Skype Archive

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Skype offers free Wi-Fi at airports across the US this holiday season

By
kduffy
– December 19, 2011Posted in: News

Some people don’t get to enjoy the luxuries of being home for the holidays; there are people out there forced to travel for work, or who may even be stuck in an airport due to weather or flight delays, causing them to miss time spent with family members.

Luckily Skype is offering one full hour of free wireless access in over 50 airports all over the country from December 21st through December 27th.

“The holidays are all about connecting with those that you love,” Skype’s director of product Linda Summers said. “Skype is helping people maintain these meaningful connections this holiday season from wherever that may be. A voice or video call via Skype when you can’t be together for the holidays is the next best thing to being there.”

So whether you’re waiting for the mess of snow and rain to clear the air stuck on a layover or on the other side of the nation on business, Skype’s gift to us this holiday season is being able to stay close with friends and family for the holidays, despite long distances.

(via ubergizmo & PCMag)

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Skype Gets More Friends with Facebook Video Calls

By
khoward
– November 17, 2011Posted in: Apps, Facebook, Internet Trends, News

If you love the slick video chat features of Skype but all your friends are on Facebook, you’re going to want the latest versions of the Skype desktop app.  New Facebook integration in the Skype 5.4 Beta for Mac and the Skype 5.7 Beta for Windows means your Facebook friends show up in your Skype contact list – letting you instant message them without opening the social media site.  Your friend then receives the Skype “call” right within Facebook.

This new Skype-Facebook connection follows earlier integration that allowed Skype users to update their Facebook status and view their wall through Skype – and we like that it makes the social media giant that much more personal.

In addition to Facebook video calling on both Mac and Windows, the latest Skype releases for both are said to feature improved video rendering with a “smooth video experience for Mac users and group screen sharing for Windows users with Premium subscription.”  According to the press release, Skype’s latest version will help you “bring your social network to life” – and while it may not be life-changing, it certainly is a convenient improvement.

(Story and Image via CNET)

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Skype Wants into your Corporate Office

By
acoleman
– September 30, 2010Posted in: Industry News


In an effort to incorporate their services into corporate offices, Skype has announced a strategic partnership with Avaya, a leading seller of corporate phone systems. The deal will heavily incorporate Skype services into Avaya phone systems for improving communications between employees, as well as employees and customers.

The first phase of the deal will allow Avaya customers in the US to access Skype Connect for Skype calls between IP based phone systems. The second phase of the deal, which is set to launch in the second half of 2011, will allow companies to use instant messaging, video chat, and other Skype tools.

Vice President and GM of Skype for Business, David Gurlé stated, “We believe our integrated solution in the second half of 2011 is expected to offer the benefits of Skype to a growing number of businesses and open up new ways for people to communicate and collaborate.”

The major motivation for companies to look to Avaya/Skype services is that it will help reduce phone bills. Employees can make Skype calls via computer to customers for a low cost or no cost at all. Inbound calls to companies can also be routed online with the use of a Skype button on their sites.

Skype

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Settlement reached on eBay sale of Skype

By
acoleman
– November 6, 2009Posted in: Industry News

eBay LogoThe on-line auction site eBay has announced that the Ebay/Skype lawsuit has reached a settlement, and that the selling of Skype’s controlling interest will continue.

The conflict began when Skype owners expressed their discontent with how eBay was handling their business. During this time eBay proceeded to sell Skype to a group of investors and Skype filed a lawsuit in response.

When eBay purchased Skype in 2005 they failed to purchase a key p2p technology needed to power the service. Still owned by Skype owners they have since threatened to end the licensing that powers the p2p technology.

The settlement will now allow eBay to sell Skype, while still holding 30 percent of the company. Skype owners Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis will own a combined 14 percent, and Skype will now own the key p2p technology it needs to run its service.

Mashable


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Skype shows impressive third quarter results

By
acoleman
– October 22, 2009Posted in: Industry News

Blue Skype LogoIt was in 2005 that eBay purchased Skype, and despite the fact that they are in the process of unloading the company, its revenue growth has helped boost its third quarter results. In eBay‘s third quarter earnings, Skype has shown impressive numbers.

Skype’s registered users grew by 41 percent which now puts its total users at 521 million. Revenues grew 29 percent, totaling $185 million. Free Skype-to-Skype minutes grew 74 percent to 27.7 billion minutes, and SkypeOut minutes grew 44 percent to 3.1 billion minutes. If the numbers continue as they are now Skype should be able to reach its goal of 1 billion annual revenue by 2011.

Along with Skype, PayPal showed impressive numbers as well. They garnered $688 million in revenue, which is up 15 percent. Overall, eBay posted a 6 percent increase in revenue for its third quarter.

TechCrunch


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eBay sells Skype for $2.75 billion

By
acoleman
– September 1, 2009Posted in: Industry News

Skype LogoToday eBay made the announcement that it will be selling its Internet phone service Skype. It was sold for a total of $2.75 million to an investor group led by Silver Lake. The E-Auction giant eBay purchased Skype for $2.6 billion in 2005, and after four years have decide it has not provided the synergies they sought.

The Investment group included Sliver Lake, Index Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investment Board. The group will take a 65 percent stake in Skype while the remaining 35 percent will be kept by eBay.

The sale of Skype had been expected for some time now. The New York Times broke the news that eBay was planning to sell Skype on Monday.

CNET


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