Microsoft May Replace Xbox Live Chat With Skype 46
CVG is reporting that Microsoft is working on "consolidating all their communications technology" around Skype, which they acquired in 2011 for $8.5 billion. Citing a source within the company, they say Skype will "become the default chat service on the next generation Xbox console as well as on PC and tablets." This would fit in with Microsoft's recent announcement that it is closing Messenger in March and replacing it with Skype. The article also cites a Microsoft job posting from last August which sought a UI designer for "Skype in the living room," with a focus on the next-gen Xbox system.
Uh oh... (Score:5, Funny)
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On the plus side, zit-shame might be enough to force the current 'dubiously-pubescent-assholes-screaming-obsceneties-into-the-mic' Xbox live chat demographic into hiding...
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not girlfriend! ayumi-tan is my waifu!
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This is just an effort to consolidate the ability of the US gov't to listen in to all your communication. It is a pain to have to use different software to listen to different calls depending on which service someone uses to communicate with a possible terrorist.
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
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Just what I need. Join an Xbox live party to see everyone's sitting around, naked on their couch like me...*facepalm*
Did Microsoft buy Chatroulette [wikipedia.org] too?
Re:Uh oh... (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, Chatroulette banned nudity. As a result, noone uses it.
Blog spam and wishful thinking... (Score:1)
Slashdot's editors fail again... Post some official news, not some hearsay from a loser with a blog.
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Good for you. You don't own a TV, either, I'm sure.
Ingame chat too? (Score:5, Interesting)
The article was fuzzy on details. Is the source suggesting in-game chat will go through the skype network as well? How does skype work with 36 people in a server? Also I never have echo or other problems with Xbox Live I have terrible problems with Skype. Could easily be because everybody has headsets in Xbox Live.
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How does skype work with 36 people in a serve
Fine
But for
Also I never have echo or other problems with Xbox Live I have terrible problems with Skype.
Skype works about as well for multi person chat as it does for two.
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We use Skype all the time for groups at work... I can say it sucks unless you have one person talking and everyone else listening -- last time I checked listened to an xbox game it was nothing like that. I see this as a huge failure... unless you don't want to hear video games or their players.
Having used a number of different systems for teleconferencing (and videoconferencing) over the years for work, Skype is definitely one of the better ones in that they do a lot better at handling the volume matching problem than most, and they're pretty good at stamping out feedback loops. Only Webex was consistently better on those fronts of the things I've tried, and given how much that costs, that's what you'd expect. Skype is also probably the best at firewall navigation (a serious issue when you're no
Sounds like a winning combination (Score:5, Funny)
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Anyway, most here probably know that Skype is a modified peer-to-peer client, leveraging the computers and bandwidth of the installed base to function, rather than requiring a large amount of dedicated hardware: it's the sort of decentralization the web's designers and the earlier dreamers meant to be common, but which isn't, and perhaps the only example of such software that is not only decentralized (thus "eggheadedly" designed)--though it can rely on centralized machines--but in common use among ord
Better than Skype on iPhone (Score:3)
I Skype with family on my iPhone and iPad and would rather do it on my Xbox
The larger camera will show everyone and no need to hold anything
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I Skype with family on my iPhone and iPad and would rather do it on my Xbox
The larger camera will show everyone and no need to hold anything
Sorry but whaaaat?
I have a HTPC where I have a skype videocalling possibilities. Little modified 28mm lense and TV of 42". Voice is done either bluetooth dongle (preferred) or via theater sound system with a conference mic with great echo cancelation (actually perfect).
Still I like to make the call via tablet as I can be personall and show stuff from rear camera when needed. And if wanted, I can place tablet on table or else without holding it. And I am not tied to living room.
start filing the lawsuits now (Score:4)
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Better with Microsoft than eBay (Score:2)
I personally believe that Skype has a better fit as a Microsoft-owned entity than it did as an eBay-owned entity. eBay had no [profitable] means to integrate it into their current business (e-commerce and online payments), and no experience in managing an instant messaging application. Microsoft, on the other hand, would be able to integrate Skype into their current business, and already has years of experience in managing an instant messaging application, due to their Messenger service.
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eBay bought Skype for 2.5 billion and sold it for 8.5 to MS. Do I need to explain to you why it was a good move for eBay to buy (and sell) skype?
Hopeful (Score:1)
Well, I personally am looking forward to this. I hope it comes out for the 360. I currently have one with Kinect sitting completely unused. However, if it worked with Skype I could contact my brother and his kid on a much larger screen. (Clearly he doesn't have an XBOX)
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Thats crap, they want you to pay gold for everything. You know you can't even watch youtube videos without paying the gold fee. What is up with that?
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Consoles charge you for online connectivity
It's a sham alright. How dare Sony and Nintendo charge $0 for playing games online? At least they have payment plans where I can spread the cost throughout the year.
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I wrote PC game (sic) & "PCs cost more". Also I wrote "Consoles" x2 so that would be all the big 3.
I think the main points of the post would be:
1) Its about Consoles VS PC.
2) The PC being better value for the consumer on both games cost and after sales value.
3) PCs cost more than consoles; but you can do more with a PC (if you need justification for the costs).
4) XBOX LIVE = rip off. Expectations for console users are lower than PC users.
Did you know comput
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Can't wait (Score:3, Funny)
till an incoming Skype call knocks my wife off Netflix in the living room AND knocks me off whatever shitty games for windows live port I'm playing in the office simultaneously.
Or not.. (Score:2)
I mean
Ugh! (Score:2)
The quality of both XBox Live and Skype are both atrocious compared to hosted solutions. I've given up long ago on both where instead I'm using my own "solutions". I'm not sure the value is in doing this migration beyond the cross platform capability.
Skype multi-user (Score:1)
It's abysmal. The sound quality is mediocre at best, and you better hope whomever hosts the call (if you do a group voice chat, the host becomes the "node" everyone else in the group goes through) has good upload bandwidth. If not, the entire thing sounds like shit.
I can see it now, how miserable it would work on XBox Live, with 30+ users and the "host" has a 768kb DSL upload rate.