So, Microsoft has acquired Skype

[lefty]

Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video)

By Amar Toor posted Oct 14th 2011 2:34AM

Well, it's finally happened -- Microsoft's acquisition of Skype has just been finalized, a little more than five months after it was first announced. Under the $8.5 billion deal, Skype CEO Tony Bates will be named president of the new Skype Division of Microsoft, and will have to report directly to Steve Ballmer. Many Skype employees, meanwhile, will stay onboard at offices around the globe, including at outposts in Estonia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, the UK, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US. In a post on the Official Microsoft Blog today, Bates seemed unsurprisingly enthusiastic about the acquisition, describing it as a marriage of two "disruptive, innovative, software-oriented companies." The exec was less specific about the role his company would play within Redmond's new architecture, but assured that Skype would be at the forefront of future communications initiatives across a variety of platforms. "Microsoft is committed to the ubiquity of the Skype experience – communication across every device and every platform will remain a primary focus," Bates wrote. "And we've only scratched the surface." Head past the break for Microsoft's full PR, as well as the video address from Bates.

[TDMVPDPOY]

looks like his 8.5b richer

[hater]

overpaying. another sign of company decline.

[leemajors]

overpaying. another sign of company decline.

Wait, this isn't about Apple...

[hater]

Apple is not in decline. they just suck

I like what microsoft has done in the last few years (open their platforms) but unless they score a home run in the near future, they are done.

[lefty]

Apple is not in decline. they just suck

.

4S sold out

[Drachen]

4S sold out

Probably why he said "Apple is not in decline, they just suck"

[robino2001]

integrate it into the xbox/kinect... that'd be cool (yes I know you can do xbox to xbox video w/ kinect, but not xbox to pc, right?)

[Nathan Explosion]

Apple is not in decline. they just suck

I like what microsoft has done in the last few years (open their platforms) but unless they score a home run in the near future, they are done.

As successful as Apple is with their Macbooks, they aren't close to making a dent in Microsoft's market share. I have to hand it to MS, Windows 7 is a good OS. If Windows 8 can build upon it without being too gimmicky (the whole mobile tablet thing), they can really solidify their market against Apple and Lion.

And while the OS upgrade is more expensive than Apple, the ability to build a solid computer for very little far outweighs that. Apple hardware just costs to much. I like their OS and computers, but it's too damn expensive to buy Apple computers when you can't upgrade them on the fly.