Is the Web ready for another video service? Janus Friis -- co-creator of KaZaA, Skype, Joost and Rdio -- seems to think so as he readies the launch of Vdio.
What is Vdio? Not
even GigaOm, which first reported its existence, knows for sure, but all signs point to an unlimited movie subscription service a la Netflix.
“VDIO lets you instantly watch the best in
TV and movies, right now,” the company said in a statement to GigaOm.
Still in closed beta, Vdio’s only official promise is that it’s “coming soon,” and is
scheduled to launch first in the UK. Along with the slogan “Are You Watching?,” Vdio’s current splash page highlights popular movies like The Dark Knight and Karate
Kid, as well as TV shows like Mad Men and The Tudors. Whether the startup has secured the rights to carry any of this content, however, is not yet known.
What is
known, according to GigaOm, is that Vdio has so far raised $5.6 million, and boasts an all star management team led by Ian Aaron, formerly president of the TV Guide Television Group.
Also well
known is the failure of Friis, along with longtime partner Niklas Zennstrom, to get any traction with their last video venture, Joost. Seriously over-hyped, Joost’s downfall was largely
attributed to a lack of content partners and, hence, quality content.
Still -- especially if the content featured on Vdio’s flash page is any indication – Friis seems to have
developed a better appreciation for media partnerships.
What’s more, having just officially sold Skype to Microsoft, Friis is said to be itching for another opportunity to tackle online
video.
Also, Netflix’s recent missteps have opened a clear window of opportunity for existing and potential rivals. So much so, in fact, that Netflix’s woes reportedly
contributed to Hulu’s owners’ decision not to sell the company.