Not content to be merely the instigators of Skype, inventors Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis’ (who sold it to eBay for $2.6 billion in 2005) latest venture is Joost, a free service for TV viewing on the Internet. Like Skype, it involves downloading free software and browsing for channels and clips. The service will be ad-supported, but less frequently and briefer than on regular TV.

Already faced with such competition such as YouTube and BitTorrent, as well as DVR Tivo and re-router Slingbox, Friis claims it is the logical successor to both Skype and Kazaa (which he also co-created.) Currently in a limited beta test, plans are being made to incorporate its Luxembourg-based TVP Holdings in New York, London, and the Netherlands under the Joost name.