and the variety of download-to-burn services currently available. Additionally, Joost has yet to nail down any "marquee partnerships with top film or TV producers," which will almost certainly make gaining marketshare an all but impossible chore. The one thing this rendition has going for it, however, is the general experience in comparison to other alternatives, as reports liken it to a "TiVo-like layout" that gives users next to total control over the content at hand. The company has stated that it will support itself with internet ads that behave like television commercials, which presumably won't come as any shock to consumers partaking in what Joost has to offer. Unfortunately, there's no hard details on when the newfound service will go live nor about what content will be served up, but regardless, a little more competition (and a little less dictatorship) in online video distribution is more than welcome.
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