New online video service from creators of Skype

Vdio is a new online video service from Janus Friis, the co-founder of Skype and the music service site Rdio. Currently in a closed trial, the site will initially be launched in the UK, allowing viewers to watch television shows and films online, similar to its competitors Netflix, LoveFilm and BBC iPlayer.

The Danish entrepreneur is jointly responsible for the file sharing network Kazaa, but known mostly for co-finding the peer-to-peer telephone service Skype with Niklas Zennstrom, which they sold to eBay for $2.6 billion in 2005.

In September 2009, eBay sold the majority of Skype for $2billion (£1.2billion), keeping just a 35% stake in the firm. The reason for this being ‘limited synergies’ between the companies, according to the BBC.

This is not the first time the partners have ventured into online video – in 2006 Friis and Zennstrom created Joost, which was based on the peer network technology of Skype. Joost failed to acquire attractive programming and viewing figures and the service was sold in 2009 to Adconion Media Group.

The Vdio website currently holds no information about the new service other than a rotation of full screen promotional shots, such as BBC shows Top Gear, Doctor Who and films including Reservoir Dogs and The Godfather.

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