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We've been hearing rumblings about [The Venice Project][1] for a while now, and while nothing concrete has yet emerged, a [new interview][2] with founder Niklas Zennstrom in the USA Today claims it "could threaten the viability of network television."
To be clear, that's something the USA Today author writes, not a quote from Zennstrom, but there's so much hype surrounding The Venice Project Zennstrom doesn't need to make any outlandish claims.
According to the website, The Venice Project will be "launching a secure P2P streaming technology that allows content owners to bring TV-quality video and ease of use to a TV-sized audience mixed with all the wonders of the Internet."
All the content for this everything-you-always-wanted-and-more service will be provided directly by the content owners and will most likely support all the appropriate content protection and ownership restriction. I'm not going to speculate on a service that isn't yet public, but that sure sounds like DRM.
Internet video delivery is heating up, Azureus recently [launched an HD video download service][3], BitTorrent seems [poised to do the same][4] and then of course there's YouTube.
If The Venice Project has any hope of succeeding in the already crowded waters of internet video it needs to do what Zennstrom has done with Skype -- take existing technology and make it easier to use.
Still no word on when The Venice Project plans to go public, but you can fill out an application to join the [private beta testing][5].
[1]: http://www.theveniceproject.com/ "The Venice Project"
[2]: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2006-12-06-zennstrom-internet-tv_x.htm "USA Today interview with Niklas Zennstrom"
[3]: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/software/0,72223-0.html?tw=wn_index_20 "Azureus launches HD download service"
[4]: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/internet/0,72272-0.html?tw=wn_index_3 "BitTorrent May Be Heading for TV Market"
[5]: https://www.theveniceproject.com/apply.html "The Venice Project Beta Test"
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