Following up on last week’s two posts that coincided with the launch of the BlackBerry Playbook, iPad Competitor? and Infrastructure for New User Experiences, along with learnings from a recent Mobile Monday presentation on developer opportunities, this post will attempt to anticipate an example of the new user experiences that could result from the the technology behind the platform.

The primary question: Given that RIM wants PlayBook to become positioned as the tablet of consumer choice, can its technology foundation lead to the development of unique user experiences? Only if they bring unique benefits to the end user. But one can always speculate…

As background to this discussion, three comments:

1. With my current BlackBerry Torch I have two applications that are triggered immediately, via the Bluetooth connection, when I get into my car:
   • Make phone calls in a totally handsfree mode using the Voice Calling and Address Book applications on the BlackBerry
   • Commence logging my driving activity for tax purposes.
2. The PlayBook ads on local radio stations have highlighted three unique features:
   • Complete web browsing experience
   • Powerful applications
   • True multi-tasking
3. The BlackBerry Bridge feature, and a BlackBerry, are required to manage BlackBerry email, contacts and calendar – applications around which RIM built BlackBerry’s primary reputation. Great for enterprises that support secure BlackBerry communications but an inhibitor to broader consumer adoption until these native applications are available on the PlayBook. (Note also that Canada has carriers who do not charge additional for tethering.)

Certainly the three claims of their advertising ring true when it comes to the existence of the features. But what is the reality in terms of the user experience?

1. The Browser: combining its Torch Mobile webkit-based browser roots with its support of Flash, it appears that PlayBook would certainly be ideal as a complete, fully-featured browsing platform. In fact, it would even allow access to the web-based versions of popular email programs, including GMail, Yahoo Mail, MobileMe and the many web versions of popular client based email programs such as Outlook Web App (formerly Outlook Web Access).
2. Powerful applications: yes, there are some “powerful” applications (1700 according to this Mobile Gadgeteer report) that take advantage of the combination of QNX and a dual core processer. However, when I start using a new mobile device I initially look for clients that support cloud based services such as Twitter, Facebook, DropBox, Evernote, Four Square and the Google Mobile Apps suite of applications (Search, News, Mail, Maps, Docs, Calendar, Reader, etc.). Again all these services can be accessed via a web browser but they each have platform-specific clients to simplify the user experience and encourage adoption of the various services. However, they are lacking on PlayBook at launch time.
3. True multi-tasking: yes, this has been a feature of BlackBerry from day one; the QNX O/S certainly provides an even more robust multi-tasking environment. But until we see applications that take full advantage of the potential horsepower, users will not be driven to adopt PlayBook, especially as a consumer device.

Doing the BlackBerry “Thing”

Rim built its reputation on email and the associated personal information management applications. However, this feature only becomes available if you have a BlackBerry. The good news is that, given my experience with other Bluetooth-associated applications, these applications should become accessible on the PlayBook whenever the two devices are within Bluetooth range; also the BlackBerry Bridge incorporates BlackBerry’s industry leading security features. The bad news is that you need to have a BlackBerry to be able to use the number one application that drove the original adoption of the BlackBerry.

The Video Experience

PlayBook, in spite of its support of both front- and rear-facing webcams, does not support any video calling application at this time. Yet again the demonstrations of video content running in background and the underlying Playbook horsepower certainly would portend to seeing a video calling application. PlayBook needs to be participating in the mobile video calling space currently served by Facetime, Skype and Qik. While PlayBook certainly has its attractions as a top-of-the-line media player device, its underlying technology would seem to support its evolution into supporting real time video conversations.

But, in addition to the user experience its technology could deliver, PlayBook needs to find a way to access a large enough contact base that would drive immediate adoption. The real issue becomes one of interoperability; whom can you readily call with the launch of a video calling service? And across what platforms?  Certainly Apple, Google and Skype already have the large contact bases, well beyond the size of BlackBerry Messenger contact bases, that would be required to make a worldwide video calling application viable in the consumer market.

The Real Time Communications Experience

Which brings me to an application that would provide a significant boost to driving consumer adoption. Since the early 1980’s I have sold multi-tasking computers (yes, even mini-computers) and multi-tasking user experiences (DESQview). I have often commented on the value of BlackBerry’s multi-tasking. Most interesting is PlayBook’s lack of RIM’s heavily promoted BlackBerry Messenger application – one which I often use for private messaging to invited contacts; it could certainly take advantage of multi-tasking in some unique ways.

But there is one application lacking on BlackBerry devices that could demonstrate better than any other the benefits of multi-tasking on a QNX platform while driving consumer adoption. But there’s more! It also addresses the need for a video calling application that can immediately deliver an appropriate contact base.

With its support of voice, chat and video calling and its presence on a wide range of platforms, smartphones and other devices, Skype would be the ideal application to both demonstrate the power of PlayBooks’s technology infrastructure while driving accelerated consumer and prosumer adoption. Skype’s voice and video calls set the benchmark for voice quality and video resolution. Running chat in background as an interrupt-driven service, supporting desktop sharing and file transfer during voice and video calls are some of the Skype features that would perform best on a multi-tasking QNX platform with multiple webcams. And it would potentially become a benchmark mobile device for serving as a host for Skype’s Group Video Calling.

PlayBook Bottom Line:

At this time, PlayBook is a platform that demonstrates amazing potential for new user experiences. Its most immediate challenge is to bring into its applications library what many product managers would call the “hygienics” – the basic applications and services that users expect from any smart mobile device, whether smartphone or tablet. Google Mobile apps, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, Twitter, Evernote and Skype certainly fall into this requirement.

Skype serves as the most demanding example. With over 145 million active users across PC’s, smartphones (iPhone, Android, Symbian), TV’s and other devices), Skype has become one of those “hygienic” cloud managed services that consumers look for when making purchase decisions about smartphones and tablets. The business case is not about Skype-generated revenue; it’s not about competition with other services such as BlackBerry Messenger. Skype has become a “must have” application and makes the business case one about driving basic user purchase of the device. PlayBook provides all the technology infrastructure required, especially the video horsepower, to make Skype perform at its best on a mobile device.

As for introducing Skype on BlackBerry. Yes, Verizon and 3 customers can make calls to Skype contacts; however, only with a carrier-specific application. As demonstrated on iPhone, Android and Nokia smartphones, a carrier-agnostic Skype client would overcome a major barrier to consumer and prosumer adoption of not only PlayBook but also BlackBerry itself.

In conclusion Skype would not only provide a powerful demonstration of PlayBook’s underlying technology but also could be configured to provide one of the those “killer” applications that would establish user experience benchmarks for real time video calling, including conference calling.

Note: the image of a Skype icon on PlayBook shown above was reported by several bloggers when RIM first demonstrated PlayBook to the public at CES 2011; turns out this was an error. During March there came out reports that RIM may be developing a video calling app for PlayBook; this was vaguely confirmed in response to a question I asked at the Mobile Monday Toronto event. One primary issue is where would a large enough contact base come from? Certainly not BlackBerry Messenger with only 20+ million active accounts.

For over a year the author has been a keen user of Skype for Windows 5 as a Skype client that has simplicity, yet flexibility. It’s easy to manage contacts, follow conversations, handle video calls as well as archive and search conversation history. Yet, with the release of Skype for Mac 5, there has been a “Skype for Mac 5” fever outbreak on the Internet due to its lack of consistency with these features. Bottom line is that users are confused and, in many cases have gone back to Skype for Mac 2.8. On the other hand the Skype for Mac team says they are listening.

In the previous post in this series, Skype for Mac 5: Returning to Ecstasy – Step 1 – Consistency, after pointing out how widely Skype for Windows 5 has been accepted, I went on to discuss some consistency issues including the use of the left Contacts pane. It is primarily used for managing Contacts and selecting a Contact or Group with whom the user wants launch or monitor conversation activity, whether chat, voice or video. One key recommendation here was that, in Skype for Mac 5, not only individual Contacts but also Contact Groups should be managed in this pane.

This post focuses on the right Conversation pane which, for the most part, manages and, as appropriate, archives content associated with the user’s conversations such as chat text, call detail records and file transfer information.  During Skype for Windows 5.x voice and video conversations it also displays, in the upper part of the pane, not only other party’s Skype profile graphic or video associated with the call participants but also user “controls” to manage how the call proceeds:

• a Call Bar beneath the image allows the user to manage the call activity, such as adding people, bringing up a dial pad, opening a chat window, sharing a desktop or file and, via the Call Quality Information  tool, monitor associated hardware and Internet connection conditions. This latter tool has been discussed previously with a recommendation to adopt all the features of this call bar in Skype for Mac 5. Also note that, from the CallBar, there is an obvious icon from which you can open a chat window below the video image.
• during a video call you can select whether you want to continue to view the video within the Conversation pane (with an option to zoom in on the image), in a separate “pop-out” window or Full Screen. There is also an option to capture a snapshot.

Recommendations for the Conversation Pane

1. Use the right pane solely for conversations; move all the Contact management activity, especially Contact Groups, to the left Contact pane.
2. Invoke all the features of the Skype for Windows call bar, including the Call Quality Information tool; this has been a most useful tool during calls in ensuring that all the audio and video hardware is working during (or prior to) a call.
3. Include the larger blue Chat icon, not a barely visible down arrow to open the chat window.
4. Invoke the Snapshot/Zoom/Full screen/Pop-out feature bar. When in an HD video call with Full Screen Skype is approaching a telepresence effect that will be even more useful with newer (HD) webcams that can pick up an entire small board or meeting room.
5. Invoke these changes while leaving available the existing View options to have a small Call Control bar that remains visible while in other Mac desktops and to have a list of contacts online. Useful options but they should be “Mac” enhancements to the feature set of Skype for Windows 5.
6. As with Skype for Windows 5, invoke a “Home” screen for viewing some conversation history information and manage the User’s Skype profile.
7. I’m neutral on whether to invoke Facebook; occasionally I find it useful.
8. Keep the indicator on the left of the panel for expanding the video image to the full width of the Skype window.

Bottom Line: Users are not only looking to have all the primary Contact, Calling and Conversation features available across Windows and Mac (and potentially Linux) platforms but they are most comfortable when there is consistency between the User Interfaces. In some cases there is a feature that is currently available in Skype for Mac 5 (such as viewing Full Screen) but it’s the User Interface triggering “button”  or icon that should have a base level of uniformity across all platforms.

One may say that most users have only one platform but I am in a family where some members run on Windows while others run on the Mac. Also during cross platform calls it is features such as the Call Quality Info or Sharing icon that I ask the other party to use or seek out when they are having difficulty with, say, their hardware or features such as screen  sharing.

Other posts in this series:

• Skype for Mac 5 – From Ecstasy to Agony
• Skype for Mac 5: Returning to Ecstasy – Step 1 – Consistency

Other views on this issue:

• Ignore the Code: Skype 5 Ideas
• Dan York, Disruptive Telephony: My 3 Main Issues With Skype 5.x For The Mac
• Balance Network: Skype 5 for Mac Redesign, “A little more than just a Chat Style”
• Attack of Design: Skype Beta for Mac’s Usability Failings
• Hudson Barton, Aaytch: How To Fix Skype-for-Mac 5.x
• Andy Abramson, VoIP Watch: Skype Has Another Set of Outages Yesterday
• Keith Lang: screen shot on how to organize Contacts
• Jaanus Kase: Skype 5 for Mac: spatial arrangement and inconsistent single-window design

And, for those design masters: enter the Mac chat style competition; competition announcement

Related articles

• Skype for Mac 5.0 Goes Gold: Incorporating Beta Feedback and More (voiceontheweb.biz)
• What’s New in Skype 5 for Mac? (appreaders.com)
• Skype’s "Easy Conference Call" – A Hidden Gem (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype for Windows 5.2 Released: Subtle Window Dressings (voiceontheweb.biz)

For over a year the author has been a keen user of Skype for Windows 5 as a Skype client that has simplicity, yet flexibility. It’s easy to manage contacts, follow conversations, handle video calls as well as archive and search conversation history. Yet, with the release of Skype for Mac 5, there has been a “Skype for Mac 5” fever outbreak on the Internet due to its lack of consistency with these features. Bottom line is that users are confused and, in many cases have gone back to Skype for Mac 2.8. The rash of posts reminds me of a famous comedy routine asking “Who’s on first, What’s on second and I Don’t Know on third” (read down the post for an explanation). On the other hand the Skype for Mac team says they are listening.

It is obvious from personal enquiries and blog posts that Mac users have not experienced Skype for Windows 5 and why it has become so readily accepted after some initial feedback from beta versions and even previous “Gold” versions. The irony here is that, whether intentional or not, Skype for Windows 5 subtly incorporated some of the widely acclaimed  User Interface features of Skype for Mac 2.8.

Behind all this, Phil Wolff, in How to keep & maintain an online relationship tip #1 (Skype!), points out how deeply Skype has penetrated our psyche:

First, Skype is just assumed. It is not novel, special, or difficult. It’s just there, like it’s always been. How could you not Skype? More than seven years after launch, Skype is part of American [Ed. worldwide] youth culture. Like tuxedo nail polish art.

In this post I want to point out where some key terminology needs to aligned so that a couple of terms used in Skype for Mac 5 is consistent with the terms already used in Skype for Windows 5. Keep in mind that in Skype for Windows 5 there are two underlying panes, each with a consistent purpose:

• Contacts on the left: add them, manage them, organize them, select whom you want to converse with and open the relevant conversation pane.
• Conversations on the right: it’s about content! Chat sessions, call detail records for voice and video calls, file transfer information, when did it happen? over what time period. Even the Facebook feature puts conversation content into the same pane. And if you select your own name at the top of the Contacts pane you deal with your own personal “content”.

Compact View

In his  Ignore the Code post, Skype 5 for Mac, Lukas Mathis provided an example where he was able to follow eight separate chat conversations in one Mac desktop. When he wants to deal with Skype he simply switches to his “Skype” desktop and picks up on the relevant conversations – switching desktops is unique to the Mac OS/X:

Skype for Windows has a Default View where the Contacts pane and Conversation pane are side-by-side in one window. However, after a wave of initial user feedback, it quickly incorporated a “Compact View” where conversations could be broken out into separate windows with the following result for an eight window scenario:

One window for managing Contacts, three containing group discussions, one window for the dialpad (more on that in another post) and three conversation sessions with individuals. However, one advantage of Mac OS/X is the ability to have up to four “desktops”. As a result there is the potential to keep these windows open on one Mac desktop and have them readily accessible by using the Mac OS/X features for switching desktops.

Because I personally find it easier to manage conversations in my activities, I now prefer the Default View; however, users have a choice; choice has won over acceptance.

But “Compact View” in the current Skype for Mac 5 simply removes the Contacts’ Profile Pictures from the list of Contacts in the left pane; frankly, it’s useful only because I want to optimize real estate and maximize the number of Contacts I see in the left pane. And forget about the “Cover Roll” view; I find no reason or utility for it other than aesthetics.

Anti-biotic recommendation One: Incorporate the flexibility to have either a single “Contacts/Conversation” pane or a “Compact View” similar to Skype for Windows 5 where the Contacts pane is accompanied by multiple individual conversation panes, such that Lukas could keep his “Skype” desktop. And use the term “Compact View” for this option on both platforms.

Groups and Categories

When Skype launched Skype 4.0 for Windows it changed the definition of Contact Groups (“Groups”) and introduced a new term: “Contact Categories” (“Categories”). Basically a Group is comprised of all the Contacts participating in a Group Chat or Group Voice call (multi-party call). A Group is created in the Conversation Pane either by dragging Contacts into the blue header of a Conversation pane or using the “Add People” button in the Conversation pane call bar. Once created, a Group can be added as a Contact in the Contact pane’s list.

Contact Categories, associated with the Contacts pane only, are subsets of Contacts that can be categorized by some common interest. Basically by selecting a Category from the Contacts (or left) tab in the Conversation pane you only see those Contacts within the Category – a great tool when you have over, say, 50 Contacts and the Categories only include those for whom there is a common association.

The issue with Skype for Mac 5 is that what are Categories in Skype for Windows 5 are still called Groups in Skype for Mac 5. And, with Skype for Mac 5.1 the Groups are listed across the top of the Conversation side of the client. Also I can find no way to create a Group in Skype for Mac 5.1; fortunately adding a new Category in Skype for Windows 5 is reflected in the “Groups” of Skype for Mac 5.

Anti-biotic recommendation 2: Incorporate the Skype for Windows 5 algorithms for identifying and managing Categories and Groups into Skype for Mac 5. Use the left (“Contacts”) pane only for all management of Contacts, including Categories. And introduce a “Create Contact Categories” feature.

Managing “Who’s on First”

(Apologies to non-North Americans who have not heard the Abbott and Costello’s famous “Who’s On First” routine; it’s a word play parody incorporating baseball analogies.)

In Skype for Windows 5, near the top of the Contacts pane are two “tabs”: on the left one for selecting Categories as defined above; on the other a tab called , simply – and appropriately – “Recent”. It builds a Contact timeline, going backwards, of those Contacts with whom a user has had her/his most recent conversations. The latter reflects Phil’s statement:

In my own experience Skype weighs fresh conversations more heavily than other factors.

Select a Contact under either tab and the Conversation pane opens up with a chat window and button bar from which a conversation with that Contact (or Group Contact) may be launched or continued. Note that there is also a Search window where a user can quickly find a Contact when the Contact list gets too long to appear within the length of the Contacts pane; a feature I find very helpful.

But one might as well watch “Who’s On First” to get a flavor for the confusion created in Skype for Mac 5. Contacts and “Recent” Contacts are not readily separated or categorized. In fact, if you want to see the Contacts in a Group …  woops Category … you need to click on a a Group (Category) name in the right pane and the Contacts are listed in what should only contain conversation content.

Anti-biotic recommendation 3: Incorporate the Categories tab, Recent tab and Search window that is seen in Skype for Windows 5. If there are any “Mac”-unique quirks associated with doing this, such as a floating Contact Monitor, incorporate them as an enhancement but keep consistency with the basics as a starting point.

Bottom line: Not only should Skype for Mac have the same feature set as Skype for Windows, as often  promoted by Dan York, but also the user interface and associated terminology should be similar such that a user going from one platform to the other can just continue to use Skype in a manner totally transparent to the user. On the other hand, let the Skype for Mac team innovate through enhancements that take advantage of features of Mac OS/X where feasible and reasonable.

Other posts in this series:

• Skype for Mac 5 – From Ecstasy to Agony
• Skype for Mac 5: Returning to Ecstasy – Step 2 – The Conversation Pane

Other views on this issue:

• Ignore the Code: Skype 5 Ideas
• Dan York, Disruptive Telephony: My 3 Main Issues With Skype 5.x For The Mac
• Balance Network: Skype 5 for Mac Redesign, “A little more than just a Chat Style”
• Attack of Design: Skype Beta for Mac’s Usability Failings
• Hudson Barton, Aaytch: How To Fix Skype-for-Mac 5.x
• Andy Abramson, VoIP Watch: Skype Has Another Set of Outages Yesterday
• Keith Lang: screen shot on how to organize Contacts
• Jaanus Kase: Skype 5 for Mac: spatial arrangement and inconsistent single-window design

And, for those design masters: enter the Mac chat style competition; competition announcement

Related articles

• Skype for Mac 5.0 Goes Gold: Incorporating Beta Feedback and More (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype for Mac 5, Skype for iPhone 3.0.1 – Upgrade Wednesday (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype for Windows 5.2: Subtle Window Dressings II – “Text Tone” Dialing (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Months pass, and fury over Skype 5 for Mac still boils (skypejournal.com)
• This Is What Skype 5 For Mac Should Look Like (techcrunch.com)

When I met Skype’s Vice President for Consumer Products, Neil Stevens, at CES 2011, one of his points was that he wanted to see more frequent Skype client upgrades, reducing the time between new upgrades from 12 to 18 months down to 2 to 3 months. Skype certainly demonstrated that last week when, two months after the launch of Skype 5.1 for Windows, Skype released Skype for Windows 5.2 with a set of subtle improvements that largely relate to the user experience when initiating calls.

The most obvious change is to the Call Bar. Whereas previously one would see:

the Call Bar has become:

The most obvious change is the switching of the order of the “Video Call” and (voice) “Call” buttons and the  elimination of a separate line for “Skype”, “Mobile”, “Office”, etc. numbers. No doubt the former is a result of two factors:

• the popularity of video calling where Skype claims that over 40% of all calls are now video calls and
• the recent introduction of Group Video calling as  a revenue generating premium service

Access to any type of voice call is now done via the Call Button, which has acquired an associated drop down menu. In turn this drop down menu provides the access to the contact’s various voice calling options. If the Contact’s presence is Online(), a Skype-to-Skype call would be the default.  Should be user not be available (Offline, Invisible or set for Call Forwarding ) but has entered a mobile or landline number into their Skype profile, there are three changes:

• the Call button has changed to read “Call Mobile” (or Office or Home)
• the Mobile, Home or Office number would be checked off as the default destination for placing a call.
• you have a “heads up” that a Skype-to-Skype call selection will result in reaching the contact’s voice mail

While the drop down menu shows a default based on presence, you can still select one of the other options to initiate a voice call but you are now forewarned that a Skype-to-Skype call to someone with one of the three “not present” statuses mentioned above could result in reaching their voicemail.

Note that the drop down menu also allows the addition of a phone number. Very handy when you know the contact’s phone number but they have not entered it into their Skype profile.

One more change to the Call Bar: the “Share Button” provides a ready access to sharing a Contact or File. If you are in a call, the Screen Sharing option becomes available.

Bottom line: while these changes can reduce the number of clicks to make a call or share information, they also provide, in a subtle way, readier access to Skype’s revenue generating Group Video Calling and SkypeOut services. With only 8% of Skype users actually using SkypeOut it would be interesting to see if these changes actually provide any more than slightly incremental revenues.

Watch for a post on the changes to the “Call Phones” menu.

Download Skype 5.2 for Windows here or go to Help | Check for Updates in your Skype for Windows client.

And should you even be making a voice call? Check out this New York TImes article: Don’t Call Me, I Won’t Call You. (Warning NYT may have initiated their pay wall.)

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• Skype for Mac 5.0 Goes Gold: Incorporating Beta Feedback and More (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype At CES 2011: It’s All About Video and Mobile (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype’s “Easy Conference Call” – A Hidden Gem (voiceontheweb.biz)

This week I am attending the fourth Emerging Communications Conference, or eComm America 2010, with the byline “What’s Next in Telecom, Mobile and Internet Communications”. The first morning was probably one of the best overall sessions for providing an update of where several major players are taking their offerings and how they are contributing to bring more value add into real time communications experiences.

For example:

Erik Winkler, CEO of Bit Torrent, whose  peer-to-peer file transfer service gets caught up in the Net Neutrality debate since their service has the potential to take over all the traffic to an end user during a download, talked about management of congestion and differentiated it as an issue that is independent of management of content issues. Offering a solution that represented a win for consumers, the communications industry and publishers, he talked about taking a “congestion control approach” to address the problem with recommendations that leave management of content out of the issue:

• manage for congestion
• manage in a protocol agnostic manner
• meter fairly
• re-think download caps since they have no obvious link to congestion
• incent network friendly behavior

Next up was Craig Walker, Group Product Manager, Google Voice who talked about moving communications into the cloud. (As a hint to Google’s overall tactics, I had attended a Mobile Monday event in Toronto two weeks ago; the feature presentation talked about “moving communications into the cloud” from a mobile device perspective.) Craig started out with the economic arguments for this shift, eliminating server hardware and oversight resources from a business’s communications costs. As a result a startup can generate interesting communications applications without having to deal with the capital cost overhead of a traditional telco. And he concluded with an overview of Google Voice and how it can provide a person with a “Find Me, Follow Me” single number to reach the person at any of multiple end point devices, while at the same time managing the voice mail that can arise from having multiple “numbers” to reach those end points.

Next we learned some insight into the U.S. National Broadband plan from Carlos Kirjner, Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. His three major discussion points: “Why the Plan?”, “The ‘Aha’ Moments” and “How to Make It Better”:

Why: Congress mandated it but there’s really a fundamental revolution, at a level similar to the introduction of the printing press and electricity, taking place that will impact the U.S. economy

The Aha’s: The need to consider the entire ecosystem that brings together a national broadband infrastructure: not simply connectivity but also devices, applications, network, consumer issues, regulatory issues and legal constraints. He went on to define what FCC sees as the role of government including competition policy that will drive and foster innovation, assets to be managed such as spectrum allocation, universal service mechanisms and, not to be overlooked, laws, rules and standards for key sectors.

With respect to competition he emphasized the importance of tracking and benchmarking actual behavior, lowering barriers to entry, device competition, application innovation and empowering consumers. In closing his third major point was to ask for feedback while noting that real data beats analyses which, in turn, beats out opinions when it comes to setting policies.

After the morning break, we heard from Jonathan Rosenberg, Skype’s Chief Technology Strategist, whose presentation on Social Sharing 2.0 and the role of Real Time Communications will be the subject of a separate post.

Jonathan was followed by one of his former Cisco colleagues, Cullen Jennings, a Distinguised Engineer in the CTO office at Cisco, on the subject of Identity for Global Communications and that least common denominator of voice calling identity, the phone number. Cisco’s proposed ViPR technology combines a Distributed Hash Table, the PSTN and SIP to provide “Blue Sky Computing” that can validate that a number being called is actually reaching the party whom one really wants to communicate with for privacy or security reasons. It’s a peer-to-peer solution that has implications for communications business models.

The morning session concluded with two product announcements; both designed to provide intelligent business communications solutions that facilitate PBX-type functionality for managing calls to the appropriate end point within a business’s ecosystem: Ringio (a startup launched yesterday) and CounterPath’s new Nomadic PBX. Both could be represented as solutions for a mobile Call Center with different approaches to the issue and target markets.

Bottom Line: Overall I came out this session with a lot to absorb but impressed with not simply the thinking behind these offerings but also the execution that is taking place to make these solutions a reality.

Note re photos: Photo by James Duncan Davidson, the show photographer.

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Over the past six weeks I have attended four local social media and technology events – a PodCamp, a monthly social networking seminar, an annual project management ski day and  WordCamp Toronto 2010. At each I was able to bring along a few Skype Everyman headsets to be given away as prizes.

Prior to selecting the prize winners I had two or three minutes to talk about how the Everyman worked and their affiliation with Skype; the outcome was not simply a mere handing out of hardware but rather became an opportunity to learn about how broadly and enthusiastically Skype is accepted and used across a range of personal and business communications activities. I started by asking how many in the audience use Skype – usually about 50% to 60% raise their hands but at WordCamp Toronto Saturday about 95% of the 400 attendees raised their hands; three who came up to talk with me later said they had to start using it.

But here’s the best part – it was the spontaneous emotional enthusiasm they exhibited for their use of Skype. Not only when handing out the prizes but by the questions and inquiries I received during subsequent networking breaks. It was the smile on their faces telling about the success they had experienced.

I heard stories of weekly family calls back to South Africa, Europe and the Far East, often with video. I heard stories of how small business entrepreneurs depend on Skype for weekly conference calls to manage their projects and the use of screen sharing to build business relationships around the world.

On the other hand, some conversations would become a mini-training session. Skype has so many features of which users are unaware. Editing chat messages, one-to-one screen sharing and using the FireFox and Internet Explorer Skype toolbars were some of the subjects of conversations during networking breaks at WordCamp Toronto.

As a result Voice On The Web will be introducing two new features:

• Skype in My Life: how users use Skype to support their personal and business life.
• SkypeHints: a twitter feed that will provide daily tips and hints reminding users of the many individual features that are available within Skype with links back to more details at the Voice On The Web reference guide.

If you have a story, tip or hint that you would like to share send your suggestions to me at jim dot courtney at voiceontheweb dot biz or contact me on Skype (mention Skype Hints or Skype Stories in the chat message or contact request).

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This week Skype has released final “Gold” versions of three of their software offerings: Skype for Windows Mobile 3.0; Skype for iPhone 1.1 and Skype for Windows 4.1, their primary client.

Skype for Windows Mobile 3.0 goes Gold: From Peter Parkes:

It includes two cool new features: SMS and file transfer. Sending SMSs using Skype is a great way to reach friends and family instantly anywhere in the world – Skype’s low rates mean that you won’t have to break the bank to do it. And file transfer lets you send files quickly when you’re on the move.

Download here. Check out the Release Notes.

Skype for iPhone 1.1. While available for the new iPhone 3G S and the iPhone 3G, most important is that this release requires that you have performed the OS 3.0 upgrade to the iPhone 3G (initially sold last July); it should be offered automatically when you next connect your iPhone to iTunes on a PC. This upgrade adds features such as Cut/Copy and Paste along with many other improvements.

As for the iPhone for Skype software, it adds voicemail and SMS features as well as some improvements to the user interface. It also adds support for several languages such that the language support comprises: Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish and Traditional Chinese as well as various English versions.

This one needs to be downloaded from the App Store via iTunes or as an upgrade on the device.

Canadians are still awaiting a resolution of a G729 patent issue before Skype for iPhone becomes legally available in Canada. Canadians have to be developing a syndrome about being left out of certain Skype offerings freely available in the rest of the world. And  now many of us early adopters would like to be able to take advantage of Rogers’ iPhone upgrade offer.

Skype 4.1 for Windows goes Gold. By far the most useful new feature of Skype 4.1 beta has been the screen sharing where I have easily shared spreadsheets, performed PowerPoint presentations and reviewed Word documents, as long as the sharing in only with one other Skype user. (Remember this screen sharing is done via the Skype for Video channel for which only one-to-one video calls are permitted.) It also includes sound and video quality improvements. (The screen sharing is a catch-up to a feature available on Skype for Mac 2.8 beta for several months.)

Bottom Line: incremental improvements that provide evolution, not revolution, of the feature sets. My biggest issue is a request to restore complete support for Public Chat sessions where enhanced marketing support of this feature would drive new adoptions (or is it that Skype cannot figure out a business model for Skype for Public Chat? – purely my speculations).

Other posts:

• Rogers steps for up iPhone 3G customers. Early adopters of the iPhone 3G have a significant upgrade offer until July 31, 2009. I am given to understand similar offers are available in several other countries.
• Dan York: Skype launches version 4.1… (yawn)… still only Windows… still a fragmented product strategy

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• Accessing Skype on the iPhone and BlackBerry (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Will AT&T’s Randall Stephenson Mobilize Skype? (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype on Mobile: What Would Be a Realistic Skype Announcement at CTIA Wireless Next Week? (voiceontheweb.biz)
• Skype Without a Personal Computer (voiceontheweb.biz)
• iPhone 3GS? Not Enough to Justify the Cost (and AT&T Sucks) (smarterware.org)
• Qik Brings Live Video To The iPhone 3GS. But You Still Won’t Find It In The App Store. (techcrunch.com)

When I went to sign up for InnerPass Share and Collaborate a couple of weeks ago I was surprised to find a 50% discount on their Professional Plan. Normally $4.95 per month, a twelve month subscription will only cost $29.95. But this promotion only lasts for another week to May 31, 2009.

Recall that document sharing is InnerPass core strength; they have integrated Skype and desktop sharing to build document rooms where shared documents can be persistently stored and retrieved as necessary by designated “room” participants.

Subscribing to any of the InnerPass subscription plans (Personal (free), Professional or Business) during this promotion (by May 31, 2009) also enters your name to win the new ASUS Eee Skype Videophone AiGuru SV1. Having had an evaluation unit for a few weeks, I’ll be providing a review shortly. In the interim, suffice it to say, it provides an interesting Skype video call experience – without the need for a personal computer. Simply plug into an Ethernet jack or sign onto a WiFi network, enter your Skype account information and you’re able to make Skype video calls.

As for using the InnerPass document management service, I am finding that its persistence feature is quite useful for project document sharing without the need for using more complicated ftp services to exchange files. Since its launch this past January (2009), over 800,000 hosts and guests have been exposed to InnerPass’s service.

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• Skype for Business: Building a Case Study Repository (voiceontheweb.biz)

At this year’s CES 2009 Skype press conference, COO Scott Durchslag provided an overview of Skype Everywhere (or Skype Wherever Whenever). Basically Skype is looking to become installed wherever there is a communications device with embedded intelligence (processor and memory) and an Internet connection capability. Along with the announcement yesterday of the new Skype – Nokia partnership, Scott put up a post on the Share Skype Blog that outlines the three components of Skype’s strategy for mobile devices:

• Current users: Make Skype available for consumers to download onto their existing mobile handsets. Skype Lite is architected for incorporation into any of over 100 Java-enabled handsets, including any supporting Google Android. In discussing Skype for Windows Mobile, Scott mentions that SMS messaging and File Transfer are being integrated into the forthcoming Skype for Windows Mobile 3.0.
• Smartphone manufacturers: Develop partnerships with smartphone manufacturers “tightly integrate and pre-install Skype on their devices”. Skypephone and INQ are two existing examples; the Skype – Nokia partnership announced earlier this week is the next step. These phones will be targeted to consumers who may never have attempted to use a computer to connect to the Internet. But it requires simplicity and a familiar algorithm in the user interface:
  • Find a number in the device’s native address book, click on the green “Call” button, the party is called transparently over Skype. If the call is to a Skype contact anywhere worldwide there is no additional cost; if to the PSTN, SkypeOut charges will apply at a minimum.
  • But these phones are also capable of supporting Skype IM’s presence information and chat conversations worldwide.
• Carriers: The Skyephone relationship with Hutcheson 3, using embedded iSkoot firmware, has certainly been a success. Most importantly, its “free calling” marketing campaign has certainly helped 3 acquire new users who previously would never have thought of getting such a smartphone, even if it has a limited feature set (relative to, say, iPhone, BlackBerry or Android). From the Skype Lite announcement at CES it is apparent that Skype is developing relationships with carriers in at least ten other countries, including the U.S. But details of the specific carrier relationships have yet to be announced.

Many of these services involve using the data network for Skype IM and call setup while using the robust and readily scalable GSM voice channel for voice conversations. Other issues that will provide market differentiation include:

• keyboard: QWERTY or T9? this makes a huge difference as to how much Skype IM will be used.
• display size: how readily and effectively can the device display Internet-originated content?
• battery life: will there still be enough battery life after a day of work to enjoy an evening of entertainment without a recharge?
• overall user interface: bottom line for the user experience – how readily can I get access to the services I want, using a familiar calling algorithm?

And all this leads to “What is the business model for Skype”? That will be the subject of another post.

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• Skype Integration On Handsets: Threat Or Opportunity For Mobile VoIP Startups? (techcrunch.com)
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• Nokia to preload Skype onto handsets beginning in Q3 (mobilecrunch.com)

Skype Blogger Peter Parkes has written about the Gold release of Skype for Windows 2.5. This version provides an improved user experience for Skype calling and chat messages. Click on the image to download.

But Skype is also previewing the first beta of Skype for Windows mobile 3.0, adding file transfer and SMS messaging, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.

Question: which of these versions will be supporting the Skype panel on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 announced today?

Update: Skype’s Andrew Brennan: A Quick Look at Skype 2.5 for Windows Mobile, including screenshots.

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• Skype previews pre-beta version of Skype 3.0 for Windows Mobile (downloadsquad.com)
• Microsoft announces Windows Mobile 6.5 features, new mobile services (Benjamin J. Romano/Microsoft Pri0) (techmeme.com)
• GearChat: Windows Mobile 6.5 Officially Unveiled (geardiary.com)

Over the past eight months 1.2 million Skype users have participated in the Skype for Windows 4.0 beta program (stage 1, stage 2, stage 3). During this beta period, not only current user feedback was sought but also feedback from new users installing Skype for the first time. The goal was to provide a user interface that was more intuitive while encouraging users to go beyond simply voice calls to experience and use chat and video conversations.

Today Skype is announcing the Gold release of Skype 4.0 for Windows. From the download page:

We’ve built this brand new Skype so you can have the conversations that make a difference to you, every day. It’s easy to use, plus step-by-step guides help you get started.

While most of the new features have been revealed during the beta period, Skype’s marketing will focus on three key features:

• New user interface; with over 25% of Skype-to-Skype calls involving video this new release has been designed with a focus on improving the video call user experience.
• Improved call quality: Skype 4.0 for Windows incorporates Skype’s new SILK codec whose features are discussed in a separate post today. Bottom line is a crisp, crystal clear audio experience, yet only half the network bandwidth of other codecs is required to support a voice call.
• Bandwidth management: a new bandwidth manager has been developed with the goal of improving overall call performance by adapting, in real time, to degraded or low speed network conditions, such as those caused by excessive packet loss and/or jitter.

The new user interface also has taken into account factors that encourage users to explore Skype beyond voice calling. Incorporating beta user feedback Skype has found that the new UI is driving up adoption rates for Instant Messaging, file transfer and video. When you open a contact window launching a voice, chat or video conversation requires a single click on the respective voice (“Call”), chat or video button. The associated text pane tracks not only chat messages but also voice and video call detail information (launch time, end time) as well as file transfer information. And, as in the past with chat, the entire record is all archived on your local PC for future recall.

Other features: You can choose to view your Skype activity in one larger screen or in individual “conversation” windows. During a call a drop down menu on the “call audio control bar” provides quick access to making any necessary audio or video settings. Single click buttons allow you to quickly change oe add conversation modes to adapt to the context of the conversation. A wizard provides assistance with testing audio and video settings. During their testing they found that these features drove new users to more quickly experience chat and video while there was an increase in usage of these modes by legacy users.

On-the-fly the bandwidth manager can adjust both video and audio transmission by making real time adjustments to parameters such as video resolution, frames-per-second or audio bandwidth. to ensure an ability to maintain a basic level of communication while enduring these conditions. Once again the goal is to improve the overall user experience with no user intervention required.

Two changes;

• The SkypeMe! status button has been removed as a result of its tendency to be used for spamming and other forms of unwanted calls. (Of course you also still have the option to only allow callers in your Contact list to call you.). Along with this Skype has introduced “abuse reporting” which is monitored by Skype personnel for dealing with undesirable calling activity.
• While you can still participate in Public Chat sessions launched or joined from Skype 3.8, there is still no ability to launch or join a Public Chat from Skype 4.0 for Windows. This is my primary complaint about the new user interface. We have had a Skype 4.x Public Chat discussion ongoing since May, 2007; it has provided an interesting dialogue amongst Skype users and Skype personnel, including some feedback on features in Skype 4.0. And is has supported many other informal “water fountain” conversations amongst special interest communities of Skype users. Skype for Windows Product Manager Mike Bartlett claimed yesterday, during an interview, that Skype was reviewing how to embark on “public conversations” in today’s messaging world where services such as Twitter and Friend Feed also provide ongoing dialogues. However, Skype Public Chat has its own “space” in terms of user community; it needs to be brought back as soon as possible.

Over the next few weeks, with more experience using Skype 4.0 for Windows we may cover some features in more detail. In the meantime you can download it here. We look forward your feedback in the Comments. Release Notes are here.

Yesterday Skype went past 16 million concurrent users around 1830 GMT. It will be interesting to monitor both the concurrent user number and Hudson Barton’s “real user” indicator as Skype 4.0 for Windows installations grow over the next couple of weeks..

Of course, the best news is that Skype-to-Skype calls (including multi-party calls), chat and video calling remain free. And there are calling plan subscriptions available for low cost calling to landlines worldwide.

Other Posts:

• Mike Bartlett Discusses Skype 4.0 Beta on Squawk Box
• Skype’s videos about the 4.0 beta limited release
• Mike Bartlett Comments on Skype 4.0 User Feedback
• Mike Bartlett on Skype 4.0 Beta 1 Feedback

A year ago August IBM‘s Lotus Sametime Division announced the acquisition of Skype Partner Webdialogs to obtain their widely respected Unyte Desktop Sharing collaboration technology. About four months later we learned, from Lou Guercia, Lotus SameTime’s Director of Operations and Strategy, more about Unyte’s integration into the Lotus SameTime offerings. In that post on Lou’s presentation I asked:

Question: with IBM pursuing excellence on a service that comprises voice, video, chat and file transfer in a secure, encrypted environment, and with the stated goals of “working with their partners”, would this not result in a situation where IBM would be licensing Skype technology to provide a comprehensive real time multi-media communications infrastructure?

With announcements this week, including some at IBM’s annual Lotusphere 2009 event in Orlando, FL, it seems like that question is starting to get some answers..

Yesterday IBM announced “A Strong Fourth Quarter, a rarity these days“. ZDNet’s Dennis Howlett, in Can IBM sustain its momentum, goes on the provide some background, pointing out that most of IBM’s growth is occuring in its software division. Certainly IBM sees its Lotus Sametime division as a key to sustaining their momentum. Except it appears that IBM has reorganized their SameTime collaborative services into “a cloud-based porfolio of social networking and collaboration services designed for business” under a new name: LotusLive.

In a press release this past Monday, in conjunction with the annual Lotusphere event, Skype announced:

…. it will integrate Skype™ functionality with LotusLive (www.lotuslive.com), IBM’s new cloud services which are designed to help individuals build communities to work smarter, more effectively and more efficiently across and beyond their own companies. Skype’s voice and video calling will add rich, real-time communications capabilities to LotusLive, making it even easier for enterprises to collaborate in the cloud.

At Lotusphere 2009, IBM demonstrated the new Skype integration into LotusLive Engage, “an integrated suite of tools that combines your network [of contacts] with Web conferencing and collaboration capabilities like file storing and sharing, instant messaging and chart creation.”

Today we interviewed Peter Kalmstrom, Skype’s Program Manager for Toolbars, who had been attending Lotusphere to assist with the demonstrations. Peter made several points:

• This announcement covers only the first step of what will be a series of Skype integrations into the LotusLive offerings.
• The integration into LotusLive Engage is targeted at “businesses looking to collaborate inside and outside the organization to easily expand their networks…” In other words for businesses that need to include, say, sub-contractors, third party consultants, suppliers and buyers within their business operation processes.
• Within a LotusLive Engage contact profile, “Skype” fields have been added such that when a user clicks on a a name to bring up a profile card, the user can launch a Skype conversation and transfer files with a single click.
• The only additional requirement for engaging in a Skype conversation is that the initiating user must have a Skype client open.
• In addition to Skype-to-Skype calls, SkypeOut calls can also be made.
• Where several contact profile cards have been opened, a user can launch a Skype multi-party call
• Due to the nature of LotusLive Engage’s web architecture, the resulting Skype access is cross-platform; it does NOT require that the user have a Skype web (FF or IE) toolbar installed.
• A session can then also launch a Lotus Web Meeting (also known as a Lotus SameTime Unyte meeting).

Sounds like the Lotusphere demonstrations got the brainstorming going between Skype and IBM. In a concluding statement Peter said:

“We are enthusiastic about the partnership with IBM and we see a lot of areas where we can collaborate and help each other improve our services. We met with a series of executives at IBM during Lotusphere and the general feeling was highly positive.”

At the same time IBM announced Salesforce.com and LinkedIn integration into their LotusLive services. Andy at VoIP Watch comments on the competitive “collaboration and communications” space where IBM LotusLive, Microsoft Office Live and Google Apps are the key players.

With the IBM offering, we are seeing one more example of “Skype Everywhere”, in this case, being embedded into an offering that is key to IBM’s future success in delivering cloud-based outsourced business services.

Phil will have some comments on the technical aspects of this integration along with where he feels there are “deeper” integration opportunities.

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Over the past two weeks there have been several announcements and activities related to the personal conversation space:

• Skype announced its Skype 4.0 beta program trialing a “full desktop” interface.
• SightSpeed announced an improved SightSpeed client with many engineering improvements to enhance video and audio quality
• SightSpeed for Business announced a 9-party video conferencing capability
• iotum launched its rebranded CalliFlower voice conferencing platform
• Dell announced their new Studio line of prosumer laptops incorporating Dell Video Chat powered by SightSpeed.

And the combination of these announcements, along with my own experience in using these services, hit home once again that it’s all about the user experience. This market needs to remain competitive through innovation but at the same time it’s also measured against performance, process and marketing. Skype and iotum have set some standards to be met, including:

• High Quality Video that has turned my lethargy about video calling into an enthusiastic user whenever feasible. Its 640 x 480 @ 30 frames per second over widely available (cable and DSL) broadband connections, along with top quality webcam optics, sets the standard I am looking for.
• Echo cancellation: while I continue to use a headset for privacy and courtesy reasons, most of my Skype calls are to contacts who are using the basic microphone and speakers provided as the basic configuration of a PC.
• Wideband or HD audio: provides an clarity of sound that constantly amazes. Unfortunately, our legacy phone system makes compromises that we have to live with but when it comes to VoIP-based services I want that HD voice.
• Complementary services: iotum’s interactive participant interface richly enhances the voice conference call experience.
• Upgrades: when I do an upgrade I just want the new version to work. No hangups, no PC freezes. Whereas upgrades could be the cause of much angst ten to fifteen years ago, upgrades offered to the public today – especially if enforced – need to “just work”. And these days I find most offerings meet that standard.
• Auxiliary services such as conversation archiving and file transfer.
• Beta programs are just that: programs to try out new concepts and get user feedback. Pre-Internet I ran software beta programs out of the public eye; today many services and offerings tend to leave their offering in a state of “constant beta” in the public eye such that users don’t realize that beta means provide feedback and check out the various phases as the offering evolves. But please don’t equate beta with the “officially released” product.

And my “like-to-have” list includes:

• Multi-party video conferencing
• Improved conversation management; switch readily between multiple conversations and see a record of all activities with a contact.
• Improved marketing at all the service providers: give us the straight goods, what is the benefit to the user? Forget the technology accomplishments, yes we appreciate – it’s about the user uptake and experience.

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Skype, a business unit of eBay, is the world’s pre-eminent Internet conversation service providing the ability to have free voice, text and/or video conversations worldwide with other Skype users. In addition Skype provides low cost voice connections to virtually any landline phone worldwide as well as mobile phones in North America (U.S. and Canada). It also provides voice connections to mobile phones elsewhere; however, in a “caller pays” wireless service world these calls do have somewhat higher charges.

With any of today’s personal computers, whether Windows-, Mac- or Linux-based, Skype users can not only converse but also have up to ten-party conference calls; exchange files, such as documents and photographs; send SMS messages and leave voicemails. A key security feature of Skype is that all conversations are encrypted as well as the file transfer. Communications enhanced business solutions, such as collaboration tools, call centers and unified messaging, are available from Skype partners.

Unique features of Skype include:

• Easily installed software (over 275 million accounts have been registered worldwide)
• Simple, straight forward user interface:
  • single click to initiate a conversation,
  • user managed contact directory,
  • full touchtone dialpad (usually to dial extensions or provide PIN numbers)
• High Definition (HD) voice: all Skype-to-Skype calls feature wideband voice,
  • capturing a more true-to-life high quality audio that makes conversations more readily understood
  • reduces “squawkiness” of traditional phone conversations
• Chat session archive going back six months
• Contact management, including caller blocking, only accepting calls from established contacts, etc.
• Standard Video: works with most webcams, including Mac iSight
  • 320 x 240 @ 15 fps
• High Quality Video: 640 x 480 @ 30 fps
  • requires Intel dual core processor and Logitech webcam with Carl-Zeiss optics

The Skype Ecosystem

Skype has established a network of hardware and software partners to extend Skype’s reach beyond the PC. Hardware partners produce Skype phones and headsets; software partners extend Skype’s traditional business model disruption by offering legacy enterprise telephony services, such as call centers and collaboration tools, at costs that are affordable for the small-to-medium business.

Skype Hardware

Skype’ licensed hardware vendors supply telephony hardware to support voice calls and text messaging. Their products include:

• Headsets for PC’s
• USB telephones that work in conjunction with Skype on the PC
• PC-Free phones which connect directly to the Internet via embedded Skype firmware

Skype also has worked with several mobile platform vendors to supply embedded firmware and software on Nokia Internet Tablets, Sony entertainment devices and the forthcoming Intel Mobile Internet Devices.

In late 2007 Skype partnered with the 3 wireless service in the U.K. to launch the 3 Skypephone that allows users of the service to make voice calls to, and/or exchange text messages with, any Skype user worldwide at no cost. Calls to PSTN numbers are via 3′s standard wireless services. The 3 Skypephone also includes popular mobile device features such as a snapshot/video camera and a media player. Other software partners have developed services that provide Skype access on RIM’s Blackberries, Nokia N- and E-series multimedia phones and Windows Mobile devices.

Skype and Communications Enhanced Business Processes

Skype has partnered with several developers to develop communications enhanced business solutions that significantly reduce business process costs. Collaboration tools, call center management, fax transmission, hosted unified messaging services, hosted voice services, Skype utilities (such as call recording, personalization, enhanced voice mail and session archiving) and high quality hosted conference calls are amongst the business tools offered by Skype’s partners. The impact of Skype’s partner offerings is often to open up to small businesses many communications tools that have traditionally been considered only to be cost effective for larger enterprises. [More details]

Skype API’s and Skype Developer Program

For developers and IT professionals who wish to either incorporate Skype into their offerings or develop new communications enhanced business processes, Skype’s Developer Program offers a full range of API’s and SDK’s to facilitate integration of Skype and its services.