Skype scrambles after service trouble (AFP)

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Skype on Thursday was scrambling to fix a problem that caused the globally popular Internet telephone service to be inaccessible for a "small number" of users.

"A small number of you may have had problems signing in to Skype," Skype engineer Peter Parkes said in an update at the Luxembourg-based firm's blog.

"This predominantly affects people using Skype for Windows," he continued. We have identified the problem and will issue a fix in the next few hours."

His message included step-by-step instructions for Skype users to correct the problem on computers powered by Windows, Linux, or Macintosh operating systems.

Skype spokesman Chaim Haas said that while some users had trouble signing in, the service never went out and its computers didn't crash.

Skype was up and running, with 25 million people logged in early Thursday afternoon, according to Haas.

"Engineers have been hard at work all day and a formal fix will be pushed out shortly," Haas said of the situation.

The problem came just weeks after Microsoft sealed a deal to buy the Internet voice and video leader for $8.5 billion dollars in a move aimed at boosting its presence in an online arena dominated by Google and Facebook.

The purchase of Skype, which reportedly also attracted interest from Cisco, Facebook and Google, is the largest ever by Microsoft and gives it control of one of the few companies whose name has become a verb, as in to "skype."

Skype users can make low-cost or free phone calls over the Internet using their computers or smartphones. Skype bypasses the standard telephone network by channeling voice and video calls over the Web.

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Bill Gates backed Microsoft's takeover of Skype (Digital Trends)

When it was announced last week that Microsoft had bought Internet phone company Skype for a whacking $8.5 billion, it caused many in the tech industry to carefully place their cup of coffee on their desk, furrow their brow slightly and say, “Eh?”

The news media was filled with stories trying to work out precisely why Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was so excited about the takeover of a company that lost $7 million last year and charges nothing for most of its services.

At the announcement of the purchase, Ballmer spoke enthusiastically about how the companies promised “universal, next-generation communications…..[that will] empower [consumers] to communicate in new and interesting ways.” And now, just as people are pondering over exactly what the “new and interesting ways” might be, Microsoft founder Bill Gates has popped up to lend some support to Ballmer.

According to an interview with the BBC to be aired on Wednesday, Gates said that he himself advocated the Skype purchase. Talking to the BBC’s Stephen Sackur on his Hardtalk one-on-one interview show, Gates said, “I was a strong proponent at the board level for the deal being done. I think it’s a great, great deal for Skype. I think it’s a great deal for Microsoft.”

Looking ahead, Gates explained that the takeover was a strategic decision, not focussed on Skype’s immediate financial situation. He said, “The idea of video conferencing is going to get so much better than it is today.” He added: “It’ll be fascinating to see how the brilliant ideas out of Microsoft research, coming together with Skype, what they can make of that.”

Skype was founded in 2003 and enables its 663 million users to make video and voice calls online. Microsoft’s purchase of the company was its biggest ever acquisition.

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.