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Microsoft to Acquire Skype for $8.5 Billion

meh

I also agree that Skype is a bit meh... The software is a little confusing and phone calls to non-skype users always sounds quite inferior. Also, making overseas calls is actually not cheap. You have to pay for the skype calls, and while it might be cheaper than using your cell (and quite so!) it's still not cheap.
 
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Hmm this follows ms buying:
sidekick, yahoo, nokia, and now skype.

Did any of these deals produce a good or interesting product. I think not. Good luck with that ms what's 8.9 billion between friends.
 
Full of Win said:
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I just do not see the logic behind paying 8 billion. As in life, when you are desperate and have money...you usually will be parted from your money very quickly.
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WTF is up with all the negative votes? Man alive, FullofWin comments on Apple: he gets crap. FullofWin comments on Microsoft: he gets crap.

Microsoft IS getting desperate for innovation and market presence.

Anyhoo...Im getting so tired of folks razzing him constantly.
 
jessea said:
Lastly -- and possibly most importantly -- Microsoft has done something really well over the last decade (arguably better than anyone): console gaming.
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Is that an attempt at humour?
Cause it is well known Nintendo have had the best sales and done the most for the console gaming market.
 
fredoviola said:
I also agree that Skype is a bit meh... The software is a little confusing and phone calls to non-skype users always sounds quite inferior. Also, making overseas calls is actually not cheap. You have to pay for the skype calls, and while it might be cheaper than using your cell (and quite so!) it's still not cheap.
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It costs less than a small coffee per month in most locales. I think I've been paying about $2.50 per month or thereabouts. It's so damn cheap I keep it as a fallback even though I rarely use it. When I do, the voice quality is fantastic (provided the network connection is good.) It's vastly superior to the SIP gateways I am forced to use where the voice quality can be horrific. I agree Skype's software side hasn't always been too great, hopefully Microsoft can put some more developers on the task and improve in this area.
 
theROZ said:
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Hmm this follows ms buying:
sidekick, yahoo, nokia, and now skype.

Did any of these deals produce a good or interesting product. I think not. Good luck with that ms what's 8.9 billion between friends.
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Add Virtual PC to the list.
 
pizzach said:
I salute you sir. Just like everybody giving MS the benefit of the doubt with Virtual PC. Then VPC promptly stopped getting real updates on the Mac. I'm sure the Windows 7 Mobile version of Skype will be great.
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If Microsoft does stop supporting Skype on other platforms(even though they said they wouldn't) then I will lambast them just as everyone else is now. Currently I have no reason to do so.

Skype has left a bad taste in my mouth since the waiting of two years for an update only to get the trash that was Skype 5, the lack of a native iPad app, and the high CPU usage in the iPhone app(also how long it took them to get video chat on the iPhone) resulting in piss poor battery life when the app is left in the background. If Microsoft makes it even worse then I will simply stop using Skype. There are other alternatives.
 
Speedy2 said:
That prize goes to Nintendo for the Wii. Sorry.
Xbox isn't making any serious money and has just broken even like 1 or 2 years ago. We'll see what happens with Kinect. Don't forget that outside the US the Xbox isn't dominant at all.
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It goes to the Wii based on sheer sales numbers? That's a surprising conclusion on an Apple website. ;)

Xbox has been profitable for nearly 3.5 years now (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/xbox-goes-profitable-almost-like-a-grown-up-business/).
 
kildjean said:
Pfft. 8.5 billion, thats like $8.50 for Microsoft. IMHO Apple should have bought Skype and done something brilliant with it... But if anyone can make that company a cashcow it's Microsoft.
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Something "brilliant" like making it Mac only? That would be just like them, cutting out 90% of Skype users.
 
batchtaster said:
Skype as a company and an app is not that good. Just look at the recent security hole. a) that it happened, and b) that they didn't tell anyone about the fix. That's not professional.

Microsoft's not on even my Top 10 favorite companies, but they could learn a few things from Redmond. If you want to cut off your nose to spite your face, just cos it has a Microsoft badge on it, that's your business.
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Hang on, when is the last time Apple publically came out and admited to security holes, on thier own behalf? Apple is the worst company in the world when it comes to communication when they screw up. How much back lash did it take for them to admit the iphone 4 had an antenna issue? "Hold it differrent" is far from being Professional.

I'd strongly disagree with you and consider skype to be the best app in its catergory. Ichat and facetime are far behind. Google voice being the closest, alas not available everywhere.
 
MH01 said:
Hang on, when is the last time Apple publically came out and admited to security holes, on thier own behalf? Apple is the worst company in the world when it comes to communication when they screw up.
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That's because Apple doesn't screw up.

;)
 
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pjarvi said:
This is great news for anyone with an Xbox360 and Live subscription. I'm looking forward to being able to call my parents from the living room. Smart move by Microsoft, now let's just hope they don't screw it up.
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thankfully I am not an XBox360Live blah,blah,blah drone...Microsoft loves the fact that adults and their drooling offspring are content to play mindless games, watch mindless movies, and now make mindless phone calls all within the comfort of your couch-within reach of fattening snacks and sugary pop and energy drinks. sink lower into your furniture and deeper into diabetes compliments of the MSFT mindcontrolbox. Thank goodness me and love to be outside riding bikes (stay fixed!)-wow, that was genuinely cathartic!
 
well, if microsoft makes skype a secure VC platform for companies that can be integrated in company networks then they have a winner.

Add the XBox platform and the possibility to use your XBox/TV as videophone and the MS Wndows smartphones then there is significant potential.

Let's hope MS is successful and makes internet videophones a widespread system.
 
jessea said:
It goes to the Wii based on sheer sales numbers? That's a surprising conclusion on an Apple website. ;)

Xbox has been profitable for nearly 3.5 years now (http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/24/xbox-goes-profitable-almost-like-a-grown-up-business/).
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It goes to Nintendo in the innovation stakes surely - the only thing Microsoft has 'done right' with xbox is not do anything wrong, get the right exclusives, and plough a ton of money into it. Microsoft all over. And that's not entirely a criticism I guess.
 
kildjean said:
Pfft. 8.5 billion, thats like $8.50 for Microsoft. IMHO Apple should have bought Skype and done something brilliant with it... But if anyone can make that company a cashcow it's Microsoft.
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That's if Apple had any interest in that kind of business. I don't think they have at the moment. If they have, they can get it a lot cheaper:

1. Send an email to Microsoft: "Hi guys, we want to create a competitor to Skype. So please send as all the documentation that is needed for compatibility with Skype". At the same time some crack team reverse engineers all that is needed.

2. A month later: Send a letter to the EU "Hi guys, we want to create a competitor to Skype. Unfortunately Microsoft refuses to give us all the documentation that is needed for compatibility with Skype".

3. Five years later when Microsoft has enough of ever growing fines for not supplying the documentation which evaporated any profits from Skype: Microsoft hires 12,000 technical writers to write the documentation.

4. About six months after the first email: Apple's Skype compatible software ships with MacOS X 10.7.1 and iOS 5.1.


jessea said:
Xbox has been profitable for nearly 3.5 years now
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The Microsoft division that produces the XBox is profitable, because for some reason, Microsoft officially moved development and sales of Microsoft Office for Macintosh to that division. I think you can guess what the reason was.


theROZ said:
Hmm this follows ms buying:
sidekick, yahoo, nokia, and now skype.
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Buying Yahoo was probably the biggest mistake ever that Microsoft did _not_ make. Yahoo shareholders would probably like to lynch their management for not selling, while Microsoft shareholders are just glad it didn't happen.
 
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aiqw9182 said:
That doesn't mention the billions of dollars Microsoft has lost replacing RROD'd 360's.



That you have to pay for.
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Yes you do... correct.

Never the less, it still supports multi video chat.. the OP said Skype should support 4 way video chats, which skype does.

I agree - that - it costs $$ and Skype limits its usage per month. I see microsoft making this free AND reducing the current restrictions.

iChat multi chat video only supports OSX only; it isn't multiplatform like skype.
 
gnasher729 said:
That's if Apple had any interest in that kind of business. I don't think they have at the moment. If they have, they can get it a lot cheaper:

1. Send an email to Microsoft: "Hi guys, we want to create a competitor to Skype. So please send as all the documentation that is needed for compatibility with Skype". At the same time some crack team reverse engineers all that is needed.

2. A month later: Send a letter to the EU "Hi guys, we want to create a competitor to Skype. Unfortunately Microsoft refuses to give us all the documentation that is needed for compatibility with Skype".

3. Five years later when Microsoft has enough of ever growing fines for not supplying the documentation which evaporated any profits from Skype: Microsoft hires 12,000 technical writers to write the documentation.

4. About six months after the first email: Apple's Skype compatible software ships with MacOS X 10.7.1 and iOS 5.1.
Click to expand...

And how many times did MSN stop working with alternative clients??
 
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