YouTube Gets The Beeb; Joost Lands Jump

By Geoff Duncan March 2, 2007

The online video landscape shifted subtly today with two separate announcements. First, Britain’s BBC has inked a deal to distribute excerpts of its news and entertainment programming via Internet video sharing site YouTube, while upcoming Internet television service Joost has signed a deal with Canada’s JumpTV to being a variety of “ethnic” programming to its service.

First up, the BBC and YouTube have entered into an agreement which will create three BBC channels on the popular online video sharing site: one channel for news and two for entertainment programming. One of the two entertainment channels (called just “BBC“) will be offered under an advertising-free “public service” model, and will carry trailers and short features (like behind-the-scenes looks at shows or video diaries); the second entertainment channel (“BBC Worldwide“) will feature three- to six-minute clips of popular BBC archival programs and carry ads (possibly including pre-roll ads embedded in the video streams). A BBC News channel, due to be launched later in 2007, will carry about 30 news clips a day; it will also feature advertising in an arrangement similar to the BBC’s existing content-sharing partnership with Yahoo—which also means the BBC News YouTube channel will only be accessible outside the United Kingdom.

Separately, Canada’s JumpTV, which offers a wide variety of international television programming via the Internet has made a deal to offer some of its programming via the upcoming Joost online television service. JumpTV carries television programs from more than 70 countries categories into nearly 300 channels on both a free and subscription basis; offerings include programming from South Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Greece, India, Peru, and many more. JumpTV will initially offer oost Spanish-language series from Colombia, Chile, and Peru, along with an Arabic-language comedy. JumpTV will later make programming in Romanian, Turkish, Russian, and Bengali available via Joost.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Smart Home

Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit and Blinds Collection join the Matter lineup

The Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit being installed.

Eve is a prominent name in the smart home world, with the company responsible for a variety of devices covering everything from smart plugs and security cameras to smart light switches and motion sensors. Its catalog is growing even more enticing today, with the Eve Blinds Collection and MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit gaining Matter support.

The MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit will likely appeal to more customers, as it costs just $200 and works with most existing setups. Installation is as simple as removing your shades, placing the MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit through the roller rod, then reinstalling the unit on your windows. Blinds with a roller between 1.5 inches and 2.0 inches are compatible with the upgrade kit.

Smart Home

Philips Hue lights have a rare discount, but there’s a catch

A TV with ambient backlighting from Philips Hue.

One of the cool things about Philips Hue lighting is how much freedom it gives you over creating the perfect ambiance in your home. One of the cool things about buying Philips Hue products over at Best Buy right now is how much freedom Best Buy is giving you over what you buy to save money. Right now, when you buy two or more select Philips Hue smart lighting product in Best Buy's offer builder, you can save 15%. Tap the button below to start building your own bundle and see all of the products available. While they don't include the best smart light bulbs that Philips produces, you'll be amazed by the versatility of the lightstrips. Or keep reading for an overview of some of the top picks from the bundle.

What you should purchase from the Philips Hue offer builder
The place to start with this deal is the and the if you don't already have them. These are the devices that take your movies, music, and games and syncs them to your lights.

Smart Home

Samsung’s futuristic Jet Bot AI+ robot vacuum is $400 off

The Samsung Jet Bot AI+ Robot Vacuum cleaning the floor.

For families who need a lot of help in keeping their floors spotless, the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ is an investment that you'll want to make. It's pretty expensive at its original price of $1,300, but a $400 discount from Samsung pulls it down to $900. It's still not cheap, but this futuristic robot vacuum could be the only device that you need to keep dirt, debris, and pet hair away from your sight. You're going to have to complete your purchase for it as soon as possible though, as there's no telling when the offer expires.

Why you should buy the Samsung Jet Bot AI+ robot vacuum
The Samsung Jet Bot AI+ checks all the boxes in the features that are recommended by our guide on how to choose a robot vacuum. It's equipped with powerful sensors and object recognition technology that allows it to avoid furniture when it's cleaning your floors, while LiDAR technology allows it to create accurate maps of the rooms in your home so that it can properly navigate and clean more efficiently. The robot vacuum also features a five-layer filtration system that allows it to release clean air, and when it's done, it goes back to its Clean Station where it empties its contents.