According to an insider, Skype may be looking to pick up Qik and add them into their fold soon. Qik’s name became popular more recently with the introduction of video calls on mobile phones, and Skype’s rumored purchase of the unit would lead some to believe that Skype is trying to stay ahead of the pack when it comes to that particular feature. According to the report, the deal would be somewhere in the park of $100 million.
Furthermore, it looks like Skype is trying to wrap up the deal as quickly as possible. The company is said to be wrapping it up by the end of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. With Qik’s ability to livestream, and Skype’s strength in video calls, it’s not too hard to imagine that Skype would want to go through with this purchase. The details and motivations of the deal weren’t discussed.
If you are a fan of chatting with your friends and family, using Skype you will have access to the service on a couple more platforms really soon according to Skype. Skype reports that its service will hit the Sony Bravia line of HDTVs and the Vizio Via line of HDTVs “soon.”
Exactly how soon that will be is unknown. The announcement was made today at CES 2011 in Las Vegas and the new Sony and Vizio sets will go along with the sets already available from Panasonic and Samsung that support Skype.
Skype also notes that it is working with Sony and Panasonic to bring Skype to TVs that people already have in their living rooms via new connected Blu-ray players. The goal is to integrate the service with the Blu-ray players when they are connected with a webcam for video.
Jabra has unveiled a range of Skype-certified speakerphones, the Jabra EXTREME, Jabra EASYGO, Jabra CHILL and Jabra SPEAK410. The EXTREME is the most flexible, pairing a Bluetooth headset and USB dongle, though the EASYGO still features multipoint connections for remaining paired with both your PC and phone.
The CHILL, meanwhile, is a corded headset, which can be used with both cellphones and VoIP calls; it also has in-line music controls. Finally, the Jabra SPEAK410 is a USB -powered speakerphone, as well as including music playback.
The Jabra EXTREME, Jabra EASYGO and Jabra CHILL are available now, priced at $99.99, $59.99 and $29.99 respectively. The Jabra SPEAK410 will land in Q2 2011, price tba.
Press Release:
JABRA EXPANDS PORTFOLIO OF SKYPE-CERTIFIED OFFERINGS WITH NEW PRODUCTS OPTIMIZED FOR VoIP COMMUNICATION
New Plug-and-Play Devices Offer Great Sound & Noise Cancellation;
Allow for Truly Hands-Free VoIP Communication
With Colleagues, Family and Friends
LAS VEGAS, NV – January 6, 2010 –Jabra, a world leader in developing innovative hands-free solutions, today announced the expansion of its portfolio of Skype-certified products designed to offer a handsfree VoIP solution for all of life’s situations – from the dorm room to the board room. Three new products join the Jabra EXTREME – FOR PC, which launched in October 2010, to offer a complete suite of products that enable multi-tasking through a simple plug & play installation process. The introduction of these new products gives Jabra a wide portfolio of VoIP-specific products on the market, providing consumers with access to a Skype-certified headset or speakerphone for their mobile lifestyle. The new portfolio of products will be shown for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.
The rapid growth of the VoIP calling industry – Skype, alone, has more than 560 million registered users worldwide – has fueled demand for better headset and speakerphone solutions with top-of-the-line sound quality and features. Jabra is stepping up to the challenge, putting a heavy emphasis on its line of VoIP-optimized products as communication trends indicate that consumers are turning to laptops, mobile devices, tablets and PCs to make more and more of their calls.
The Jabra EXTREME – FOR PC and Jabra EASYGO – FOR PC come with a pre-paired USB adapter that automatically connect to a PC and Skype software for the simplest plug and play experience to date. These multiuse products can take both Internet and mobile phone calls seamlessly and clearly. Two corded offerings, the Jabra CHILL – FOR PC and Jabra SPEAK 410 – FOR PC, ensure that Jabra has a VoIP-solution for everyone. All of Jabra’s Skype-certified products provide crystal-clear sound quality so that even long-distance callers sound as though they’re in the same room.
The new portfolio of products includes:
Jabra EXTREME – FOR PC
• The first product released from this VoIP-optimized suite makes poor quality calls a distant memory and can simultaneously be paired to both your PC and your mobile phone. Designed for the true road-warrior who refuses to sacrifice on sound quality, the headset has been described by a Skype test engineer as “the best sounding/performing Bluetooth headset my team has put through our test laboratories.” (Best Buy, MSRP: $99.99)
Jabra EASYGO – FOR PC
• Offers great value for the money and provides the perfect hands-free solution for a student studying abroad that plans on using Skype to keep in touch with family and friends or a recent grad who is entering the workforce in a new city or country. The EASYGO – FOR PC is a lightweight, stylish headset that can handle all of the needs of an entry-level Bluetooth user. The EASYGO – FOR PC can simultaneously be paired to both your PC and your mobile phone. (MSRP: $59.99)
Jabra CHILL – FOR PC
• This corded option is perfect for those who are not quite ready to go completely wireless. Compatible with both mobile phones and VoIP calls, the CHILL – FOR PC comes equipped with a high-quality microphone and music control function, leaving all other corded headphones in the dust. (MSRP: $29.99)
Jabra SPEAK410 – FOR PC
• This USB-powered speakerphone brings the convenience of instant speakerphone calls anywhere using Skype. The SPEAK410 – FOR PC is a plug & play voice-conferencing solution that requires no additional set-up and comes with a mobile carrying case, allowing users to set up a mobile conference room in a matter of seconds. The product also features music playback capabilities so users can enjoy their favorite tunes while waiting for a VoIP conference call to begin. (Launching in Q2 2011)
For more information on Jabra’s suite of Skype-certified VoIP products visit BuyJabra.com/US, http://shop.skype.com/headsets/ or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jabra_us.
What’s better than a Cruiser? Why, a Cruiser2! A year after unveiling the original, Jabra is using CES to launch its first revision of the aforementioned in-car speakerphone. This guy packs Bluetooth 2.1, dual microphones, an internal speaker and a built-in FM transmitter that beams tunes and talk to your car stereo. You’ll also be greeted with voice guidance in nine different languages, and the internal battery will last through a solid 14 hours of yapping (or 13 days in standby). Moving on, the Chill corded headset and USB-powered Speak410 PC speakerphone are also debuting here in Vegas, with prices on those set at $29.99 and who-knows, respectively. Get the whole skinny just after the break.
NVIDIA has developed an Android Skype HD video calling reference platform, using the VoIP company’s SkypeKit SDK. The implementation, demonstrated at NVIDIA’s CES 2011 press conference today on an Android tablet, relies on Tegra 2′s native high-definition video processing capabilities, and promises cross-platform HD video calls.
“We are excited that NVIDIA has leveraged SkypeKit to build a reference implementation of HD video calling on Android Tablets. In the near future, consumers will be able to make video calls from their Tegra-powered Tablets to anyone else using Skype, whether it’s on a PC, Mac, TVs, or phones.” Manrique Brenes, Director of Business Development at Skype
So far, Skype supports audio-only on Android devices, with video calls – not in HD – only available in the recently released iOS version of the company’s app. The NVIDIA reference implementation will mean that PC and Mac users of Skype with HD webcams will be able to hold full resolution video conversations with Tegra 2 based tablets and superphones.
There’s no word from Skype as to when – or even if – they will be releasing the SkypeKit-based HD video call app, though we’re guessing they’ll be offering the technology to device manufacturers using the Tegra 2 chipset in their phones and tablets. That will hopefully include the LG Optimus 2X, which has a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls, in addition to its 8-megapixel rear camera.
Rumors that the Chinese government was looking to block Skype appear to have been unfounded, with the VoIP service still available in China despite an ongoing moves to shut down “illegal” internet telephone providers. The move was portrayed as an attempt to protect state-sanctioned carriers China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile, who have each seen profits eaten into as cheap or free VoIP carriers take their business. However, Skype’s partner in China, TOM Group, insists that it is operating within the country’s laws and regulations.
“The operation of Skype in China is compliant with local laws and regulations. Currently, it is business as usual while service provision stays normal.” TOM Group spokesperson
The Chinese government has failed to identify which VoIP carriers it has been targeting in this latest crack-down, though there are suggestions that it is prioritizing small, domestic companies rather than larger, international operations like Skype.
Rumors that the Chinese government was looking to block Skype appear to have been unfounded, with the VoIP service still available in China despite an ongoing moves to shut down “illegal” internet telephone providers. The move was portrayed as an attempt to protect state-sanctioned carriers China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile, who have each seen profits eaten into as cheap or free VoIP carriers take their business. However, Skype’s partner in China, TOM Group, insists that it is operating within the country’s laws and regulations.
“The operation of Skype in China is compliant with local laws and regulations. Currently, it is business as usual while service provision stays normal.” TOM Group spokesperson
The Chinese government has failed to identify which VoIP carriers it has been targeting in this latest crack-down, though there are suggestions that it is prioritizing small, domestic companies rather than larger, international operations like Skype.
Take a peek at the latest in a long line of demo movies for the Notion Ink Adam Android Honeycomb tablet: Panel System and Desktop. Discover why CES is important (and what it is if you don’t know by now) in the first SlashGear article by fabulous tech pro writer Tim Bajarin: The importance of CES and what to expect in 2011! Break into PS3 security, grab your very own Sharp Galapagos Android tablet, and stay clean of the new Geinimi Android virus! Finally, get completely excited and run around the room screaming and kicking because we’ve got a full guide and demo of the brand new leaked Android Honeycomb Music Player – everything you need to know to get it working for you! All this and MORE on The Daily Slash!
Protecting state-owned bodies, especially high-profile entities in any particular market, is a high priority for China. That’s why it’s not surprising to see that China has declared a warning on Thursday to VoIP providers like Skype. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has made a bold statement, saying plainly that they will seek out “illegal Internet phone services.” However, the Ministry did not clarify as to which ones, exactly, they would be targeting.
China may be looking to completely shut out services like Skype, as well as the other, smaller companies offering the same features. Additionally, this could mean that Google’s Google Voice may not be able to find a way into China, either. Officials in the Chinese government have argued in the past that only government-backed have any right to to effectively connect Internet to the phone networks they use.
With China’s 450 million Internet users, it would make sense that the government would want to create tighter restrictions, and perhaps even outline which services Internet users can use, while forcing out others. According to Kan Kaili the Director of China VoIP & Digital Telecom Inc., China’s government “is actually protecting the telecoms’ traditional voice services,” by releasing the notice. He goes on to add that it is “obviously a wrong thing, absolutely wrong.” If China does go through with this, then it would seem that many of the hundreds of smaller companies offering VoIP services would be forced to stop.
Skype’s new video call functionality in the updated iPhone app works, but it could have a significant impact on your data usage every month. Unlike Apple’s own Face Time video calling, which only works over WiFi connections, the new Skype for iPhone video calls can be made over a 3G connection. However, 9 to 5 Mac found that those cellular video calls churn through a whopping 3.4MB of 3G data per minute.
Over the course of a one minute video call, the iPhone 4 sent 1.3MB and received 2.1MB of data. That means iPhone 4 subscribers on AT&T’s 200MB data plan could make less than an hour of Skype video calls per month over their 3G connection before burning through their allowance. It remains to be seen how well the AT&T network will cope with what’s likely to be considerable extra load as Skype users get to grips with the new software.
