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Thursday, May 26, 2011

Are Microsoft and Skype on their way to world domination?

Mark Bridge writes:

The TV in the bedroom switches on. “It’s 6.45am. Good morning, Mark. Here are your news headlines for Tuesday 14th June 2016.”

The announcer sounds remarkably like Holly Aird, which is hardly surprising because the actor has licensed her voice to the Skype software in my television.

“Holly, video call, please. James”.

It’s not a particularly new TV, so I make sure I’m in front of the Kinect bar when I speak. The main television downstairs has the familiar three-sensor Microsoft layout built in, but the bedroom TV is plugged into a Kinect 2. My avatar appears on-screen; its torso is mirroring my movements and my appearance, except that it’s clean-shaven and wearing a suit.

“Morning, James"!”

James is apparently not in the office. The blurred background I see on my TV suggests his iPhone X is concentrating on James’s face rather than the whole picture. He’s clearly not yet upgraded to the premium bandwidth service offered by the recently merged Apple/Orange partnership...


Okay, okay. Entirely fictional. I’m no Cory Doctorow. And I’m no futurist. But the merger of Microsoft and Skype has got me thinking. This isn’t - as Tomi Ahonen recently pointed out - about the merged company taking on mobile network operators by incorporating a voice-over-IP service with Windows Phone 7. Anyway, before too long everything’ll be VoIP on 4G. I’d say it’s more about the merged company taking on all communications. World domination.

After all, the Microsoft that many of us grew up with appeared to be ubiquitous. Adding Skype to the Microsoft family isn’t simply a commercial decision - it’s a marketing decision. It may even be Microsoft’s new loss-leader.

Incorporating Skype with Microsoft Outlook might be an internal political battle - but it’s possible. Skype’s already created an Outlook toolbar. Putting Skype technology in Lync is even more likely. How about Skype on Xbox?  Then there’s Skype on Mac, Skype on Linux, Skype on Android, Skype on iPhone, Skype on Symbian, Skype on TV...

Yes, the deal could still go wrong. Yes, the current focus on Skype could help a competitor gain traction. But if I were Google, I’d be a bit worried. And that’s probably a good indicator this wasn’t the poor deal many people think.

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Opinion Articles

Ericsson will 'muddle through' as income falls

Mark Bridge writes:

I spend much of my time writing about telecommunications and technology. I spend a fair amount of time dealing with big technology-related companies. Yet although I understand many aspects of telecoms, I certainly wouldn’t want to run one of those businesses. It’s a question of relevant experience.

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Apps World 2012: something for everyone... and for every platform

Apps World 2012 takes place on Tuesday 2nd October and Wednesday 3rd October at the Earls Court 2 exhibition centre this year. It combines an exhibition with workshops and conference sessions designed for mobile developers, marketers, network operators, manufacturers and other mobile industry professionals.

In addition, there’s an award event - the Appsters awards - with a drinks reception and party at The Roof Gardens in Kensington on the Tuesday night.

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Last week at The Fonecast: 16th July 2012

Black days for BlackBerry?

Mark Bridge writes:

BlackBerry and bad news seem inextricably linked at the moment. RIM’s CEO admits he’s “not satisfied” with recent company performance and warns of challenging times ahead... and then the company is hit by a $147 million dollar damages order for patent infringement.

Mind you, Research In Motion wasn’t the only mobile company bringing disappointment into the mainstream news last week.

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Application review for CamScanner

Turn your smartphone into a document scanner

Mark Bridge writes:

Every so often, I see a new product that I’d like to review. I’ll usually send a note to the relevant company, borrow a review copy and send it back when I’ve finished.

And every so often I’ll be approached by a company that wants me to review a product. Sometimes I’ll say yes, sometimes I’ll say no. It all depends whether or not I think I’m the right person for the job.

When IntSig offered me a copy of a mobile application called CamScanner, I wasn’t too sure. It seemed very clever... but I wasn’t convinced I’d have much use for it.

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Ian Brown, CEO of Axell Wireless, talks about underground mobile phone coverage

Mark Bridge writes:

Just a few weeks ago WiFi was made available on a number of London Underground stations - yet mobile coverage still stops when you go down the escalator.

So why is it taking so long for us to get mobile phone service on the Tube?

For an insight into some of the challenges and the possible solutions I spoke to Ian Brown, CEO of Axell Wireless. The company is a leader when it comes to providing additional wireless coverage in confined spaces - from tunnels to sports stadiums - and is currently involved in the project to install mobile phone service on the Channel Tunnel.

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A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

Podcast - 30th January 2015

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