Two things show a company is getting ramped up to enter a business – filing for patents and lining up a trademark.
Microsoft has done both in the online video arena and could be in a position to take on Joost. A recently filed trademark image and a look at Joost matched up to Microsoft’s video + chat patent after the jump.
The symbol shown to the right was recently trademarked by Microsoft under the following business description:
computer software for delivery of broadcast-quality video and television programming over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks; computer software for providing video-on-demand services; downloadable films and TV programs provided via video-on-demand; computer software for transmitting personal photos, video and music over broadband, cable, satellite and wireless networks; computer software for digital video recording; and computer software for providing a programming guide to display available video and television broadcasts and downloads
Interesting. Even more so when reading a recent issued patent that Microsoft received covering delivering network TV + Chat. With momentum building with Joost as a early front running IPTV player, Microsoft could be building up to a launch of its own.
As an overview, Wikipedia’s Joost entry describes its technology as: P2PTV technology and is expected to deliver (relaying) near-TV resolution images. It turns a PC into an instant on-demand TV without any need for additional set top box. News updates, discussion forums, show ratings, and multi-user chat sessions (often linked to the active stream/channel) are made possible through the use of semi-transparent widget overlays.
An example of Microsoft’s claim with Joost’s description in mind:
While this patent may or may not be a direct issue for Joost, Microsoft’s move to get a logo, accumulate a portfolio of IP and a recent purchase of advertising platform aQuantive are a lot of pieces of a building puzzle.
Microsoft Trademarks Video Service [TechAddress]
Microsoft Enhanced TV [CG]
Mmmm…Microsoft has had its eye on IPTV for a while, I won’t be surprised if they continue to move into this market – which would be a good thing. The more players, the better – at least till it gets off the ground.
Didn’t Microsoft say they said they are bringing IPTV to the Xbox 360 several months ago?
Microsoft has been workin’ with IPTV for a long time. They’re going to have it incorporated into the XBOX360 platform and their other new (secret) media streaming device later this year.
MS has a long story wanting to get to the living room, they ttried it with msnTV that failed because there was not a market for it yet, and much less a ecosystem for it to grow from.. but now ipTV will triumph simply because there is the ecosystem, there is the market, there are enough partnerships to lift it up and MS already got how to make it reach the living room, be it from a pc, a xbox360 or even another msnTV like topbox..
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