Steven Savage

No funny lead ins – we got lots of news

Microsoft Buys Skype:
This is pretty big, and it's been ricocheting around the geekosphere all morning – but that's it. Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion.

There's now downside to a purchase of a company into voice/video communication, many users, with a solid (and repurposeable) technical base.

Geekwire thinks the same way I do – this is a killer combo with Kinect and the XBox. I'd also add that this puts Microsoft into "mobile" in a far different way and keeps heading the way I expect – they're going "around" Tablets to something else.

Skype pretty much confirms They're going to be everywhere.

So, quick tip roundup:

• This is good for Microsoft, perhaps very good – and their first big acquisition in awhile. Might be a good time to look at them for employment.
• This is a purchase against type – and for the future. Microsoft is clearly thinking ahead. Another good sign – and a sign to me they want to get more radical than Follow Apple.
• The gaming division in Microsoft is going to have a field day with this.
• This changes things for other gaming companies.

My Little Sony: Networking Is Tragic
Looks like it's at least a few more days. Really not an informative post, people.

By the way, remember this doesn't' just affect Sony and it's customers – it affects other game companies, like Capcom.

Economics/Geekonomics:
Who is paying for the Eurozone bailout. Something to remember when the people involved remind the EU members who saved their bacon.

Movies:
There's almost certainly going to be a Highlander Reboot for . . . I dunno, money. Really, what part of "there can be only one" didn't you people get . . .

Publishing:
Lulu.com's CEO speaks on how it's going to change direction – with an emphasis on platforms over just being a publisher. Oddly humble interview for someone so high up. I wonder if this means they might be further integrating with other services . . . say iBookstore, Google, etc. . . .

Technology:
Good sign for the economy? Y Combinator accepted a record number of startups.

Video:
MORE big news: Google to allow movie rentals via the Android Market. It sounds like it's basically like Apple's App store. Once again Google keeps a finger in every pie – and remember all their ventures with YouTube? Yeah, I wonder how they can combine that . . . and how amateur and indies can get into this marketplace.

Video Games:

Social game developer Funzio (who I never heard of) raised $20 million in investment. Get the resumes ready – you know what to do.

This is interesting – a merger of multiple Japanese game publishers – Marvelous, AQ Interactive, and Liveware. Liveware does mobile, the others do a mix of popular to oddball titles. Going to be interesting to see what they do.

QUESTION OF THE DAY:OK what is Microsoft gonna do with Kinect?

– Steven Savage