In a move that should surprise few, Joost has finally decided to shut down its desktop application and turn all of its attention to its video streaming site instead. Joost's desktop client relied on P2P software, but despite some obvious benefits, the company found itself struggling in the face of stronger competition from web based services such as YouTube and Hulu - due in no small part to their ubiquity and, at least in Hulu's case, to its vast library of premium content.
The once media darling of the digital industry has been hard at work of late to adapt. Joost was not only re-launched as a Flash-based online video hub with free, ad-supported television shows and films, but also went mobile through an iPhone app and it is one of the first video sites to sign on with Facebook Connect. However, the service doesn't really offer anything particularly unique or compelling and it certainly needs to do something to recapture the public's attention in this increasingly crowded market.