So Much for Skype

[Hammer]

Looks like Skype (now owned my Microsoft) is going to start shoving adverts in our faces.
I suppose it had to happen sooner or later.

Skype to insert advertising into calls

In a chirpy post on Skype's official blog, the company said it is "excited" to introduce a new ad service as a way for marketers to reach its hundreds of millions users in a place where they can have "a meaningful conversation about brands".

For now, the ads will display only on 1:1 Skype-to-Skype audio calls made with Skype for Windows. But that's just the start: The release promises "additional commercial experiences in the future".

"A meaningful conversation about brands" ... "addition commercial experiences in the future" ...

Snort!

[cstaylor]

Next they'll be siphoning off questionable video chats and selling them online...

[wagyl]

Skype has been increasingly annoying me for a while but you can't beat the zero cost, and it would be a bit of a trial to get family members connected to a SIP service. Further, these articles/PR copy and pastes are not going into the details. According to the Register , there is an opt out from sharing demographic info but that link goes to an entity called "Microsoft Advertising" which talks about msn accounts. Now, I am sure I am not alone in not linking my Skype with MSN Live (more to the point, which of many Skype accounts should I link to which of many msn accounts, and I am sure I am not alone in that either), so really nothing to get worried about. It is only for voice only calls, and I am usually surfing on another window during them anyway.

[chokonen888]

There's always "line" for non-video chats and calls....I used it with free wifi at hotels when back in the states and it was much better call quality than Skype

[wagyl]

There's always "line" for non-video chats and calls....I used it with free wifi at hotels when back in the states and it was much better call quality than Skype

For those interested, but still requires a mobile to open an account in Japan (yeah, I know, who doesn't have a mobile account these days, but I can't open an account for Mum)

[wagyl]

And as I thought, smartphone only so far. Although the Japanese language side of the site refers to 携帯電話 none of the links are operating.

[Gaspard de Coligny]

And as I thought, smartphone only so far. Although the Japanese language side of the site refers to 携帯電話 none of the links are operating.

Cut your popup blockers... I'm downloading the OSx version right now...

[wagyl]

Oh you can download. Let me know if you can set up an account without authorising the account with a smartphone. But then again, you are an iPhan.

[chokonen888]

I have it on my notebook for when I don't want to switch between work and picking up my keitai every 30 sec a lemur replies....til most useful!

[Gaspard de Coligny]

Oh you can download. Let me know if you can set up an account without authorising the account with a smartphone. But then again, you are an iPhan.

Can't guess you speak aboot account creation and not client software...

btw, i'm a HUGE fan of 'shit that works' so yeah I use Apple stuff, and today that put me in the 'cool kids' crowd... 15-20 years ago that was putting me in front of the 'herp derp apple is dead' crowd...
I still don't give a flying fuck aboot what people think on that matter and you should see the solid gold bollocks I made with the Apple share I bought when Jobs came back as CEO...

I don't give a fuck what other phone are supposed to be able to do. I'm really interested in what my IPhone is doing for me right now... And it leaves me pretty satisfied...