From the time just over four years ago when Skype introduced High Quality Video at VGA (640 x 480) resolution and 30 frames per second (“fps” or “frame rate”) I have had the opportunity to test many webcams for Skype Video calling. In the fall of 2010 I reported on the launch of HD Video calling (1280 x 720 or “720p” – @ 22 fps) using webcams from FREETALK and FaceVsion. In the spring of 2011 I first tested a “conference room” video webcam from FREETALK; “conference room” webcams are suited for covering the longer range typical of a small-to-medium conference room size rather than a close-up desktop PC webcam for both video and audio.

Last week I received an evaluation unit of the recently announced Logitech C920 webcam. In my CES 2012 post Logitech C920 sets new Skype HD Video standards I discussed some of its unique features such as:

• the first Skype-certified webcam to deliver 1080p HD video
• the minimum required upload speed to acheive 720p HD resolution is 1 Mpbs
• dual stereo microphones

On receiving the webcam I learned there is more:

• my first encounter with a Skype-certified webcam that delivers 720p HD video at 30 fps
• faster ramp-up to 720p HD from call launch
• delivers 1080p video at 21 fps
• 15MP webcam for photo capture
• delivers an excellent quality image (feedback all those whom I have called)
  • takes full advantage of Carl-Zeiss optics, 20-step auto focus and “Right Light” feature
  • Logitech calls this “Liquid Fluid CrystalTM” technology

Having made several calls with the C920; they have been my best Skype video calling experiences of all.  I am using a Dell Vostro V410 quad core PC that is about four years old. Requirements include: dual-core 2.0GHz processor, Windows XP/Vista/7, Skype 5.7 for Windows beta or later, Internet upload/download speeds as discussed below.

Worth noting:

Relevant speeds – to set the baseline for this discussion it is important to take a look at the frame rate observed and minimum upload Internet Connection speeds required, based on either vendor specifications or experience:

Previously Skype had specified 1.2 Mpbs upload speed as the minimum required. However, when I started receiving calls last fall from contacts with recent Logitech webcams (C310, C510, C910 and Webcam Pro 9000) I noticed that they went to 720p yet I confirmed that my contacts on these calls only had 1.0 Mpbs maximum upload speed. This was my first clue that Logitech had developed a webcam that allowed HD video on the very common broadband Internet services that cap out at 1.0 Mbps upload speed (and without an onboard H.264 processor).

My service has a 2.0 Mbps upload speed; however, in practice it usually delivers 1.6 to 1.85 Mpbs upload speed. So while I was expecting to easily get to 720p I was only being hopeful (or lucky) if a call went to 1080p.

Overall speed observations during a call:

When you initiate the C920 webcam (either when launching a call or by turning on the webcam during a call) it comes up almost instantly with a video image; no swirling icons waiting for the webcam to get started. But the other noticeable difference was that it usually takes less than 30 seconds for the webcam to start delivering HD video at 720p.

One other noticeable improvement was that the Logitech C920 is the only webcam that delivers 720p at 30 fps whereas the other HD webcams could only go to 22 fps. (Not a terribly noticeable difference but it becomes television quality with no choppiness or pixilation).

Overall one has a much improved call initiation experience and on all calls to other PC’s it has always switched to 720p HD in somewhat less than a minute.

All of my calls went to 720p at 30 fps as would be expected with my service’s upload speed; however, I did have two calls go to 1080p at 21 fps after about 10 to 20 minutes (remember I’m not supposed to get 1080p at all); this held for the last 20 to 30 minutes of those two calls. From the call technical info I could also see there was less demand on my CPU processors than I had previously experienced (usually had been well over 50%).

Note that these calls were to users with Skype for Windows or Skype for Mac; a call to Skype for iPad (to an original iPad) was observed to be at VGA resolution (640 x 480) at 15 fps; a call to Skype for TV on the TelyHD device went 720p at 15 fps on both sides of the call. In other words, the combination of Skype and the webcam will adapt resolution and frames-per-second to the resources of the device at the other end of the call.

The mounting bracket – one other feature that was immediately obvious was the flexibility of the mounting bracket. Using a combination of hinges and rubber surfaces, it easily mounts onto the top of any flat panel display; yet it can also sit on, say, a desktop surface. Not only does it mount readily and firmly but when on the display frame it can easily be titled up and down. Finally the underside has a tripod thread such that it can readily be mounted on any tripod.

Software: The C920 is accompanied by software that is downloaded from the Logitech website. This includes the Logitech Webcam Controller which can be used for setting zoom/pan/tilt as well as making adjustments for lighting (“RightLight”), auto focus and sound (“RightSound”). Also included is “Logitech Webcam Software” which provides:

• Video recording (up to 1080p resolution),
• Links to common video calling applications (Skype, GMail and Logitech Vid),
• Motion detection  – start recording when motion is detected, and
• Video mask maker – special effects
• Web Gallery – storing and editing recordings with the  ability to download to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube or to share via email.

Audio: The C920 also includes a microphone on each side to pick up a stereo effect and making it suitable for larger distances in, say, a small conference room. I was able to test this out in a small office environment during an HD video call and found it to work satisfactorily. While the other party on a 90 minute call reported that there can be a bit of “barrel” effect, Skype’s echo cancellation worked perfectly.

Call Example:

Call with Mike Phillips¹ (@mcphillips) who had a Logitech C910 webcam; this was captured when the C920 was delivering 1080p resolution. Mike’s Internet service had a 5 Mbps upload speed. Click on the images for a larger version:

What does H.264 have to do with this? Everything! Recall:

• Previous webcams with H.264 onboard processors took 30 seconds to 3 minutes to go to HD resolution; they capped out at 22 fps. They required 1.2 Mpbs upload speed and would take 15 seconds to a minute from launch just to show an image.
• The previous Logitech HD webcams had no onboard processor (in other words they did their video processing on the main PC using up CPU cycles); they went to 720p resolution on services with only 1.0 Mbps upload speed.
• The Logitech C920 turns on immediately, goes to 720p HD much more quickly (15 to 45 seconds), goes to 30 fps – and it goes to these performance levels consistently when calling another PC.
• The Logitech C920 reduces the demand on your main PC processor and bandwidth requirements.
• It allows a much better experience when recording a video call with, say, VodBurner, reducing wait times and quality loss that would arise from encoding on the main PC.

Putting these observations together tells me that the Logitech engineers have been hard at work not only to deliver the the best video calling experience at HD resolutions but also to  ensure that technology to achieve this performance becomes transparent to the entire Skype video calling operation. (And, given that it requires Skype 5.7 for Windows (beta) or later, it says they have been working with Skype’s audio/video engineers.)

What does the other party have? I have made calls where the other party had various Logitech webcams (C310, C910 and 9000 Pro), a recent MacBook Pro webcam and a FREETALK Everyman HD webcam. In every case my experience with the the C920 was as described here. Of course to receive HD video they must have at least a 1Mbps download speed (usually not an issue with any broadband Internet service) and a recent version of Skype – Skype 5.x for Windows, or Skype 5.3 for Mac or later. It also worked at 720p HD on a call to Skype for TV on the TelyHD device. It makes calls, but at VGA or loeer resolution, to Skype for iPad and Skype for iPhone.

There was one instance where the other party switched to an older non-Skype-certified webcam during a call (from a Logitech C910) and basically we could not get any semblance of good call quality. On the other hand it appears to work well when the other party is using a webcams built into laptop and flat panel monitor displays.

Skype Group Video Calling: While Skype Group Video Calling only delivers VGA resolution, due to screen real state issues when showing up to 10 participants and desktop sharing, I would expect this webcam to perform better in terms of speed to get into a call and robustness during a call as well as demand on the local CPU resources. I’ll report back after my next group video call later this week.

Bottom line: The Logitech C920 delivers a quantum leap to the user experience for Skype video calling, especially when it comes to taking advantage of HD video:

• The webcam fires up delivering video images almost instantly after launching video
• It reduces the minimum upload speed requirement for 720p HD video to a speed available on most broadband Internet services
• It goes into 720p HD video much more quickly (not to overlook at a TV quality frame rate)
• If you have sufficient Internet connection upload speed, it delivers 1080p video at a reasonable frame rate.
• It delivers a smoother, more robust and sustainable HD video call experience
• Its optics deliver the best quality images when it comes to natural colors and color depth, sharpness and dealing with lighting issues.
• It reduces the load on your PC processor/CPU
• It easily adapts to mounting on any monitor or laptop display, work surface or tripod.
• It works with other services such as GTalk and Logitech Vid
• It provides a much better experience with video recording
• I have recorded a Skype call with VodBurner
• It includes a recording ability with single click download to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

As mentioned at the beginning I have followed Skype video calling for over five years; I have checked out many webcams, especially when it comes to HD video. If you are looking to have the best overall Skype video calling experience from a Windows PC, it’s well worth spending the $99 to achieve it.

The Logitech C920 is available on Amazon and at electronics retailers such as Best Buy.

In another post I’ll talk about successfully recording a Skype video call using this webcam and VodBurner.

And the inevitable Mac question: while a reviewer on Amazon.com claims it worked on his Mac, Logitech will not comment on future products. In any event full Mac support, certainly for 1080p resolution, would also require an upgrade from Skype for Skype for Mac – Skype has made no announcement in this regard. In a response on Logitech’s community forum:

Unfortunately, at this time, there are no plans to provide Mac support for the C920; however, I suggest keep checking our website as we are always coming out with new solutions.

Currently the Logitech C910, as shown in the chart above, does support the Mac and offer most of the C920 features except support for 1080p  and the onboard H.264 processor as the major omissions.

¹Mike Phillips blogs on Scoop.it at Equipment and Techniques for Webcasters and Podcasters and hosts a weekly podcast Computers 2K Now Sundays from 9 to Noon ET where he and his co-hosts discuss podcasting, webcasting, broadcasting and audio. Follow him on Twitter @mcphillips

The Consumer Electronics Show is the industry’s largest international gathering that tends to take over Las Vegas for four days. Skype at CES 2012 is rather low key this year with no press announcements, a small “open air” Skype Lounge in the Central Plaza in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center and a kiosk in the Microsoft booth.

The Skype Lounge features a demonstration of the recently announced TelyHD Skype video calling for any TV set and Skype Video Calls on a large screen with various local Las Vegas locations such as a museum and some school attractions. Occasionally they get worked up with “jump time” throwing out free cell phone socks to passersby. The biggest issue here is visitor traffic; due to its location barricaded largely by a key roadway for shuttle busses and taxis, it’s a little like the barriers put up by an urban freeway.

Meanwhile over at the Skype kiosk in the Microsoft booth are two sides; one with four PC’s where visitors can make Skype calls; on the other side a 55” LCD TV screen receiving an HD video transmission from the Skype Lounge. Lots of traffic; but no presentations as done at some other Microsoft kiosks (Windows 8, Kinect, Windows Phone, etc.)

Make Free Skype Calls	Skype for TV at 55” (720p HD, no pixelating)

On the show floor so far I have seen Skype in the Logitech booth (new C920 1080p HD webcam), Blue Microphone with a unique USB microphone for laptops and NVidia where there is another TelyHD demonstration.

I’ll have more to report on TelyHD after an interview later today.

And our presence did get tweeted.

Bottom line: It is called the Consumer Electronics Show where the focus is on the business relationships behind end user experiences for consumers. While Skype had no news announcements, they focused on demonstrating the user experience and applications of video calling. At the same time I suspect Skype is working out the path to its incorporation into Microsoft products – Live, Xbox/Kinect, Office, Windows Phone, etc. And we’ll hear about it at some Microsoft -sponsored event – tying in with their reasoning for dropping out of CES as both keynote and exhibitor.

Today Skype announced the availability for user testing two upgrade clients: Skype for Windows 5.7 beta and Skype for Mac 5.4 beta. Most importantly this brings major feature equality, including one major new feature, to both:

• Both expand their ability to combine real time communications with asynchronous social networking. The major feature introduction is the launch of one-to-one video calling from the Skype client to your Facebook Friends. In addition there are updates to the delivery of Facebook presence information to/from your Skype client.  Combined with the previous Facebook news feed and Facebook chat, the Skype client is also becoming a unique Facebook client/user interface.

• Skype 5.7 for Windows beta now supports screen sharing in Skype Group Video Calls – a feature available on the previous release of Skype for Mac.
• Skype for Windows has also added a “Push-to-Talk” microphone toggle in its hot-keys menu (Tools | Advanced | Hotkeys). (OK, this feature, addressing a request from gamers, is missing from Skype for Mac).

Bottom line: For the first time it would seem that both Skype for Windows and Skype for Mac have feature equality for all their major features. The challenge remains to make the user interface, including navigation, consistent between the two. At the moment they require two different learning experiences. And Skype for Mac is still missing the Call Quality Information bar.

More to follow once there has been a chance to try out the new features. Keep in mind this is beta software and may still have bugs. From one of the announcement posts:

Please post your comments and suggestions on our Support Network and in case you see the odd bug then please report it to us on our public issue tracker, so that we can make the next release an even better one.

Update: Dan York confuses feature equality with porcine aviation: OMG! Skype Simultaneously Releases (Almost) The Same Version on Windows and Mac OS X

Related articles

• Hands on with Skype’s new Skype-to-Facebook video calls (gigaom.com)

Last week Skype announced some changes to their developer program. In that post I mentioned that the only application to date where one could experience SkypeKit Desktop in action was a beta version of Trillian for Windows. Earlier this week Trillian released version 5.1 to the Skype Apps Directory.

Trillian aspires to become a single client for all your conversation, messaging and social networking activity, whether on Skype, Google, Facebook, Live Messenger, Four Square, several email services and many others. And there are versions for Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and the Web. Ideally it would replace several individual clients and be accessible across multiple platforms.

Having set up an account that has been active for about a week here are some observations:

• While it allows you to track and converse with several applications and services, each one remains siloed with respect to exchanging communications. In other words, Facebook converses with Facebook on any device but not with, say, a Google application. Skype conversations are established with other Skype contacts only.
• It is the first application that demonstrates the use of SkypeKit in a desktop application; as a result it not only supports chat conversations and voice calls but also provides support for Skype’s SILK codec providing crystal clear voice quality, file transfer and access to select audio devices.
• At the moment it does not support video calling but that is simply because Skype only released the appropriate Skype video API’s last week; there is no technical reason that video calling should not appear in a future release of Trillian.
• Voice call quality experience reflected the crispness and clarity expected of the SILK codec. On a Trillian to Skype for Windows call, the Call Technical Info confirmed use of the SILK codec.
• Trillian offers a “Pro” service where all your activity is stored in the cloud on their servers; cost is almost a “nobrainer” at $12 per year.

Trillian is well along the path of providing a single client for multiple applications and services. It runs on not only PC’s but also iOS5 and Android devices. Its Pro service allows you to track all your conversations on any of these devices. However, Trillian for Mac does not yet have any Skype support (even in a beta version) yet the SkypeKit API’s are available. One cannot expect Skype support any time soon on iOS5 and Android devices as Skype has yet to release any API’s for working with these devices.

Some screen shots:

Trillian for Windows 5.1 Preferences | Accounts screen provides an overview of how it may be set up:

The main Trillian menu showing all the applications and services to which I have logged in along with an example of my Twitter feed:

All the “Contacts” menus were compressed to demonstrate the various options available for messaging. Double clicking on any of the social networking accounts brings up the relevant feed in a separate window as shown.

As shown in the menu at the right Trillian is a good way to find a Contact’s “current” status on all their social networking and messaging applications. Simply filter down with a (partial) name and you get this. In this example Boston is online in Skype, GTalk and GMail and Facebook while Alex is offline in both.

Note that, while logged in, a Contact appears under the appropriate messaging application but once logged out the Contacts are all relegated to the Offline Contacts category. Also note the icon beside each Contact name to identify the relevant messaging application.

With Google applications, logging in and out can result is some strange identification such as “gmail.51AC27DE”. It simply indicates, in this case, that the contact can be accessed via GTalk or GMail simply when s/he is logged into either. In fact, this also happened with someone who contacted me through the new Google+ chat feature where the identification under Google Talk starts with “TalkGadetC85….”.

With Trillian open or running in background you also have the option to receive small notification windows at a designated corner of your desktop as a feed is updated or an IM message is received. This can be annoying and distracting; it requires some discipline to ignore it. There are options in the preferences for turning these notifications off.

During a Skype voice call the user interface contains all the features associated with Skype calls:

One final observation: when you go to Task Manager | Processes you see this when SkypeKit is being used:

Small footprint relative to Skype (which was also open when this screen capture happened). As a matter of interest trillian.exe is using about 29,000K of memory. But this is without any video support; it will be interesting to see any change once Skype video can be accessed via Trillian.

Bottom line: Trillian is certainly well down the road to becoming a universal messaging and social networking client. And it gives an initial feel for how SkypeKit can be deployed in a desktop application. For those who use multiple applications it can become the default IM/social networking client; in fact, “Boston” in the example above has done so as he follows both Skype and Facebook for chat. Currently he still needs to open Skype for video calls.

Check out the Skype App Directory to download.

The Big Brother feel: And if you were wondering where Dan York is active as I write this (he had Google+ open in two browser windows):

Related articles

• Is Skype Soon To Release New APIs? Skype Renames Public API And Extends “Plugged into Skype” Partner Program (disruptivetelephony.com)
• Whither Skype Extras III? On the Skype Store Apps Page (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype desktop SDK to bring video calling to third-party apps (arstechnica.com)

According to a report this evening out of Brussels at Financial Times’ FT.com, reporter Alex Barker states that Microsoft is to win approval of its acquisition of Skype with no conditions. No timing for an official announcement was given.

Basically the approval ignored “legacy” bundling complaints and Microsoft won its argument that the market has changed sufficiently where those old arguments no longer apply especially in consideration of Skype’s support for multiple platforms. (Maybe they also earned something by the market failure of their browserless Windows ruling a few years ago.)

The report goes on to state what Microsoft had promised, in terms of ongoing availability on other platforms, and deals with interoperability issues. Read the full Financial Times article linked above for details (a pay wall may apply).

Now we can look forward to seeing how Skype gets integrated with Office, especially Outlook and Lync as well as relevant Windows Live offerings.

Paul Korzeniowski at Redmond Channel Partner has offered his view on What the Acquisition Means for Microsoft’s UC Future and its potential impact on Windows Phone as well as the challenges that lay ahead for integration into Microsoft UC products. He outlines how Microsoft has failed to succeed in the real time communications space in spite of three different offerings over time and puts the issue as the complexity of working with these offerings: “The products involve a variety of components that need to be integrated, but often the IT staff only understands small pieces rather than the complete puzzle.”

In comparison he lauds Skype’s ease of deployment but also outlines that it will take some time to integrate what has been essentially a consumer product into Microsoft’s product lines. While he raises the security flag again, I guess he has not heard that security companies such as Check Point are using Skype heavily. Maybe Microsoft needs to recommend installation of CheckPoint products to totally clear the air.

He goes on to discuss the role Skype can bring to Microsoft through its participation across the mobile space and closes by mentioning the biggest asset Microsoft receives is Skype’s user base of over 170 million users monthly averaging out at 65 million users daily.

The bottom line challenge for Steve Ballmer and his team is to ensure Microsoft justifies through execution its $8.5B investment which will rely heavily on leveraging Skype into its product lines. We are seeing some sense of direction with respect to revenue generation with the inclusion of advertising in recent Skype client releases – it’s becoming either pay for some level of service or watch our ads.

The most interesting questions beyond integration into Microsoft offerings will be:

• the level to which Skype can encourage innovation through its developer partner programs and
• how Skype, under Microsoft with its huge enterprise customer base, leverages its way into the business market.

The next year will be interesting to observe Skype’s evolution as Microsoft’s first independent business unit and whether it can deliver on its claims in its application to the EU Competition Commission.

Final question: In a year’s time will Skype pass the “AmberMac” test?

Today the Skype Store launched two new ways to place and receive Skype calls, including SkypeOut calls, from your home phone. Each also has an option to continue using your landline.

The options are:

• Make and receive Skype calls on an existing home phone using the FREETALK® Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter for Skype.
• Make and receive Skype calls from a new GE Skype-enabled Digital Cordless Phone.

One of the major limitations on using Skype at home is the requirement to have Skype installed on a PC (especially if it’s a desktop at fixed location), smartphone (iPhone, Android phone) with battery life limitations, iPad or, more recently, a Skype-enabled TV or BluRay player.

Yet the world’s most familiar phone interface has been the standard 12-key Touch Tone phone. And the most widely available touchtone phones today are DECT-supported cordless phones allowing one landline connection to be accessed from up to four or five rooms around the house.

• create a dual line operation (landline and Skype) around the house or apartment
• place and receive free Skype-to-Skype voice calls without a PC
• place long distance calls to landlines and mobile phones using a Skype Calling Plan or Skype Credit
• receive calls via a Skype Online number (as well as your landline number, if you configure that option)
• call forwarding (requires Calling Plan subscription or Skype Credit)
• support for up to 200 Skype contacts
• Skype-to-Skype voice calls can be made to/from any other Skype access point: Skype for Windows/Mac/Linux, Skype for iPhone/iPad/Android and Skype for TV
• Emergency e911 calls are directed automatically over the landline connection, if configured.
• participation in Skype multi-party calls, as an invited party only

Skype on a Home Phone

• FREETALK® Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter
• GE 31591 Digital Cordless Phone

FREETALK® Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter

According to Helen Blackburn, Skype’s Head of the Partner Product Management team:

Many people today continue to use their home phones as their primary means of communication. If you are one of these people, you will be pleased to learn that you can now have a true Skype experience on your existing handset with the release of the FREETALK Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter for Skype.

The FREETALK® Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter, initially available for U.S. and Canada, works with an existing home phone with a RJ-11 connection. Both an RJ-45 Ethernet cable and RJ-11 telephone cable are included with the device; it plugs into a standard 110 volt power source.

FREETALK Connect Me Configuration

The Home Phone Adapter does require access to a PC to configure settings:

• Call settings: use Skype or your landline as the default for domestic and/or international calls
• Contacts and Speed Dials: for making Skype-to-Skype and SkypeOut calls
• Call Forwarding to another landline or mobile phone

To get started simply make the Ethernet and telephone cable connections, plug the adapter into a power source, navigate to the setup wizard (for either a Windows or Mac PC) and follow the set-up wizard instructions. Once configured calls can be placed and received via the phone, without any requirement for PC access. The Connect•Me portal’s home page gives an overview of the setup and options:

FREETALK Connect Me User Portal

Skype-to-Skype calls are made by setting up a Speed Dial associated with a Skype contact. A speed dial then requires you to dial * plus a speed dial number (1-99) to place a call to a Skype contact from the phone set. Speed dials can also be used for frequently called SkypeOut numbers to landlines and mobile phones.

You always have the option to dial a landline/mobile call normally (see Call Settings in the image above):

• # plus a number [1][area code][local number] uses your landline for calls to US/Canada numbers
• ** plus a number +[country code][area code][local number] uses SkypeOut to place calls internationally at SkypeOut charges.

Note that a landline connection is an option; the device could be used solely for Skype-to-Skype and SkypeOut calling from a home phone set. The adapter uses the wideband G722 codec for crisp voice quality on Skype-to-Skype calls.

The Skype Website provides additional information about the FREETALK® Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter, its use cases and requirements.

The FREETALK® Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter can be purchased via the U.S. and Canada Skype Stores; the actual transaction, including delivery, is managed by the eBuyNow (formerly InStoreShop) ecommerce store. Note that there are options that include Skype Calling Plan subscriptions.

GE 31591 Digital Cordless Phone

The GE 31591 Digital Cordless Phone is a new version of a PC-free Skype cordless phone that takes advantage of additional Skype features including:

• Uses Skype SILK superwideband technology for crystal clear Skype-to-Skype calls
• Log into Skype via username/password.
• Manage your presence status; see Skype contacts’ online status
• 200 Skype Contacts download; 100 name local phonebook
• Skype voicemail access; message waiting indication
• View Skype and landline calls history: 50 name/number call log
• CallerID (with Skype name if Skype-to-Skype)/Call Waiting
• configure via a Skype client on your PC
• Handset speakerphone
• Software upgradeable
• Expandable to 5 handsets

Note that the GE Digital Cordless Phone includes additional Skype features. such as SILK technology support, beyond what has been available in the legacy RTX Dualphone 3088.

The GE 31591 Digital Cordless Phone can be purchased via the U.S. and Canada Skype Stores; the actual transaction, including delivery, is managed by the eBuyNow (formerly InStoreShop) ecommerce store. Note that there are options that include Skype Calling Plan subscriptions.

What Skype account do you use?

One major consideration is what Skype account you use for either of these options; it depends on the context in which you want to use your phone. I have elected to use a separate account because:

• My primary Skype account has over 500 contacts; these devices can only support 200 contacts
• there are probably only 30 to 50 contacts that I would access regularly via a Connect•Me adapter.
• I want to separate the “business” calls on my primary Skype accounts from personal calls received around the home.

As a result I am using a separate account for the Connect•Me device I have been testing using a 20 year old Nortel home phone; a full review will follow in a separate post.

In a press release today, Neil Stevens, Skype’s vice president and general manager for product and marketing, stated:

“Our mission is to make Skype available everywhere so consumers can enjoy conversations whenever and wherever they are. We are delighted to have partners that help us deliver on this mission through the introduction of new products such as the Connect•Me Home Phone Adapter. Now, using Skype at home is as simple as picking up a handset and dialing.”

Bottom line: Skype has expanded on its Skype Everywhere theme by allowing Skype to become the “long distance” service associated with a landline phone service and a touch tone “home phone”. It also addresses the ability to make emergency calls via the landline service. In my case, by removing the long distance service associated with my Bell Canada line, I have removed an associated $11.00/month service charge just to have a long distance service – before making any calls. And I get the advantage of either free or low cost calling while I can maintain free calls via the landline for my local calling area around Toronto.

Related articles

• With new Skype adaptors, Grandma can now Skype you from her landline (thenextweb.com)
• New Freetalk adapter makes Skype more like MagicJack (skypejournal.com)
• Now you can use your home phone for Skype calls (gigaom.com)

Since the demise of the Skype Extras program was first announced two years ago, several of the developers with third party applications worked to wean themselves off a dependence on the Skype Extras program for their survival. However, the products remained available via the fairly innocuous and plain Skype Extras page on the Skype Store.

Yesterday I learned that a new, unannounced, menu item had been slipped into the Tools menu of Skype for Windows 5.5 as shown on the right.

Click on the Get Apps… and you go to a new page on the Skype Store:

A couple of points:

• It’s called an App Directory, not an App Store. While there is a detailed description for each application , the “Get Now” Links go to an App Store or a file download; on installing the file, you will be led to the individual application developer’s “store” page.
• For instance, the link to Qik Video for Apple takes you to the iTunes preview page with a link for purchase on the Apple App Store.
• Currently listed products comprise previously available third party products or Skype utility products listed in the Apple or Android app stores.
• Applications are categorized by “genre” such as Business, Call Recording (audio and video), Call Recording  (audio only), Faxing, Desktop and Whiteboard Sharing, etc.

In a discussion with Ash Valeski, Skype’s Senior Account Manager for the Skype Store he pointed out:

• This is simple a starting point for building a third party applications distribution channel. The SkypeKit team wants to have a distribution channel that provides awareness of forthcoming applications while supporting publishers who currently have applications that use the legacy Skype API’s.
• Expect to see more features added to this page over time.
• They have reduced the available applications to those that are currently active and appropriately supported by the application publisher, including the availability of a shopping cart where payment is required.
• There is a carousel rotating through top downloads (free and paid) and top-rated offerings.
• The directory does provide an opportunity for ratings and short reviews (via Comments) for each application. (As a test I have submitted a comment on PamFax; note that, when you make a comment, you can sign in via Twitter, Facebook or other options.)

Bottom line: This App Directory is simply infrastructure for supporting the Skype developer program. The real challenge remains for the Skype Developer program to make SkypeKit an offering that can readily and widely be adopted by not only hardware developers but also software publishers. The initial feedback on the program has been provided in this post about a hardware partner whose offering will become available later this year.

In the meantime I still find these partners are using the legacy Skype API’s; for instance, Pamela just went through an upgrade based on the legacy Skype API’s. And, amongst the publishers listed in the App Directory, Pamela publisher Scendix is not alone in this regard. However, this launch is one small step that demonstrates that current management wants to get more proactive with both the Skype Store and the Skype Developer program.

Related articles

• Whither Skype Extras Today? Withered? (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype’s developer websites: an overview (blogs.skype.com)
• Skype Launches Third-Party App Directory (techcrunch.com)

Since the launch of Skype for iPhone over WiFi connections more than two years ago, Skype has evolved its mobile offerings to add support for calling over 3G and video calling. They have added to the mobile platforms with Skype for Android and Skype for iPad. However, Skype is also recognizing that, while the basic Skype algorithm for text, voice and video conversations certainly has a significant role in mobile communications, users also want to go beyond that basic algorithm with supporting and managing persistent video messaging and group communications.

Skype’s acquisition of Qik and the subsequent offerings on iPhone and Android was the first step in this direction offering not simply live communications but also video messaging and archiving for later recall. Yesterday Skype recognized the potential role of persistent group communications with its acquisition of GroupMe, providing managed and hosted group messaging services on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows 7 platforms. According to Skype CEO Tony Bates:

The GroupMe team has created an incredibly sticky group messaging experience that works across mobile devices and platforms, making it a perfect addition to our voice, video and text products. We’re excited about introducing their disruptive product to our global user base.

There has been a plethora of text messaging services emerging over the past year or so. Kik Messenger, Beluga and TextMe are three platforms where I installed the application, signed up but have never used it. Why? While initially they are widely praised for their algorithms, the bottom line is the number of users who are actually using it. RIM continues to build a lot of its appeal around BlackBerry Messenger; they have over 40 million accounts.

With Skype’s acquisition, GroupMe will soon have access to over 170 million users (they need to transition from their Twilio backend). Only then will we see if this has become a significant acquisition for Skype.

Other questions:

• Can and, if yes, how will Skype monetize the service?
• How will GroupMe be positioned with respect to any Microsoft offerings such as Live Messenger?

As with Qik, Skype intends to continue GroupMe as a separate branded service with integration into other products and services as appropriate.

The challenges for GroupMe now becomes one of integrating the Skype technology into its backend and then building user experiences that encourage viral adoption and sustained usage across Skype’s 170 million users. The challenge for Skype is one of positioning and promoting GroupMe such that it contributes to Microsoft’s justification for its pending $8.5B acquisition of Skype.

Other posts:

• Skype Journal: Skype to buy GroupMe texting service.
• GigaOm: Why Skype bought GroupMe and why it isn’t enough
• TechCrunch: Skype To Acquire Year-old Group Messaging Service GroupMe
• VoIP Watch: Skype Buys GroupMe

After a beta period of several months last fall, Skype launched Group Video Calling on Skype for Windows at CES 2011 as one element of its Skype Premium service. Group Video Calling on the Mac became available with the release of Skype for Mac 5.0. Over the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to host a weekly group video call for an Internet Marketing mentoring group in which I participate.

This was a group that had been using a hosted push-to-talk conferencing where only the speaker’s video would appear – using Adobe’s Flash Video. It provided a tedious (and not terribly robust) way to share voice and video but ….

• being push-to-talk, only one person could talk at any given time; any ad hoc conversation had to be via the text chat window.
• there were pregnant pauses while the video started for each participant who wanted to talk; it was not what one would call “totally interactive” or spontaneous ad hoc conversation.
• the chat window was only available during a session; if you lost the connection and reconnected, you only picked up new chat messages and lost any previous content, such as URL’s and email addresses.
• voice quality was acceptable but definitely compromised by the audio technology employed
• the service itself often could not stay connected for the duration of a conferencing session.

Once we were about to cancel one of our weekly sessions due to hosting issues when we realized there were fewer than ten participants on the scheduled call. Instinctively I fired up Skype Group Video Chat; immediately we had:

• seven or eight participants on a call, each with live video (provided s/he had a webcam)
• a fully interactive meeting experience where one could start talking “spontaneously”
  • due to the nature of the group and a “business meeting” discipline, no moderator was needed
• participants were on both Windows and Mac platforms
• a persistent and archived chat session is available
• while some participants used headsets, others used microphones and their PC speakers – but there were no echo issues from any party – echo cancellation played a key role in the audio quality experience
• voice quality is “as if we were all sitting around a table in the same room”
  • due to Skype’s superwideband SILK audio technology

But don’t take my word for it when it comes to the audio performance. During an interview with the mentoring group’s leader, Brad Gosse, about how he uses Skype to build and support his business, I asked him about his impression of Skype Group Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYOhIYERp2Y

Any participant with Skype for Mac 5.3 could actually share his/her desktop to a Skype Group Video call; hopefully this feature will soon be supported in an upcoming release of Skype 5.x for Windows.

One other “robustness” feature I noticed during a recent call. For whatever reason, one of the participant’s Windows PC crashed during the call; Skype for Windows gave me, as the host, “transparent” notice of an Internet Connection issue, the participant’s video disappeared from the call screen, yet the called carried on without interruption. However, once he rebooted his PC and opened Skype he was presented with an opportunity to rejoin the call, did so and reappeared in the call with no disruption of the call itself. (As shown in the image, participants who have left a call are prioritized in the Add to Call screen.)

Bottom line: you probably have to participate in a Skype Group Video call to fully appreciate the participant audio and video experience. Suffice it to say all the participants’ feedback from these calls relates to the value of the discussion content – the video and audio technology has become totally transparent to the real purpose of the session.

A couple of related posts:

Andy Abramson talks about Video Calling In The Living Room where he intends to use Group Video calls for his weekly staff meetings:

Virtual face to face meetings that will replace the faceless conference call. With video calling in the living room, or the conference room available for so little money, you have to wonder why people are waiting?

Michael Graves points out why he continues to use headsets at his home office to avoid introducing “room tone” into his audio: Can You Hear Me Now? Headset vs Speakerphone In The Home Office

Note that Skype continues to include unlimited calls to North American destinations with a Skype Premium subscription.

Related articles

• Facebook Video Chat – Powered by Skype: First Impressions (voiceontheweb.biz)

Not all PC’s were created equal! With its level of popularity and 170 million monthly active users, there are going to be almost 170 million different PC and device configurations on which Skype is installed. Supporting a software application on this many configurations across 27 languages can be a challenge, especially when working across many versions of Windows and Mac OS/X as well as the various hardware peripherals (headsets, webcams, phones, etc.) that can be incorporated into these configurations.

While Skype does a major effort at checking out its releases such that it installs easily and works “out-of-the box” there are always a few configurations that present a challenge. Add into this mix the variety or ways one can connect to the Internet and an additional series of challenges arise. (Full disclosure: the author at one time managed a support operation for a top-selling utility product that would disclose all the “sins” of PC’s configured with DOS and early versions of Windows. Been there; done that!)

Over the past eight years the Skype Forum has been a hotbed for users to air issues and get assistance from either other Skype users or Skype personnel. About a month ago Skype announced its intention to replace the Forum by launching a beta version of a new Skype Community Support Network with improved infrastructure and navigation for reporting issues and obtaining responses.

Offering support in eight languages, it is still supported by many of those, including Skype enthusiasts, often designated as Moderator or Super User, who have provided much of the support in the past. Since its launch as a beta over a month ago, it has once again evolved into an very active forum for reporting and resolving issues with using Skype.

Earlier this week Skype announced the availability of support via Skype’s Facebook account page:

We think there is a big appetite for information about Skype, and Skype Support Network was created in direct response to that. Having this information available within our Support Network and extended to various social media channels, such as Facebook, is part of our efforts to engage customers and help them access information they need. So, feel free to ask us a question or search our community for answers right from within Facebook or visit us at the Skype Support Network.

Again it’s shown as a “beta” but there is certainly no lack of queries in its first few days:

Bottom Line: one more resource for discussing any issues arising from using Skype. While Skype employees are tracking and responding, one must also recognize and appreciate those many Skype enthusiasts who voluntarily supply their support to these forums. Without them these forums would not be nearly as effective.

Related articles

• Skype 5.5 for Windows: Deeper Facebook, New Emoticons and More (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype Opens Its Walls A Bit? Lets You IM Facebook Users Just Like Skype Users (disruptivetelephony.com)

Today Facebook announced three new changes that empower its users with significant real time communications features: Group Chat, a site redesign and Facebook Video Calling powered by Skype.

For Skype it’s a major awareness builder of the power of video calling. As suspected by the inclusion of new Facebook features in Skype 5.5 beta for Windows released last week, Skype is working on a long term partnership with Facebook to integrate Skype technology into the Facebook platform. Facebook chat support in Skype 5.5 beta for Windows followed by today’s Facebook Video Calling announcement is just the beginning to build a real time communications user base beyond the current Skype user base.

From the Facebook viewpoint Facebook Video Calling offers a new real time social networking application built around Facebook’s social networking architecture. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg mentioned that this is the first of many “applications” where Facebook wants to partner with a provider who has a focus on the relevant area of expertise required to offer a quality service while not having to invest in the development of the particular expertise.

Here’s what I’m observing:

• Facebook Chat sessions are being mirrored on the Facebook Contacts tab in Skype 5.5 beta for Windows. Entries in either chat window will show up in the other one.
• There is no “setup” required to launch a video call beyond a one-time initial installation of a plugin (Windows, Mac). On Windows the plugin installs as a Program that can be uninstalled in the usual way. While there are options during the call to change the mic/speakers and webcam, there are no settings for volume or testing the audio/video hardware. And there is no way to see Call Technical Info. It’s a total focus on a simple user experience.
• A Facebook Video Chat is launched by going to a Friend’s page on Facebook and clicking on the Call button.
• If a Friend does not answer a video call you are offered the opportunity to leave a video message. (The first time you will have to approve the use of Adobe’s Flash Video.)
• If a Facebook user does not have a webcam a voice call is fully supported with your Facebook avatar/profile picture replacing the video image.
• There are significant issues with navigation and notification within Facebook:
  • While you hear a “ringing” sound when someone calls, it is not obvious where the “answer” window is. On the first call to me I had to minimize three or four other windows to find the “answer” window.
  • When a video message is sent (option if there is no answer to the video call), it is not obvious to the recipient that a new message has been received. To find the message one must go to the Message icon on the left side of the Facebook ribbon bar and select the “Friend” who has sent the message.
  • When someone started a Facebook chat session with me, the only way I knew that this session had started was to see a new message notification in my Skype 5.5 beta for Windows client. There was no notification on my Facebook site.
• The audio appears to use Skype’s SILK codec according to initial user reports. Also it has been confirmed that the audio and video channel use Skype’s p2p security features. (Chat security level is to be confirmed.)
• Video is 640 x 480; however, there is no frames-per-second information available.
• Picture quality, while certainly acceptable, is not up to the quality seen with Skype High Quality or HD Video. There tend to be reddish hues on faces and, in one case, white background walls had a definite bluish hue. (In the example below, Skype video calls using the same webcam and PC were of much higher color quality.)

Two other points that came out during the press conference:

• This Facebook-Skype partnership had been seeded prior to Tony Bates’ appointment as CEO last October; however, he has certainly endorsed it. Prior to the public announcement of Microsoft’s forthcoming acquisition of Skype, he went with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to inform Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg of what would be announced later in the day.
• Both Facebook and Skype see this as an opportunity to build video calling experiences across the Facebook user base prior to launching paid services such as outbound calling to the PSTN and Group Video calling from Facebook.

Bottom line: Skype was readily adopted when it launched due to the relative simplicity of the setup and user experience. While Facebook Video Chat takes full advantage of Skype’s underlying p2p architecture (which places most of the capital equipment cost on the user in the form of requiring a PC), this is the first real experience where a “third party” user interface is built around Skype’s core audio and video communications engine. While one can launch video chat sessions on an ad hoc basis, there are some user interface issues, such as navigation and notification that require refining. (Maybe I’m not sufficiently into Facebook to understand where to find messages as a routine exercise … after all, Facebook is largely about social networking where real time communications plays a supporting role.)

I’ll continue to use Skype for its higher quality video and its auxiliary services such as group conversations and file transfer. However, if someone wants to communicate via Facebook, it’s a reasonable alternative – provided I get appropriate and timely notification of a conversation request.

The real target user for today’s announcement are all those multi-millions of Facebook users who have never experienced using Skype for their real time communications activity; an easy-to-install, ad hoc offering is more appropriate to them. In the end both Skype, as a service, and Facebook will find there relative niches.

Full disclosure: I received one of those Google+ invitations that Google could not fulfil on, so there is no Google+ experience reflected here.

Links:

• Skype Big Blog: Facebook video calling powered by Skype
• Skype Big Blog: Skype CEO Tony Bates talks about making Skype video calling ubiquitous
• Skype-Facebook Launch promo
• Facebook website: Facebook Video Calling
• Facebook Video Calling FAQ
• Facebook Help Center: Video Calling Basics

Just over a year after Skype’s first announcement of SkypeKit as a closed beta program for third party developers, Jonathan Christensen, Skype’s Vice President, Emerging Opportunities, announced the opening up of the SkypeKit developer program to a public beta at eComm 2011 this afternoon.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to discuss the program with Chris Andrews, Sr. Business Development Manager at Skype. The primary function of SkypeKit is to provide access to a “headless” version of Skype from which developers can provide their Skype functionality through their own product’s user interface. Otherwise SkypeKit provides access to the same functionality as standard desktop clients; however, it does not support screen sharing or multi-party video (Group Video).

To join the SkypeKit developer program developers create a developer account and pay a one-time fee of $10 to download the SDK and participate in the developer community forum. With its ability to support embedded Skype in hardware, hardware partners will also need to obtain Skype certification at the standard costs for that program. Software application developers have no additional cost. At this point there is no revenue sharing expected by Skype; that’s the one issue that will have to be addressed at some point if Skype is to demonstrate ROI to Microsoft.

Chris confirmed access to the video stream is available via Skype’s proprietary RTP interface which has been designed to address the various screen formats developers will encounter with either their own hardware or, in the case of a software application, the various PC and other intelligent device displays. Documentation is available at the Skype Developer site.

While SkypeKit provides support for both hardware and software, most of the development to date has centred around hardware devices. At CES Skype announced that SkypeKit was being used for a baby monitor based on the Panda chip and is being tested for incorporation into GM’s OnStar service. One new player he mentioned is Tely Labs, a startup with no website, who are developing a “living room experience” for their own branded TV accessory; we’ll have to wait to see what this means beyond the various Skype for TV/BluRay offerings.

An initial software platform incorporating SkyepKit is Imvox, a social voice communications platform for gamers. From their website:

The biggest benefit of Imvox’s participation in the SkypeKit developer program is it allows us to offer the gaming community crystal clear voice quality, which is used by hundreds of millions of people across the world every day. The Skype partnership also enables Imvox to work cross-platform, so Windows and Mac users enjoy the same high-quality audio. It’s about time a solution works for everybody in the gaming market.

I had an opportunity to experience Skype’s SILK codec in a gaming platform a year ago November with the launch of the Blabbelon “click-to-talk” voice service for gamers. It’s a different market space from the traditional consumer and business voice conferencing.

Long time Skype partner InnerPass has been awaiting the launch of SkypeKit’s open beta to incorporate Skype into their newly launched Group Mix team collaboration service – an evolution of their previous InnerPass Meeting and Sharing service that was offered as a Skype Extra.

The SkypeKit Developer Site provides documentation and samples to assist with the development process covering topics such as TV, audio and video and various development tools. However, Chris did mention that, while all the tools are there to support software development, they still need some work to make a software developer totally comfortable with using SkypeKit.

Bottom line: With Skype’s pending acquisition by Microsoft it will be interesting to see what uptake there is from developers and how this developer program works in conjunction with other Microsoft developer programs. Certainly Microsoft brings the financial heft and experience required to establish and attract a large developer community for SkypeKit as it evolves.

According to Stacey Higginbotham’s GigaOm discussion with Jonathan Christensen there are 2,000 developers who have been part of the closed program but there are over 10,000 developers who have applied and can now participate. As with the iPad and smartphone market spaces the evolution of the real time communications space will really depend on how readily users will adopt the resulting applications. Until other services can offer a combination of high quality voice, the ability to call a wide range of devices and platforms, HD video and over 170 million active users, Skype certainly starts out with an initial performance lead over pending competitors.

Skype Journal: Skype for iPad; SkypeKit launching at eComm next week?

Related articles

• Whither Skype Extras Today? Withered? (voiceontheweb.biz)
• The future of Skype Extras (blogs.skype.com)
• Skype for TV – Not on Windows (voiceontheweb.biz)
• With SkypeKit, Skype wants to be everywhere (gigaom.com)

One of the most helpful features introduced with Skype 5.0 was the Call Bar or Call Navigation Bar that comes up when you launch a call and is accessible during the call. (If it disappears during the call simply “mouse over” the “black background” call area and it will re-appear).

Its Call Quality Indicator feature is, frankly, one of the most useful tools which I find very handy when helping other parties ensure their mic, speakers and webcam are working ok during a call and to check the quality of the Internet connection.

But let’s look at the user experience with the Skype 5.5 beta for Windows proposed Call Bar; the icons have been modified and the order on the bar changed.

It’s a little vague, no "mouse over" bubbles to indicate the purpose of an icon.but you can find some information with tooltips that come up if you mouse over near each icon.  (Initially I did not find these icons during several calls but it was pointed out that the tooltips are there.) So either a user ignores them or has to guess. When you click on some icons you get a sub-menu (but that’s a click, not the more spontaneous bubble:

Here’s the issue. The majority of Skype users are not aware of the rich feature set that can support a Skype-to-Skype call. Make it easy to at least get a start at understanding the purpose of the various icons. For a starter the call bar tooltips, when found, are certainly helpful. A broader question is why change the icons (and icon order) that users are familiar with?

One new feature that is helpful: that right most “Display Call” icon that allows you to manage how and where the primary call window is displayed. Using the Pop-Out feature allows use of the full height of the Conversation pane for Chat.

Fortunately the Call Quality Indicator user interface remains the same and allows “ in call” monitoring of the audio, video and PC hardware as well as the Internet connection. One feature that also remains (and has worked for me in calls using this version) is the ability to recover a call if the Internet connection quality deteriorates momentarily during the call.

Bottom line: changes to look for in either the next beta version or gold release:

• Adding tooltips to the icons in the Call Bar to indicate what they do on a “mouse over”. Done.
• Change the End Call icon back to the familiar one. (and keep it consistent with the End Call button beside the Contact’s name in the Contact pane).
• Open a 1 inch/2.5 cm high portion of the Chat window to let users know they can still chat during a call.
• Don’t touch the Call Quality Indicator

But this all brings back another outstanding issue. Let’s hope  this same Call Bar (with the Call Quality Indicator) shows up in the next revision of Skype for Mac 5. Consistency helps user adoption, especially when it comes to learning about Skype’s extra features available during a Skype-to-Skype call. After all, with Firefox 5, I have almost the same overall User Interface on both the Windows and Mac versions … makes it real simple not only for users with both Windows and Mac PC’s but also for explaining a feature to a call participant independent of which OS the participant is using.

As a final comment: the real issue here with respect to user interface consistency is “innovation” vs a “company standard”. While there are some neat features unique to Mac OS that could be included in a Skype for Mac client, let’s see a consistency with the primary user interface both for managing Contacts and Conversations via separate panes in the client and for managing Skype’s extra features available during a call (the Call Bar). For instance, I have no objection to the way two or more participants are shown in the Call pane or Window during a call; but keep the basics similar!

Two weeks ago in the post, Whither Skype Extras Today? Withered?, I asked for a clarification about the status of Skype Extras.

Today Skype announced a HotFix that effectively removes access to Skype Extras although it shows up, greyed out, in the Tools Menu. Go to Help | Check for Upgrades. In Windows Task Manager you’ll find that SkypePM.exe is no longer seen in the Processes tab.

As PamConsult’s Dick Schiferli points out in the comments below the Skype Extras do remain available in the Skype Store and are also available from the various publishers’ websites. However, the good news is that several publishers of Skype Extras have not withered away but rather have upgraded their products to remove their dependence on the Skype Extras program while introducing new features.

The Skype Extras Survivors

PamFax – winner of the 2007 Skype mashup competition, continues to grow; their recent infrastructure upgrade means that faxes are delivered within a minute of clicking on the Send Fax button. No ongoing obligations yet there are subscription programs that include a fax number in 27 countries. Send and received faxes to/from PC’s, iPhone/iPad/iPodTouch and Android. Fax Dropbox documents; receive faxes in DropBox. Click here for a complete update on PamFax,

InnerPass is releasing a new team collaboration product, Group Mix, that aggregates all their document management, persistent “rooms” and desktop sharing expertise into a web-based product with a great user interface that is easily accessed in any browser from, say, a bookmark. The first release includes voice connections in several countries via the PSTN; they will bring Skype back in shortly. More details will be forthcoming in a post early next week.

Pamela continues to upgrade and add more features to the longest running Skype Extra. Call recording, conversation archiving and many other nifty features that enhance the Skype user experience.

Netralia continues to offer its Skylook Outlook plugin that has done very well in the customer relationship management space. More recently they launched and have upgraded VodBurner, capable not only of recording Skype Video calls but also performing editing of the recording and direct upload to YouTube.

Evoca has been building their online audio recording and hosting business where you can call in from any phone, Skype or PC mic, record interviews and conference calls. From their website:

Dial any of our U.S. and international phone numbers or use the Evoca Skype Call Recorder — available for registered subscribers. Our 100% web service securely saves and stores your audio file in digital MP3 format in your online Evoca account. You can keep it private, share it with colleagues, or publish it online for the world to listen.

OnState continues to provide and grow its web-based, pay-as-you-go call center/PBX offering. In fact, in addition to its Skype integration, it now supports Google Talk and Salesforce.com amongst other features.

There may be others; I’ll be glad to add them. But these are the publishers who have managed to build on their user feedback and market acceptance. They have continued development to enhance their products which incorporate Skype integration but can operate independently of the Skype Extras infrastructure.

My plans for this morning were severely interrupted when I attempted to use Skype around 8:00 a.m. (GMT-4) and I got the error message shown on the right. On further investigation it turns out that Skype has had another service meltdown, at least when using Skype for Windows 5.3.

Initially I checked my Windows Task Manager and found residuals of Skype.exe (two instances, in fact); I then “Ended” those processes and “SkypePM.exe”. Knowing that Skype was totally closed I then attempted to re-launch Skype for Windows. I could see all my Contacts; however, my “Recent” tab showed no “Recent” Contacts –totally blank. After another unsuccessful attempt I then rebooted my PC, got the usual list of “Recent” contacts in the “Recent” tab. However, no Contacts were showing as being Online.

At that point I checked Google News and found there were several posts about an interruption and references to Skype’s Twitter feed.

Initially I had to reset my own status from Offline to Online but even then the only contact showing as Online was “Skype Test Call” – which worked. I sent some test chat messages to various contacts whom I knew should be Online. Eventually I started receiving responses and a few contacts showed up as Online.

At that point none of my Group Chats appeared to be working; however, after another half hour I found that not only were my Group Chats operating again but they had restored messages which had been exchanged during the outage period.

The Bad: another Skype service interruption, so soon after last week’s. Hudson Barton’s Skype Statistics showed as few as 12 million online at a time when over 25 million are usually online. (Not a “small number”!) When I attempted to use Skype on another Windows laptop, I got the same “Skype has stopped working” message as shown above; in this case re-opening Skype did work without the need to reboot that PC.

The Good: Restarting Skype for Windows appears to now address the issue. Missing messages from Skype chat sessions were recovered once the service was restored. Also, of note, is that my Skype for Mac client continued to work through all this although messages to Contacts using Skype for Windows were again not getting through.

Hopefully the Skype engineering team can sort out what is behind these interruptions. Not having Skype access totally interrupts the workflow of over 20 million users. Frustrating!

Yes, you can try other services. But the act of one acquaintance trying to call me via GTalk was not exactly the smoothest experience and definitely not ad hoc! And, while voice quality was acceptable, there was a definite degradation without the SILK support.

Dan York, at Disruptive Telephony,  has a couple of posts:

• Skype is Having Another Outage Today – Appears Widespread (But May Be Recovering)
• Skype Is Back For Me – But Only 2 Million Users Are Online (versus normal 25+ million)

Related articles

• Skype down. Again. (thenextweb.com)
• Skype hangs up on users yet again (go.theregister.com)
• Skype Goes Down (Again), Users Inexplicably Blaming Microsoft On Twitter (techcrunch.com)

If Skype Extras is creating an issue with software bloat through its games partner, Easybits, why do I get a blank Skype Extras window from the Tools | Get Skype Extras menu in Skype for Windows 5.3?

In one of its previous lives, ca. 2006, Skype introduced a Partner program where they encouraged third party developers to innovate products around the use of Skype. These products arrived in the form of games, productivity tools, hosted business services and utilities that enhanced the Skype experience or incorporated Skype for its real time communications features. At the time Skype provided API tools that facilitated development of these products; they remain available even as Skype ramps up its SkypeKit developer platform. Products were made readily available to Skype for Windows users through the Tools | Skype Extras menu of the Skype client. One partner had over 3 million downloads between January 2009 and August 2010; a very significant number have become ongoing subscription-paying customers.

Original Skype Extras Window

During the summer of 2007 Skype held a Mashup Competition with regional and worldwide winners. PamFax, still in its infancy but sending faxes from a PamFax window, won the worldwide competition. (Watch Voice On The Web for a complete update on PamFax’s evolution to a one-stop multi-platform “Fax for business” solution in the next few days).

Some the Extras publishers were acquired; for instance IBM’s Lotus Sametime division acquired the popular desktop sharing utility, Unyte. Others went away due to either  a lack of market acceptance, a failed business model or impatient investors. And there were many issues with the level of support provided by the Skype Developer program at that time.

Skype announced the end of the Skype Extras program in late August 2009, pointing out that no new Extras would be accepted from that point forward and that Skype Extras would not be accessible from the Skype for Windows menu after August 31, 2010. However, while this menu is still available from the Skype for Windows 5.3 client, I get the blank window shown above. However they can still be found available on the Skype website: Skype Extras page and on the Skype Store.

So what puzzles me is the recent appearance of stories about an additional program, easybits.exe, being installed with Skype for Windows. Easybits provided the platform for the Skype Extras games; it seems that a recent update to Easybits inadvertently got into some users’ recent installations of Skype for Windows. Looking through my Task Manager, there are no traces of easybits.exe; the only item related to Skype Extras Manager is skypePM.exe and it’s not consuming much RAM. Phil Wolff, over at Skype Journal, has more to say on this, including Easybits response, in #Skype Extras partner EasyBits releases game uninstall tool.

Bottom Line: So my real question is, given the blank Skype Extras screen I receive as shown above (and have received for some time now), the lack of any trace of EasyBits software on my Skype for Windows 5.3 installation and the announcement that Skype Extras would go away last fall, what is the real status of Skype Extras today? Or is it just quietly withering away?

Skype’s statement: EasyBits Update for Skype Extras Manager

P.S. – many of the former Skype Extras publishers have continued to offer their software and even built additional products that use the Skype API’s. Within a few days I’ll provide an update on where you can find these products today and their evolution into even better offerings.

Related articles

• EasyBits releases removal tool for afflicted Skype users (zdnet.com)
• Skype pushes gaming software down users throats (go.theregister.com)
• How To Uninstall EasyBits GO (EasyBitsGo.exe) Completely (ghacks.net)

While attending CES 2011 back in January, I spent an afternoon visiting the main television vendor floor where 3D TV was definitely the number one topic of interest; however, I found, and reported on, several vendors with display kiosks demonstrating Skype for TV.

Michael Wolf, at GigaOm’s NewTeeVee, recently brought renewed visibility to the Skype for TV initiative in his post: Could Skype Be Microsoft’s Smart TV Trojan Horse?.   Frankly, from my learnings that afternoon,  his view about a role for a Windows OS on TV’s is baseless; it pays to look at the hierarchy for enabling Internet services on the TV’s.

One common trend I observed in visiting these booths is that all the vendors have embedded as firmware a complete Internet-enabling smart platform that provides access to various “cloud” applications. Social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter are the most obvious. Amongst other applications are several involving movies, such as Netflix, and sports offerings, such as NHL and ESPN Sports Center.

Skype, of course, was on at least six vendor offerings, using its SkypeKit platform, initially available for the Linux OS. In fact, Panasonic includes a dedicated Skype button on the remote controller for their Skype-enabled TV’s and BluRay players.

Behind all this I learned how the TV vendors are embedding these platforms. It’s a case of having the platform software embedded into the TV’s firmware and hardware, then layering the applications on top of the platform. Given that SkypeKit is behind Skype for TV it appears that they are using a Linux-based operating system. Certainly there is no room, given the current state of these offerings and time frames involved, for an embedded Windows.

On the other hand Skype for TV will bring to Microsoft exposure to experience with integrating applications onto these platforms. Windows Live services would be an obvious candidate for integration into these TV platforms. After all we do have Windows Live Messenger access on various smartphone platforms such as BlackBerry and iOS4.

And one should never lose sight of the network effect. Skype for TV video calls can be made to over 170 million active users who may be on any of several platforms – PC’s, iPhones, Android phones. One of my first benchmarks for how Microsoft will deal with its Skype acquisition would be the introduction of a unique Skype for iPad. This would be an application that would allow video calling on the iPad 2 taking full advantage of the iPad 2’s display size. It has nothing to do with Windows or Office but rather providing new user experiences using resources at hand.

Bottom line: It’s not a case of will Microsoft attempt to displace other OS’s on TV platforms with a derivative of Windows – that opportunity has passed them by. But rather the strategic opportunity lies in merging Skype’s experience with introducing a real time communications application onto TV platforms with Microsoft’s existing Windows Live experience on other platforms.

Michael also questions whether Google TV will be a competitor. In the end consumers want as few boxes as possible combined with ease of operation. If all the services, broadcast TV and Internet applications can come via one “box” the market for add-on boxes on home entertainment systems will eventually evaporate. How many HDMI connections will be tolerated by the average consumer?

Related articles

• Microsoft Acquires Skype – The “Amber Mac Test” (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Microsoft Acquires Skype – A Most Interesting Marriage (voiceontheweb.biz)
• The End of the “Skype as Bandit” Era (disruptivetelephony.com)

Yesterday Phil Wolff at Skype Journal brought our attention to an “infographic” from the financial due diligence-minded Credit Score Blog for Focus.com. It attempts to provide a history of Skype both from the technology and financial performance perspectives. But, in addition to Phil’s Quibbles, I have found some others.

Click on the graphic to see a larger image.

Research and Design by Credit Score Blog for Focus.com

Accounts and Users – there’s a difference!

Skype now has registered somewhere beyond 700 million accounts, increasing by over 500,000 every day. But, as has been pointed out often over the past few years, this number in meaningless since over 75% of the accounts have not been used for quite some time for at least three months. Users die, they try out Skype and give it up, a business will register new business accounts for employees who resign or are otherwise terminated. The list of reasons for not using an account can go on forever. (Unlike direct mail lists that can lose 20% of their accuracy every six months, users who move geographically can continue to use their Skype accounts provided they have an Internet connection.)

Starting with the IPO filing last year, Skype finally started to give out a more realistic number – the number of users who actually made at least one call or participated in at least one chat session in the previous calendar quarter. Whereas there were about 125 million in the April – June quarter of 2010, this number has risen to over 170 million for the January to March quarter 2011. In other words this is the number of active users.

So while Skype had registered over 100 million accounts in 2006, they did not reach the level of 100 million users until late 2009 or early 2010. It’s those active users whom become interesting to Microsoft as they work with their Skype team to develop plans for Skype’s (and Microsoft’s) growth.

Skype’s history with Video Calling – Sorting Out High Quality Video and HD Video

Yes, Skype introduced video calling in early 2006; it first came of out beta with Skype for Windows 3.1 in early 2007 delivering 320 x 240 images @15frames-per-second . However, in November 2007, Skype showed it got serious about taking the lead in video calling with the introduction of High Quality Video which required a new line of Logitech webcams, new video codecs from On2 (since acquired by Google) and a new version of Skype for Windows (3.6) that could deliver VGA resolution (640 x 480) at 30 frames-per-second and over a 384 kbps upload speed Internet connection.

With its superior quality that delivered in-your-face real time video, Skype video took off to the point where today video calling represents about 40 per cent of all Skype calls.

In 2010, with the launch of Skype for Windows 4.2, Skype announced support for 720p HD video calling; at the time it only supported webcams from two vendors: the FREETALK Everyman HD and Facevsion N1 webcams. HD video was off to a rocky start; it required at least 1.2 Mbps upload speed on the Internet connection (above the upload speed of most broadband connections) and there were call reliability and stability issues. With a firmware upgrade in December (FREETALK, Facevsion) and the release of Skype 5.0 for Windows, HD video calling has become a much more reliable service. Recently Logitech released a line of webcams that support HD Video calling. Over the past few weeks I have received HD video calls from Logitech webcams where callers had only a 1 Mbps upload speed.

With respect to the Infographic:

• Skype released High Quality Video in late 2007; they did not release HD Video until 2010.
• A major milestone for Skype video calls was the introduction of video calling on iPhones at the end of 2010.
• Finally, in early 2011, Skype took Group Video Calling out of beta, increased its capacity to ten participants and offered it as one component of its revenue generating Skype Premium service.

Microsoft Anywhere Graphic – What Happened to Outlook and Office?

The infographic attempts to illustrate all the potential Microsoft products that could benefit from embedding Skype technology and services. But what happened to Office and, especially, Outlook? At the press conference there was, to say the least, a strong emphasis placed on how Skype could be integrated with Outlook for both consumer and business use.

For Windows users, Outlook has become the core resource for managing users’ contacts; many products’ address books and scheduling features rely on the user’s Outlook Contacts and Calendars as the primary source of contact and calendar information. Outlook is critical for synchronizing a mobile phone address book, keeping the user’s schedule current and integrating Outlook information into third party collaboration services as well as many other Microsoft and third party offerings.

Full disclosure: the author’s first association with Skype involved beta testing of the Skype Email Toolbar, an Outlook plugin that allows you to make Skype calls directly from Outlook. However, the Skype for Windows client now incorporates an optional feature for importing Outlook contacts into a user’s Skype contacts, so this plugin has become a secondary offering.

I’ll place my bets on Outlook being the first or second Microsoft product to find Skype embedded into it.

Skype and Its Competition

That competition bar misses a couple of key aspects of Skype:

• Internationalization: Google Voice really only works  if you live in the U.S.; after all these years it still has no offerings for the rest of us around the world. Personally I have set up a Google Voice account during a recent visit to the U.S. but it’s of no use to me when at home in Canada.
• Technology: Over time Skype has developed some very unique technology that delivers a unique conversation experience; for example,
  • the SILK codec provides crystal clear voice on Skype-to-Skype calls, even when calling from/to iPhones and Android phones.
  • Video: Skype is unique in providing 640 x 480 video calling @ 30 fps via a simple user interface. Since its introduction in late 2007, there has been no competitive service with such a large network of users that can deliver this quality of real time video calls. And now HD video capability is starting to penetrate the user base.
  • Network connection: Skype has introduced features that monitor and adjust to the conditions of a call’s network connection such as to minimize the chance of call failure.

Bottom Line: While the infographic is a good attempt at outlining both Skype’s financial background and user experiences, it is missing some key elements that have the potential to contribute significantly to Microsoft’s ability to benefit from a $8.5 billion acquisition.

The key risk lies in how effectively Microsoft’s various product teams can work with the Skype teams to develop world changing communications-enhanced offerings. It’s a challenge to Microsoft’s ability to support real innovation. This represents the best opportunity for demonstrating Alec Saunders Voice 2.0 Manifesto where talk is the baseline, the meter is “off” and communications-enhanced applications are the value creators.

Related articles

• Microsoft Acquires Skype – The “Amber Mac Test” (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Microsoft Acquires Skype – A Most Interesting Marriage (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Microsoft Acquires Skype – Steve Ballmer Does Skype Europe (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Microsoft Acquires Skype – An Investor’s Perspective (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype’s Rollercoaster History [INFOGRAPHIC] (mashable.com)

When an acquisition occurs, it’s always a good sign to see that the acquiring CEO is getting around to meet all the employees of the acquired company. When major announcements were being made at my last employer, our first priority was to make sure the employees understood what was being announced, the reasoning behind the announcement and what the implications were for company staff. It’s important to have the team onside right from the beginning.

At Microsoft – Skype Press Conference last Tuesday it was announced that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Skype CEO Tony Bates, who had already briefed Skype’s employees based in the Palo Alto area, would be touring Skype’s European offices in London, Tallinn (Estonia) and possibly Stockholm and Prague over the past weekend.

Seems like Steve got to check out the Skype phone booth at Tallinn airport on Friday or Saturday:

And that Steve participated in a Sunday morning brunch with some employees according to this Stockholm-based employee’s mood message:

More about the phone booth here. Phil Wolff at Skype Journal has opened a Caption Contest.

Bottom line: the introductions are over; now for the execution. Get ready for the ride.

Thanks to Brian O’Saughnessy, Skype’s Chief Marketing Officer, for the photos.

Related articles

• Steve Ballmer’s email to Microsoft employees about Skype deal (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Steve Ballmer & Tony Bates Talk About Skype-Microsoft Deal (gigaom.com)
• Ballmer’s latest acquisition (mondaynote.com)
• Microsoft Acquires Skype – An Investor’s Perspective (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Microsoft Acquires Skype – The “Amber Mac Test” (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Microsoft Acquires Skype – A Most Interesting Marriage (voiceontheweb.biz)

With today’s announcement of Microsoft’s intention to acquire Skype, subject to regulatory approvals, Skype has received the endorsement required to be considered a long term, viable and stable service addressing both consumer and enterprise markets.

From the press conference and press release:

• Skype will continue as a brand and an independent business unit within Microsoft. There is significant value when your brand name has become a verb in the English language (and one that translates readily to all other languages).
• Skype will continue to support “Skype Everywhere” on Mac’s, Linux, iPhones/iPads, Android phones, TV and other devices – a key requirement to maintaining and growing its current base of over 170 million active users. (This was one condition of closing the deal but execution is key; the first test will be the revamp of the Skype for Mac 5 user interface.)
• Skype has a strong basic revenue generating business; at this point it should be profitable but certainly has had good EBIDTA.
• Skype now has 170 million active users (in the past quarter), as many as 30 million online concurrently at its daily peak and growing the accounts at a rate of over 600,000 per day.
• Outlook is a key initial application for integration into current Microsoft products; Microsoft Lync will be taking advantage of Skype’s underlying technology where appropriate and feasible.

My initial thoughts:

• Keep in mind that Microsoft has bought a communications software company; one of the biggest challenges will be the integration of the software development activities across what has to be at least two different product management and software development cultures.
• Microsoft brings to the table a new level of business process and product management expertise from which Skype will benefit significantly.
• Only Microsoft has the resources – technical, product and business – that can be leveraged to justify an $8.5B buyout price (and give the current investors ~150% return on their investment over 18 months). With opportunities to enhance Office products, add technology to Microsoft Lync and complement other collaboration product such as the Sharepoint platform, they can readily get their investment back within a few years.
• Skype has found a permanent home.
• Skype can now focus totally on product and service development without the distraction of seeking financing (and the associated endorsement).

Some questions:

• How will the two companies’ instant messaging services be brought together? Skype chat offers a richer chat experience, especially given the ability to rapidly escalate to a superior voice and video conversation and to provide complements such as file transfer.
• What will happen to the Skype Store and associated hardware? While Skype has supported and sold products from several hardware vendors, Microsoft’s limited hardware offering (of mice and keyboards) is sold via traditional PC hardware retail distribution channels. Yet much of the hardware has been designed, with assistance from the Skype-certified program, to take full advantage of Skype’s inherent technology.
• Skype has been attempting  to address the large enterprise market with its Skype Connect program; yet we have heard of no successes. Microsoft Lync is a large enterprise product that can probably take advantage of Skype’s inherent technology while delivering an offering that meets the concerns of enterprise communications managers. However, what will Skype be doing to support the small to medium business market – where over 35% of its users say they are using Skype in business?
• What impact will the time required to deal with regulatory issues be on the development and launch of upgrades and new products ? We were told at the press conference no road map will become available until these regulatory issues have been addressed such that the acquisition can be completed. Yet innovation, business development and product releases must continue during this period.
• What direction will the developer program take? Will Skykit survive its rather long birthing process or can Microsoft bring in developer program expertise that would finally get Skype an active developer program from which we can see results? (and from which third party developers can benefit.)
• Can we still expect to see evolution of the Facebook relationship in some way that supports real time conversations via Facebook?
• Since Steve Ballmer showed up on stage at RIM’s BlackBerry World event last week and is now deeply associated with Skype, can we expect to see a carrier-agnostic Skype client on BlackBerry devices? Or would that be too much conflict with Windows Phone?

Bottom line: while there have been overlapping products (such as Live Messenger and Skype Chat) there is so much synergy here that it’s going to be interesting to see what product evolution occurs over the next year and how Microsoft integrates an acquisition with what has become a brand onto itself. Steve Ballmer can be thankful that there was no Yahoo acquisition and that the Skype opportunity has come about with so many more obvious benefits.

One other benefit for Canadians: the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board cleared about $500MM on the deal above their initial $300MM investment 18 months ago.

Other thoughts:

• Dan York: The End of the “Skype as Bandit” Era where Dan provides an interesting  commentary on the barriers Skype has overcome, the Skype experience and the people behind Skype. Dan has blogged more about Skype than any other topic; his employer, Voxeo, lives and dies by Skype, especially the Skype chat.
• Alec Saunders: Does Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype change anything? where he talks about the impact on carrier relationships, video calling and handset manufacturers.
• Alec Saunders: Why is Steve Ballmer excited about Skype? where he provides an excellent overview of today’s Microsoft-Skype press conference and his conclusions as to why this is an excellent deal. (Recall Alec worked for several years at Microsoft.)
• Tidbits, Apple News for the Rest of Us: Microsoft to Buy Skype for $8.5 Billion “… Microsoft says it will continue to invest in and support Skype clients for non-Microsoft platforms. If Microsoft really loves us, they’ll throw out the Skype 5 interface as an initial gesture of goodwill.”
• Phil Wolff, Skype Journal: What Skype’s partners can expect from the deal and Why did Microsoft buy Skype?
• GigaOm: Steve Ballmer & Tony Bates Talk About Skype-Microsoft …

Related articles

• Done Deal: Microsoft to Buy Skype for $8.5 Billion in Cash (kara.allthingsd.com)
• Microsoft to Acquire Skype (online.wsj.com)
• Microsoft targets video-calling with Skype (theglobeandmail.com)
• Microsoft’s Plans for an Office-Flavored Skype (blogs.wsj.com)
• It’s official: Microsoft to buy Skype for $8.5 billion (seattlepi.com)
• Why Microsoft Plus Skype Is An Enterprising Idea (informationweek.com)
• Microsoft Brings Skype from Living Room to Board Room (pcworld.com)