MappingTheWeb //

Talk about ironic. I first mentioned The Venice Project this morning. No sooner did I post the story did Om Malik post an EXCLUSIVE with the stealth start-up, screenshots included. Let the PR onslaught begin…

Internet start-up rock star Niklas Zennstrom and partner Janus Friis aim to disrupt the current television industry with this new venture. Details are finally being released.

Here is a quick rundown courtesy of GigaOM:

Upon log-in into the system, users are directed to a download page. Only Windows XP is currently supported. Dowload and installation are apparently very quick and easy. After opening the desktop application, users are pointed to a start screen that contains default channel options and staff picks, among other things.

The image quality, says Om, appears to be very crisp and clear. Streaming was smooth with very little hiccups. Only default content delivered from the Venice servers was available - no live broadcasts just yet. Some of the video footage contained ads, much like those presented on traditional TV.

Some lag did manifest when switching channels and navigating menu choices, but expect those to be cleared up. Channel set-up and removal were easy. Program navigation was clear and intuitive. Functionally, a plug-in section will provide the ability to create valuable add-ons to expand the feature set. Currently, a lone chat plug-in facilitates discussion between friends. Chat can also be program or channel specific.

The challenge in gaining massive distribution and acquiring a huge user base will be to aggregate high-quality content.

For more screenshots, click here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Once again, thanks to Om Malik for the exclusive and screenshots.