Microsoft confirms $8.5B acquisition of communications service Skype

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  • Reply 141 of 174
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    This probably bodes ill for Facetime.



    Skype will likely be the standard now with availability across several platforms and devices. With Facetime still restricted to only iOS devices, it really will be of limited use to those trying to stay in touch with extended family and friends often using non-Apple devices.



    I have no idea why Apple never bothered following thru with making Facetime an open standard as promised, but with MS purchase of Skype I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple let it quietly vanish.



    Wow. Seriously?

    Skype is already on multiple platforms, what do you think the Microsoft buyout is going to change? C'mon people: if anything, Microsoft will screw this up. Remember Danger, Inc and their at-one-time awesome Sidekick phone? What did Microsoft do with the company and its brand? Release a Microsoft-branded Sidekick that kicked the fear of Steve Ballmer into competitors? Or did they f*** that acquisition up COMPLETELY?
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  • Reply 142 of 174
    tontontonton Posts: 14,067
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sippincider View Post






    Steve Ballmer, searching for his next acquisition...



    "Skype is the future of Microsoft. We call it VRC. Virtual Reality Cybersex. Right now, in my virtual reality space, I'm squeezing the breasts of a Ukrainian model in Kiev. 3-D glasses provide the visual effect, and these diodes attached to my hands provide tactile stimulation. And it's all possible thanks to Skype. We'll make billions."
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  • Reply 143 of 174
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post


    Wow. Seriously?

    Skype is already on multiple platforms, what do you think the Microsoft buyout is going to change?



    The two easy ones are the addition of 300+ million active users to the Skype userbase and financial backing.



    Without continued investment their service would have turned to crap, leaving the market open for something like FaceTime.



    Unless Microsoft totally stuff this up I don't see that happening anymore.
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  • Reply 144 of 174
    hutchohutcho Posts: 132member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cambo View Post


    they'll do what they ALWAYS do...they'll maker it a buggy, useless POS for Mac users, if they even bring one out for us. They'll probably leave it as it is, and jut upgrade us out of the picture.



    Like that POS Mac MS Office (the largest selling software for the Mac)? Same can't be said the other way around (iTunes or Quicktime for Windows? Now that's awful).



    I find it funny that everyone is making out as if Microsoft will shut Skype down for all other devices, when Microsoft is probably one of the largest software providers for different platforms out there. They have recently shown strong support for iOS devices with a number of really excellent apps, as well as almost every other platform. Again, same can't be said for Apple. How long do you think it'll be before Apple releases some software for Windows Phone 7 or Android? Simply on the principle of the matter they wouldn't do it. I'm for one glad Microsoft bought them rather than Google or Apple, and the employees probably are too.
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  • Reply 145 of 174
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tonton View Post


    "Skype is the future of Microsoft. We call it VRC. Virtual Reality Cybersex. Right now, in my virtual reality space, I'm squeezing the breasts of a Ukrainian model in Kiev. 3-D glasses provide the visual effect, and these diodes attached to my hands provide tactile stimulation. And it's all possible thanks to Skype. We'll make billions."



    Those diodes attach elsewhere too.
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  • Reply 146 of 174
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Hutcho View Post


    Like that POS Mac MS Office (the largest selling software for the Mac)? Same can't be said the other way around (iTunes or Quicktime for Windows? Now that's awful).



    I find it funny that everyone is making out as if Microsoft will shut Skype down for all other devices, when Microsoft is probably one of the largest software providers for different platforms out there. They have recently shown strong support for iOS devices with a number of really excellent apps, as well as almost every other platform. Again, same can't be said for Apple. How long do you think it'll be before Apple releases some software for Windows Phone 7 or Android? Simply on the principle of the matter they wouldn't do it. I'm for one glad Microsoft bought them rather than Google or Apple, and the employees probably are too.



    Top selling does not mean automatically mean it's good. Office 2008 was no beauty queen. As for Messenger on Mac, do you realise how long it took to even get a version that supported video chat?
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  • Reply 147 of 174
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    The two easy ones are the addition of 300+ million active users to the Skype userbase and financial backing.



    Without continued investment their service would have turned to crap, leaving the market open for something like FaceTime.



    Unless Microsoft totally stuff this up I don't see that happening anymore.



    Addition of 300+ million active users?? So nobody who was using MS products was using Skype before this?!! Okay... if you say so. ... and this deal will guarantee that everyone who uses MS products will now use Skype?! Hmmmmmm....



    I'd also like to know how you came to assume that Skype's service would have turned to crap even as they were growing their user base.



    Microsoft fucking up Skype? No... that'll never happen...
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  • Reply 148 of 174
    brucepbrucep Posts: 2,823member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nicolbolas View Post


    er, if from what i have read, skype has aprox 5% users paying, with what 860 million $ made-- losing 7 million overall... (aprox 10% of install base = 86 million dollars made) you only need an install base increase of... 1%! to get more than 7 million dollars (8.6 million)



    I have no doubt that is possible.



    ofc the whole 8.5 billion dollars.... WTF..... this part isn't worth it.



    Also to note the whole Skype killing Facetime...



    no one ever (on this forums at least, i don't use others) had a topic that i REMEMBER that disussed Skype that much.....



    once i personally think about it, Facetime, as it currently is cannot compete with Skype...

    no chat

    no voice to voice

    etc (other people have longer lists)



    Also i feel that even a release now, wouldn't go anywhere (ever with most of the lacking areas solved, which wouldn't make sense (As i see it) based off its design of Video) due to limited things you can call... like not "regular" phones.....



    I can see this personally: i have an iphone 4 (and an itouch, 4G) both of them are used a lot, but i have never found a use for Facetime.... i can't just lay down and chat Voice to Voice, or use one hand to send messages (im) when i am busy doing something else.



    Facetime is GREAT for video, but in order to compete with Skype (I believe it should focus PURELY on video, eventually adding in multi person video that costs $) it would need an overhaul.



    Since apple has world wide agreements with dozens of tele phone carriers i think that facetime was crippled by apple on purpose .



    But Apples ios will reach 300 million users soon >> so APPLE has a bulit in client base to offer free phone service of you buy an apple device .





    IF APPLE WANTS TO COMPETE WITH SKYPE .



    I feel Skype hurts google far more than Apple .



    Anyway MSFT over paid by 6 billion.







    9
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  • Reply 149 of 174
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    The two easy ones are the addition of 300+ million active users to the Skype userbase and financial backing.



    Without continued investment their service would have turned to crap, leaving the market open for something like FaceTime.



    Unless Microsoft totally stuff this up I don't see that happening anymore.



    What do you mean by the addition of 300+ million active users? Are you talking about PC users? So you're saying that Skype wasn't available to PC users before? Wow, I guess you think there are 300+ million zombies who will do use whatever technology Microsoft slaps their brand on? I guess that means PlaysForSure will totally decimate the iTunes/iPod solution...any day now.
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  • Reply 150 of 174
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post


    What do you mean by the addition of 300+ million active users? Are you talking about PC users? So you're saying that Skype wasn't available to PC users before? Wow, I guess you think there are 300+ million zombies who will do use whatever technology Microsoft slaps their brand on? I guess that means PlaysForSure will totally decimate the iTunes/iPod solution...any day now.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by island hermit View Post


    Addition of 300+ million active users?? So nobody who was using MS products was using Skype before this?!! Okay... if you say so. ... and this deal will guarantee that everyone who uses MS products will now use Skype?!



    You guys both need to relax a little!



    300 million is the number of active Messenger users (it's actually more than that... 330m maybe).



    I'm not sure what the total number of Windows users is. It has got to be close to a billion though.
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  • Reply 151 of 174
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    You guys both need to relax a little!



    300 million is the number of active Messenger users (it's actually more than that... 330m maybe).



    I'm not sure what the total number of Windows users is. It has got to be close to a billion though.



    1) You are the one that stated addition of. Maybe that’s not what you meant, but that is what you wrote.



    2) Most of the world’s population don’t own a PC. Figure that MS sold 200M or so copies of Windows 7 (MS’ fastest selling OS) for corporate and consumer use. Then figure most people who use a PC at work and at home aren’t using the same Windows license. That will cut down your user base compared to looking at licensing numbers numbers alone. But those aren’t installed base, just sales. You can’t include every single Windows license ever sold because most of them aren’t in use any longer. That leaves me with an estimate closer to 500-600 million users with an average life cycle of 3 years. So… where do you get there are 1 billion active Windows PC users?
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  • Reply 152 of 174
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Firefly7475 View Post


    You guys both need to relax a little!



    300 million is the number of active Messenger users (it's actually more than that... 330m maybe).



    I'm not sure what the total number of Windows users is. It has got to be close to a billion though.



    You state stupid shit.



    We respond.



    Simple.
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  • Reply 153 of 174
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    So? where do you get there are 1 billion active Windows PC users?



    You're asking a guy who just makes shit up all the time...
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  • Reply 154 of 174
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by island hermit View Post


    You're asking a guy who just makes shit up all the time...



    Ballmar made an unqualified comment about an installed base of 1 billion copies of Windows back in 2007. That estimate could have included embedded versions of Windows but it certainly didn?t mean unique Windows users, even though that is what the story quickly morphed into among the less scrupulous and/or intelligent media outlets.
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  • Reply 155 of 174
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Ballmar made an unqualified comment about an installed base of 1 billion copies of Windows back in 2007. That estimate could have included embedded versions of Windows but it certainly didn?t mean unique Windows users, even though that is what the story quickly morphed into among the less scrupulous and/or intelligent media outlets.



    Firefly makes shit up about Windows installed user base.



    Ballmer makes shit up about Windows installed user base.



    Therefore: Firefly must be Ballmer.
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  • Reply 156 of 174
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,772member
    Just because a few may think something isn't true doesn't mean it isn't.\



    Sources I can find would indicate Firefly might even be a bit low in his 1Billion windows users estimate. With Windows supposedly the OS for upwards of 80% of all computers in use. . .



    http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=703807



    It would not surprise me if Solipsism may have found the exact same source earlier. He's pretty good with research.
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  • Reply 157 of 174
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    Just because a few may think something isn't true doesn't mean it isn't.\



    Sources I can find would indicate Firefly might even be a bit low in his 1Billion windows users estimate. With Windows supposedly the OS for upwards of 80% of all computers in use. . .



    http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=703807



    It would not surprise me if Solipsism may have found the exact same source earlier. He's pretty good with research.



    *sigh* installed base ≠ unique user base.



    Example: I own an iPad and an iPhone. That adds ?2? to the installed base for iOS but only adds ?1? to the user base of iOS.



    This shouldn?t have to be explained repeatedly!
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  • Reply 158 of 174
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    Just because a few may think something isn't true doesn't mean it isn't.\



    Sources I can find would indicate Firefly might even be a bit low in his 1Billion windows users estimate. With Windows supposedly the OS for upwards of 80% of all computers in use. . .



    http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=703807



    It would not surprise me if Solipsism may have found the exact same source earlier. He's pretty good with research.



    Just because a few may think something is true doesn't mean it is.



    How many of those billion are Macs.... and, please, don't say under 10%... think about it and then do some more research.



    [on edit - this data is almost 3 years old... in other words... just around the time that pc's started to decrease in numbers shipped and right around the time that Macs started to really rise in numbers shipped. ... and, besides, I just like making fun of Firefly because of the nonsense arguments he/she brings to the forum ]
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  • Reply 159 of 174
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,772member
    Since neither you nor Solipsism have any notion as to how many computer devices are owned by each unique individual it's a stretch to claim as fact that there could not possibly be one billion windows users. There's obviously sources that indicate there may be.



    Of course you could "just make stuff" up to dispute that.



    Not trying to start any disagreement, but some posters here would do better to say "I didn't know that" or "news to me" than try to find way to support an off-the-cuff remark that doesn't have sources to support it.



    We all do better when we find out things we didn't know thru posts from our fellow forum members.
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  • Reply 160 of 174
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    Since neither you nor Solipsism have any notion as to how many computer devices are owned by each unique individual it's a stretch to claim as fact that there could not possibly be one billion windows users. There's obviously sources that indicate there may be.



    Then post one.



    If you plan to refer to the article you previously posted then based on your logic Apple reaching 10 billion App Store downloads should not exclude the possibility of 10 billion unique iOS-baed iDevice sold to 10 billion individual users.
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