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Hiogi launches community-based Q&A solution for Skype

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Chat is the favorite way of communication for millions of teenagers and even smartphones support instant messaging today. “Hiogi for Skype” is the world’s first question and answer service that enables users to ask for advice by simply typing a question into their Skype chat window. Each question receives an accurate answer from the online community.

“Hiogi for Skype mobile is the easiest way to receive quick answers while traveling,” says Bjoern Behrendt, CEO of hiogi. “It’s like chatting with a good friend, who is always willing to help and who knows everything.”

This is how it works:

Add the Skype name on the site and approve hiogi to be added in your contact list. Afterwards any question can be send to hiogi directly on Skype by writing the keyword ASK in front of the question. The answer plus references or comments show up in the Skype chat window minutes later. A list of all functions can be requested by typing in the keyword HELP into the Skype chat window.

Originally posted on November 10, 2008 @ 6:47 am

Skype in hot seat over alleged spying

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Skype will have a lot of explaining to do in China and with anti-censorship advocates as the company allowed the Chinese government to filter and record text messages. This move puts the company’s commitment to privacy in question, Reuters reports.

Skype apologized after it was revealed that not only are text chats and sensitive keywords monitored but that it also stores them along with personal records on computers that could be accessed by anybody, the report added.

The revelation came after activists from Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto said they found a cluster of computers in China that had logged more than one million messages containing sensitive words such as Falun Gong, Taiwan and earthquake. Skype in China is being offered with Tom Group of Hong Kong.

Here is the detailed report from Citizen Lab detailing their findings.

Originally posted on October 3, 2008 @ 10:42 am

Yugma is latest addition to Skype Extras

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Yugma is the latest addition to Skype Extras. Extras are plug-ins written by independent third-party developers that let users expand Skype functionality and enrich their Skype conversations. To date, more than 185 different Extras are available and there have been more than 24 million downloads of Extras since the Skype Extras Manager was launched in late 2006.

With easy access to Extras from within Skype software or on the Skype Web site, users are now able to use Yugma within Skype.

Originally posted on February 10, 2008 @ 7:26 pm

MySpace, Skype announce partnership for a voice-connected community

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skype.pngMySpace and Skype announced a partnership to empower the MySpace community with voice communications. With more than 110 million monthly active MySpace users and 220 million Skype registered users around the world, this partnership connects two of the most popular communications platforms on the Internet to create the world’s largest online, voice-connected community.

The announcement unveils MySpaceIM with Skype, a new product that integrates MySpace’s popular IM client with Skype’s free, high-quality voice-calling capability. The partnership will also enable users to link their MySpace profiles and photos or avatars to their accounts on Skype. Both products will be available to users starting in November.

Financial terms of the MySpace and Skype deal were not disclosed.

Originally posted on October 17, 2007 @ 10:58 am

Niklas Zennstrom steps down as Skype CEO

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ebay_skype.jpgeBay Inc. announced that Niklas Zennstrom has stepped down as CEO of Skype. Zennstrom, who co-founded Skype in 2003, will become non-executive chairman of the Skype Board of Directors. Michael van Swaaij, eBay’s Chief Strategy Officer, will become acting CEO until a permanent successor is found. Russell Reynolds Associates is conducting the search for Zennstrom’s replacement.

Henry Gomez, Skype’s President, who remained a Senior Vice President at eBay during his two-year tenure at Skype, will return to eBay as Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs, reporting to President and CEO Meg Whitman.

eBay also announced that it has paid EUR 375 million (approximately $530 million) to settle all of its future obligations under the earn-out agreement signed with certain Skype shareholders when eBay acquired Skype in 2005. The earn-out agreement provided for payments of up to approximately EUR 1,200 million (approximately $1,700 million) based upon specific active user, revenue and gross profit targets that were to be achieved in 2008 and the first half of 2009. eBay believes that the EUR 375 million payment is reasonable given the progress and anticipated rapid growth of Skype’s active user base.

Originally posted on October 1, 2007 @ 10:22 am