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Oct 21

Biscotti TV dunked in the FCC’s latte, still a bit hard

Posted in: hdpostcross, skype, texas instruments, ti, Today's Chili, video

Webcams have certainly narrowed the distance between loved ones, but it’s hard to argue that two people hovering over their laptop screens can rival an in-person conversation. Moving things over to the big screen could make the exchange much more comfortable for everyone involved — you just need an HDTV, and a Biscotti. The small black box should be ready to turn the biggest screen in your home into a high definition video phone fairly soon, having just landed in the FCC’s living room. Packed inside is a camera, microphone and 802.11b/g/n WiFi — plug the contraption into your TV and you can instantly make calls to family and friends, with no monthly charges. A pair of HDMI ports let the device serve as a bridge between your television and cable box, so folks with limited connections don’t have to choose between Dad and Mr. Mom. Biscotti will also interact with computers, tablets and smartphones via an as-yet unnamed “video player” to bring life-sized video chat to the masses. There’s no word yet on pricing or availability, but if the FCC has finished nibbling at it, then it shouldn’t be long before we get a taste ourselves.

Continue reading Biscotti TV dunked in the FCC’s latte, still a bit hard

Biscotti TV dunked in the FCC’s latte, still a bit hard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Wireless Goodness, Biscotti | source FCC | Email this | Comments

Oct 20

Microsoft has record Q1, rakes in $17.37 billion in revenue (updated: Skype plans revealed)

Posted in: earnings, financial, Microsoft, skype, Today's Chili, VoIP, Windows, xbox live, XboxLive

Q1 of 2012 (don’t ask…) was good to Microsoft. Very good in fact. The company posted a record first quarter revenue of $17.37 billion, a 7-percent increase over the same period last year and slightly higher than the $17.26 billion that was expected. The big hero was Office which accounted for $5.62 billion of that income, though sales of Windows stayed flat and fell somewhat short of expectations. The company’s $5.74 billion in net income was also a significant jump of 6-percent over the same time last year. For a few more of the financial particulars check out the earnings report after the break and the spartan spreadsheets at the source link.

Update: Wondering what Microsoft plans to do with the newly acquired Skype? Well, details are thin, but during today’s earnings call the company revealed it did plan to integrate the VoIP service and its technologies into Lync, Live Messenger and Xbox Live. Soon you may not only have to listen to your friend gloat after every kill in Call of Duty, you might have to watch him do a celebratory dance in his Lazy Boy too.

Continue reading Microsoft has record Q1, rakes in $17.37 billion in revenue (updated: Skype plans revealed)

Microsoft has record Q1, rakes in $17.37 billion in revenue (updated: Skype plans revealed) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Microsoft | Email this | Comments

Oct 17

Skype / Rdio co-founder’s Vdio service leaks out, pronunciation confirmed

Posted in: hdpostcross, skype, streaming, Today's Chili, TV, uk

Where does one go after Rdio? Why, Vdio, of course. GigaOm today got some answers about Skype / Rdio / KaZaA co-founder Janus Friis’s upcoming service. First and most foremost, it’s pronounced “Vee-dee-o.” The service is in closed beta at the moment, and will be first made available in the UK. The service will let users watch TV shows and movies — beyond that, we don’t know much, though the company assures us all that it “think[s] people will love using Vdio.” Fair enough. At present, the service’s homepage is cycling through shots of films like A Clockwork Orange and Ghostbusters and TV shows like Justified and Breaking Bad. Not too shabby.

Skype / Rdio co-founder’s Vdio service leaks out, pronunciation confirmed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GigaOm | source Vdio | Email this | Comments

Oct 14

Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video)

Posted in: business, deal, industry, Microsoft, mobilepostcross, money, skype, steve ballmer, Today's Chili, video, VoIP

Well, it’s finally happened — Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype has just been finalized, a little more than five months after it was first announced. Under the $8.5 billion deal, Skype CEO Tony Bates will be named president of the new Skype Division of Microsoft, and will have to report directly to Steve Ballmer. Many Skype employees, meanwhile, will stay onboard at offices around the globe, including at outposts in Estonia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, the UK, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the US. In a post on the Official Microsoft Blog today, Bates seemed unsurprisingly enthusiastic about the acquisition, describing it as a marriage of two “disruptive, innovative, software-oriented companies.” The exec was less specific about the role his company would play within Redmond’s new architecture, but assured that Skype would be at the forefront of future communications initiatives across a variety of platforms. “Microsoft is committed to the ubiquity of the Skype experience – communication across every device and every platform will remain a primary focus,” Bates wrote. “And we’ve only scratched the surface.” Head past the break for Microsoft’s full PR, as well as the video address from Bates.

Continue reading Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video)

Microsoft finalizes acquisition of Skype, Tony Bates shares his thoughts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source The Official Microsoft Blog | Email this | Comments

Sep 29

Skype 2.5 for Android brings video calls to 14 new devices, including Honeycomb tablets

Posted in: Android, Google, honeycomb, motorola xoom, MotorolaXoom, nexus one, NexusOne, skype, Today's Chili, VoIP, xoom

…And then there were 41.

Oh, sorry, we’re talking about Android devices here. Specifically ones that support video calling over Skype. With the update to version 2.5, the VoIP service has tacked on another 14 Goog-powered gadgets to its list of officially supported handsets and tablets. Yes, that’s right, we said tablets. In addition to bringing support to phones like the Atrix, Bionic and Nexus One, Skype is inviting the Xoom, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Acer’s Iconia to the party. We’ve even received reports that video calls are working on other Honeycomb slates like the ASUS Transformer. You’ll find the full list of officially supported devices in the PR after the break.

Continue reading Skype 2.5 for Android brings video calls to 14 new devices, including Honeycomb tablets

Skype 2.5 for Android brings video calls to 14 new devices, including Honeycomb tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 28

Skype update for iOS adds anti-shake, Bluetooth connectivity and ads for freeloaders

Posted in: app, Apple, AppStore, bluetooth, ios, ipad, iPhone, mobilepostmini, skype, Today's Chili, video, VoIP

Skype‘s latest app upgrade brings a few substantial features, some good, one not so. Alongside a new anti-shake video call function (limited to the iPhone’s back-facing camera), you can now pair Bluetooth headsets with the VoIP calling service, something apparently “long requested” from Skype fans. However, users have to fork out for credit to avoid seeing advertising that’s also baked into the new version. The update’s now up for grabs on both the iPhone and iPad, though there are reports of a few teething troubles, including missing credit and account details. We’ve also been experiencing issues, with the app unwilling to play nice with our Bluetooth headsets, though oddly, we can still hear the Skype call ring through. Hopefully we’ll see another update that sorts this out soon — till then, tap the link below for more details, or ogle a bit of smoothed out anti-shake action after the break.

Continue reading Skype update for iOS adds anti-shake, Bluetooth connectivity and ads for freeloaders

Skype update for iOS adds anti-shake, Bluetooth connectivity and ads for freeloaders originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Arena | source Skype, iTunes App Store | Email this | Comments

Sep 20

Telus launches Optimus Black in white, doesn’t believe in paradoxes

Posted in: Android, canada, cellphone, cellphones, froyo, Google, LG, mobilepostmini, Phones, skype, smartphone, Today's Chili, video

For those who like a good dose of irony with their Cheerios, there’s the LG Optimus Black — now available in white. Like its darker cousin released in Canada earlier this summer, the Black in white (seriously…), will feature the same specs as the original (a 5 megapixel camera, unlimited Skype-to-Skype calling and a 4-inch IPS display) as well as an identical contract-dependant price tag. Starting tomorrow, the phone will be available on the Telus network, but there’s no word yet whether its American twin will get the same whitewash treatment. This latest pair of handsets now joins a distinguished list of ebony and ivory favorites: Oreos, tuxedos and Michael Jackson songs (video after the break).

Continue reading Telus launches Optimus Black in white, doesn’t believe in paradoxes

Telus launches Optimus Black in white, doesn’t believe in paradoxes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source MobileSyrup | Email this | Comments

Sep 19

WrapUp: Evernote’s 2010 Stats, Batch Processing in HandBrake, and More

Posted in: skype, Today's Chili, ubuntu, verizon, windows phone 7 series, WrapUp

This article was written on January 10, 2011 by CyberNet.

Welcome to the WrapUp by CyberNet. This is a collection of news stories, downloads, and tips that we have collected over the last few days, but never got around to writing about. Don’t forget to send in your own tips, or just leave a comment on this page if you think you’ve got something we should include.

–News–

What Happened in the Hotmail Outage
On December 31st, 2010 Hotmail users started reporting issues and suffered from missing emails. Microsoft explains what caused the issue and the actions that were taken to recover the lost data for the 17,000+ users.

Samsung 9 Series Video
Engadget has posted a video of the Samsung 9 Series laptop that is being highly acclaimed for being slim and sleek like the MacBook Air.

Skype to Acquire Qik
Last week Skype officially announced that they entered into an agreement to acquire the Qik video streaming service.

Windows Phone 7 Update Coming This Month
The pending Windows Phone 7 update due out later this month will deliver copy-and-paste in addition to some other small improvements.

Mac App Store Open for Business
Apple has rolled out their Mac App Store for all existing Mac owners, and it provides a simplified interface for finding and downloading apps on your machine.

Zynga to Scoop Up Flock
Hot on the heals of Flock’s six-year anniversary comes news that the social browser will joining Zynga.

Spotify U.S. Launch Delayed Because of Record Labels (duh)
Spotify was hoping to have launched in the United States by the end of 2010, but record labels apparently have high cash requirements that Spotify will need to adhere to get their service in the U.S.

Google Shows Off Android 3.0 Honeycomb for Tablets
Google’s next generation of Android will focus on tablets, and has some nice UI innovations that they briefly demo in a video.

Verizon Changing Ditching Early Upgrades?
There’s some mumbling around the web about a possible upgrade policy change for Verizon customers, which outlines their plan to get rid of their early upgrade pricing and force customers to wait 2-years to get discounted phones.

Evernote Posts 2010 Stats
I’m an avid Evernote user, and I was extremely happy to to see that they are gaining new users in droves. Compared to 2009 they snagged 186% more registered users and 470% more premium users.

HP Holding webOS Event on February 9th
There’s no telling what HP will officially be unveiling in a month, but all the speculation is that it will be a tablet-oriented version of webOS.

Top 10 Bittorrent Sites
TorrentFreak covers the top 10 torrent sites that is based on the traffic rank reports from both Compete and Alexa.

–Tips, Tutorials, and Reviews–

Master Password+ Extension for Firefox
Worried about your password security? This extension will provide you with a wider range of options including an auto-logout timer.

How to Get a Google Voice Account Outside the U.S.
Digital Inspiration walks you through the steps needed to get a Google Voice account if you live outside the U.S.

FreeOCR Does Character Recognition for Your Documents
We covered this app a few months ago, but I’ve found it to be one of the better (free) OCR apps out there and thought it is worth another mention.

Batch Processing Available in HandBrake 0.9.5
The latest release of HandBrake adds batch processing so that you can bulk convert your videos.

Record Your Desktop on Ubuntu
The free recordMyDesktop app for Ubuntu will let you create screencasts on your computer in just a few clicks.

–Downloads–

BSplayer 2.5.7.1051 [Homepage] [Mirror]
BurnAware Free 3.1.1 [Homepage] [Mirror]
Foobar2000 1.1.2 ^{Beta 2} [Homepage] [Mirror]
Google Chrome 10.0.628.0 ^Beta [Homepage] [Mirror]
HandBrake 0.9.5 [Homepage] [Mirror]
Skype 5.1.0.104 [Homepage] [Mirror]
WinRAR 4.0.0 ^{Beta 4} [Homepage] [Mirror]

How to Save a DVD to Your Computer

Batch Convert Videos Using Handbrake and AppleScript

Microsoft Office 2010 Icon Pack

Flickr Stats for Pro Users

Sep 15

Skype 5.4 beta hits Mac with added Facebook integration

Posted in: Mac, minipost, skype, Today's Chili, VoIP

Skype brought deeper Facebook integration to its Windows application with version 5.5 this summer, and it’s now seen fit to bring the same functionality to Mac users with the beta version of Skype 5.4. As with Skype for Windows, that will let you do things like chat with your Facebook friends, read and update your news feed, and even “Like” posts — all from right in Skype. What it doesn’t bring, however, are any significant changes to the still-controversial UI, which we’re guessing will be enough to keep some folks on version 2.8.

Skype 5.4 beta hits Mac with added Facebook integration originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source Skype, Skype Blog | Email this | Comments

Sep 10