What Is JoostBook?
Well, on the Joost side, JoostBook is a plugin for Joost, an IPTV application that lets you watch television on-demand on your computer. It uses a novel interface, and integrates with my desktop so well, on Mac and PC that I can now do almost anything on my computer while watching television.
As good as its integration is, it is still in beta, I kept finding myself minimizing it, or closing it and going to facebook. So I wanted to create a way in which I could do several things.
- Tell my friends on facebook about the cool things I am watching
- Be able to see if I have any new notifications without leaving Joost
- Go back and see the history of the shows I have watched
The JoostBook plugin allows us to do all these things.
On the facebook, side, it is an application that displays thumbnail pictures of what you are watching, along with a description of what you are watching. It also links to the Joost page for that content so you can watch it too. If you have trouble finding it, it is now named JoostConnect due to facebook claiming I had somehow violated a copyright or patent.
BTW. I am not at all affiliated with Joost, or facebook in any way shape or form.
Technologies
Of course it uses the facebook REST API, the nearpersonal facebook API. But I used the PHP facebook API as well. The problem I ran into with the PHP api is that it doesn't work well with my server for some reason, but the ColdFusion API worked like a charm.
Features
- Allows messaging to your facebook friends
- Publishes your video feed from Joost
- Notifies you of new messages from facebook
- Lets you keep up on what you have watched
Changelog
Saturday, December 8, 2007 12:32 AM
I have updated the JoostBook application to offer improved facebook notifications. When you send one now, the user, if you have logged in, and a video has been started, will get the link and title to the joost video in their notification.
Saturday, December 1, 2007 8:39 PM
In the JoostConnect (facebook) application, I have added the ability to send invitations to your friends so they can watch any program in your history or your favorites.
Sunday, November 18 4:23 PM
I have added a update notification feature, and increased the polling interval for status updates to every 2 minutes
Thursday, November 10 11:07 PM
I fixed the bug with notifications. Now users will get the notification, and be able to click to go directly to their friend's Joost log.
Thursday, November 8 12:53 AM
I have changed the logos of JoostBook and JoostConnect to something less copywritten, or trademarked, or registered.
Also, I have enabled plugin users to be able to pop up history for their friends viewing, as well as their friends' favorites.
Wednesday, November 7 12:37 AM
I updated the joostbook.joda file to correct the view history link. If you are annoyed by getting the page not found when you click history, then download the plugin again now and it will work.
Sunday, November 4 11:46 PM PST
I've added the ability to save your favorites in the facebook application joostconnect. I've also made it so that if you are viewing someone else's profile, you will see their video feed instead of your own.
There is a glitch with it, however. Since people have installed it before I had hidden the link, it is possible that one of your friends could set your profile view all link to their own video feed by clicking the link before you do. There are a couple of ways to take care of this. If a friend has changed the link, you can go to http://apps.facebook.com/joostconnect/ just going to that URL alone will fix your profile page link.
Sorry about the wierdness with that, for the most part, people should be OK, but I just wanted people to know.
Thursday, October 31st 10:14 PM PST
I think I've figured out what was causing the errors in the FB app and I have fixed them. Also I added the ability to view what your friends have been watching. I had to limit the number of videos shown to the last 3 because some people have tons of friends.
I've also been fighting the idea that Joost developed this, but what is the point. People are looking for linkbait and I guess this qualifies.
I have also given up trying to get the application into the facebook directory. They seem to be very particular about their name, and I guess they figure joostbook was too close to facebook. They are OK about joostconnect, but I have had to change the logo. They also don't seem to understand that this is a split application. Maybe i'll try again later, but it doesn't matter. The application's uptake has been pretty good anyway.
Once things have settled down a little, I want to add a my favorites that will let you or your frends watch a custom channel built in facebook. Also, I'll enhance the plugin to be able to view what your friends are looking at without going to facebook.
Tuesday, October 30th 9:29 PM PST
I've removed the last of the PHP code that was causing a problem on JoostBook / JoostConnect. The application on Facebook should be stable now.
Monday, October 29th 10:27 PM PST
I changed the name of JoostBook to JoostConnect on Facebook due to them not wanting to include it in their directory with that name.
Install Instructions
Installing JoostBook is relatively easy. I'll break it down into several steps.
Visit http://joost.com, and download Joost *Its Free*
If you have a PPC based Macintosh, you are out of luck right now.
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Download the JoostBook Plugin here by right clicking the link below and choose "Save Link As..."
joostbook.joda. Save it somewhere it will be easy to find.
On Leopard, or if you have a zip program installed on your computer, it might unzip the file for you, even if its name is .joda. If that happens, open the folder, select all of the files in the folder, then re-zip the files or if you are on a mac, create an archive out of them. Then rename the archive or .zip file to joostbook.joda, before trying to install.
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To install the plugin in Joost, start your Joost. Once it is running, hover around the right side of the screen until you see "my joost" come up
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When My Joost comes up, you should see an icon in the lower left of the screen that says "widget menu."
Click the widget menu button. It will bring up a list of all of your installed widgets.
Choose the "widget manager" option.
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The widget manager window will appear. In the left pane, there will be a button that says "add widget," click it
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A file search window will appear. Find the joostbook.joda file you downloaded earlier. Choose it and click "open."
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The JoostBook display should appear, with the facebook login page showing. Log in to facebook here. For convenience, you might want to click "keep me logged in."
As long as the plugin is running, and you are logged into facebook from the widget, your videos will be sent to facebook.
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Click the top navigation in the widget to see your notifications "home" or to flip through your friends status messages.
You can also send a message to your friend inviting them to watch the same channel and video so you can chat by clicking the "Message" button when you are viewing a friend's status
The next steps are in facebook.
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Now, visit http://apps.facebook.com/joostconnect/ to add the JoostBook facebook application to your profile.
If you do are not logged in to facebook, you will be asked to log into facebook. You will then be asked if you want to install the application to your facebook profile. Choose the security selections you feel comfortable with, and install the application.
If you don't have a facebook account, you will need to get one before you can install the application.
Facebook will ask you if you want to sign up if you click on the link above.
Download JoostBook
Download the JoostBook Plugin for Joost! Right click the link below and choose "Save Link As..."
joostbook.joda Last Updated: Saturday December 8, 2007 12:32 AM
On Leopard, it might unzip the file for you, even if its name is .joda. If that happens, select the folder, and create an archive out of it. Then rename it to joostbook.joda, before trying to install.