

Microsoft's acquisition of  Skype is a done deal - latch
http://blogs.skype.com/en/2011/10/acquisitionclose.html

======
alain94040
Any update on Skype's stock-options scandal
([http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/26/skypes-worthless-
employee-s...](http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/26/skypes-worthless-employee-
stock-option-plan-heres-why-they-did-it/)) ?

I can't find any recent news. Did some employees fight back?

------
mun2mun
I am hoping that Microsoft will roll out a virtual PBX system based on Skype.
Where employers will get a separate account for that organization. Advantages
of this offering would be,

* Zero setup cost. Architecture is already built. No need for setting up complex telephony system.

* Reliability. No questions about that. It is so much reliable that even news channels like BBC and Aljazeera arrange video conferencing with Skype.

* Security. From the first day Skype was focused on security of their phone calls/connection. It's P2P architecture also leverages that.

* Able to call everywhere. With Skype you can make phone call to major countries. They have contracts with telcos in many countries.

* Cross platform. Skype is available for windows,linux,OSX, Android, iPhone, Symbian. I mean virtually every platform. It is a great advantage.

Also it is a very good brand name known to everyone. Overall I think Skype is
a great purchase deal for Microsoft.

~~~
vyrotek
I thought that's what Microsoft Lync was - <http://lync.microsoft.com>

~~~
mun2mun
Yes that's right. But if Microsoft embeds the brand of Skype instead of live
it has good chance to attract more businesses.

------
nodata
I see a big box telling me to install Silverlight. Seriously?

Can't wait for the next Skype for Linux release.

~~~
barrym
It took me a while to realise it wasn't a screenshot he was using in the post.

~~~
dquigley
I have to admit I didn't realize it wasn't a screenshot until I came here to
see what people's comments were.

------
ahsanhilal
Hopefully they will announce a Kinect enabled version of skype soon. That
would be a killer application aimed at taking the bite out of Cisco's consumer
business.

------
ohashi
I don't know what it is, but ever since this started, they were updating more
and more - and it wasn't getting better. I've had more dropped calls, more
connection problems, more updates I don't want, plugins I didn't ask for and
generally been less satisfied with skype as a product. I just noticed in the
newest version they automatically put on my computer that I can't even adjust
the volume of my calls anymore.

~~~
kellishaver
Out of curiosity, what OS are you using? I'm on OSX Lion and I have found that
lately, the quality and reliability of my Skype calls has increased
significantly. I haven't had a dropped call or poor voice quality in a long
time, whereas problems used to be quite frequent. Of course, it could just be
that I've hit a lucky streak or that the problems were more related to my ISP.

~~~
ohashi
Windows XP/7. ISP is generally pretty bad (comcast) but no more than usual,
and this has been a long trend.

------
TallTalesOrTrue
If only this gets integrated with the windows phone, I will be so happy. With
the FB chat integration I have already dropped my sms plan as most of my
messaging is now via FB. If I get skype, I will go on bare minimum voice plan
too.

~~~
JonoW
Ditto on the WP7 integration, think it would be a killer feature. Would fit
perfectly with the model they've taken with 3rd party platforms; merging
account details from multiple sources (e.g. twitter, facebook), so click on a
contact and "Call with Skype", rather than going into a seperate app.

------
maguay
Very interesting how many Apple products are in their video about the merger -
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ByWVVovdDg>. I'd imagine plenty of Apple
products would naturally be in use on Skype's campus, but seems like Microsoft
would have wanted to play up the PC part of the equation, making Windows look
essential to Skype's success. Perhaps they're trying to reassure people that
Skype will stay cross-platform?

------
sandee
The infographics data is deceptive.

1.8 Billion Minutes of Video calls (All people minutes on skype for year); 916
hours of movies made per year (movies made by production house); 9 years of
average time spent on watching TV (Time spent by a single consumer)

How these things are related are beyond my understanding. It looks like
somehow the 1.8 Billion had to be made appear bigger , so they put some filler
data along with it.

~~~
maximusprime
If they compared it to "Minutes spent on cellphone/landline" it wouldn't look
quite so impressive.

I did a quick look for some statistics on cellphone/landline usage, but I'd
expect it's a few added 0's on the end of Skype usage still.

------
ck2
This is great because it means google voice is going to be free for years.

------
gabaix
42% of calls are video. Impressive trend. This is the drive for Skype's high
valuation.

------
awflick
I wouldn't be surprised if it gets packaged into windows/office.

~~~
alperakgun
coming soon, skype editions, starter with no video, professional up to 2
people, enterprise, and 90 days trial edition.

~~~
diminish
and all current skype will be called skype express, with 5 minutes call
limitation.

~~~
alperakgun
or skype name will be changed to, microsoft windows video and call manager.

------
nathanb
How ironic would it be if the catalyst for an actual decent Linux Skype client
is Skype being bought by Microsoft!

...not that I'm holding my breath.

------
timjahn
I still have Skype 2.8 and refuse to update, because even before Microsoft got
involved, the newer versions of Skype were so inconsistent in communicating
with other versions of Skype.

But lately, I've noticed Skype freezing on opening. It's probably my 3 year
old MacBook Pro, but I like to think it's Microsoft somehow. :)

------
Tichy
So I guess Skype for Android will never get Video on my Galaxy Tab :-(

~~~
iand
Skype on my Galaxy Tab already does video. The problem is that it only uses
the rear camera. So you can see the person you are talking to and they can see
your feet or you can show your face but can't see any of the controls or the
person you are talking to. Maybe a periscope would work :)

~~~
Tichy
Galaxy Tab 10.1?

~~~
iand
Original 7"

