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Facebook picks up Skype for video calls

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg today announced three new features to be introduced in the social network (group chat, new chat design and video calls). The most interesting of the lot is video calling that uses Skype’s technology.

The move is pretty obvious, I guess, considering Microsoft recently bought Skype and Facebook is partly owned by Microsoft too*.

Skype is tapping into a vast number of people now that it will be integrated with Facebook and though there is the danger (business-wise) that people already using Skype might skip the software and just use the FB App to do video calls. At the same time, this will also help Skype get more users to eventually pay for Skype Out. FB’s new video call is basically an in-house Skype FB applet.

* Microsoft invested $240 million in Facebook at 1.6% share (2007).

* Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype is not yet final, pending approval.

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Avatar for Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

20 Responses

  1. Avatar for Friendly Friendly says:

    Yes! Thats Great! :D

  2. Avatar for mr. bogito mr. bogito says:

    atlast

  3. Avatar for renor renor says:

    mas trip ko Hangout feature ng Google+. :) already tried it with 10 of my friends, sabay sabay. :D

  4. Avatar for drealmarlon drealmarlon says:

    bakit hindi ko ma install yung fb videocall plugins?nag eeror lang?

  5. Avatar for Peej Peej says:

    I am currently testing these feature and it seems good for now. Unfortunately may konting lag and disconnection lang. Looking forward for more good stuff for this new videochat feature of Facebook.

    The only bad thing here is, lalong magiging sakit ulo ito kasi maggamit ang videochat for any lewd activities.

  6. Avatar for JEff JEff says:

    Naku, pwede na rin kaya facebook video calling sa mga smartphones? patay na ang video calling ng smart at globe kung ganun. hehehe

  7. Avatar for neil neil says:

    i am already using this app to call my cousins… works great!!! http://www.facebook.com/videoc​alling

  8. Avatar for bloggermania bloggermania says:

    ohh tlga i like this…

  9. Avatar for Jonaflormicfren Jonaflormicfren says:

    Integration and merging is another way of putting power to business.

  10. Avatar for Red Schubox Red Schubox says:

    Kelan naman kaya yung circle feature nila?

  11. Avatar for nameless nameless says:

    Wow! Nice upgrades, but can’t benefit much because of the poor internet service here in the philippines. boo.

  12. Avatar for rey rey says:

    the feature is already rolled out last night. you can access it at:
    www.facebook.com/videocalling

  13. Avatar for adam adam says:

    Its a preemptive action from Facebook pantapat nila yan sa Google+ feature which is the HangOut.

  14. Avatar for iDon2 iDon2 says:

    Ay wow!! These merge/collaborations are nothing but good news to us!! hehehe can’t wait ro try it!!!

  15. Avatar for Teknisyan Teknisyan says:

    So it comes down to this.

    Google+android+Googleplsu vs facebook+skype+microsoft vs apple+twitter

    Baka naman in the end… Facebook will be owned by Microsoft.

    • Avatar for poche poche says:

      Facebook is developing an app for the ios wherein all facebook apps like farmville etc will run for the ios since the ios doesnt support flash. so for short fb is also partnering with apple lol.

    • Avatar for Teknisyan Teknisyan says:

      @poche

      If you are referring to project spartan… it’s a html5 app which does not need the App Store approval, since it’s accessible via web browser.

      anyhow.. this is what competition is all about.. good for the end user.. hopefully good for our private information as well.

    • Avatar for eason eason says:

      not to mention Microsoft can really buy Nokia soon.

    • Avatar for DEb FreEyoW DEb FreEyoW says:

      grabe na to.. facebook is really owning the web industry.. they are like integrating all cool features available on the web!!

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