It's Official - Skype Coming to a Treo Near you.

I have speculated about this for some time, and it appears the rumours are true. A new version of the Treo - the 670 - will be running Windows Mobile.

This should scare the tar out of wireless telco's. Losing the high value margin of SMS to intelligent edge devices is a big deal.

In the US Verizon's Data/Voice plan is around 80.00 a month, which is not cheap, but probably worth it if you are in a EVDO service area.

Thanks to Gizmodo for the pics.

Never Pay for Software Again

Tom Merrit over @ Cnet.com has a great article about purchasing a new laptop and wanted to see just how far he could go without having to pay for any software.

Tom's top picks were the Mozilla suite for email/browser, openoffice.org, Skype, the GimP, Audacity, Itunes, and iPodder. I would also add NVU to that list for a really good Dreamweaver replacement as well as Filezilla for FTP. Today you can pretty much do anything without paying a dime, with the exception of Accounting and Exchange Mail server type functionality (which is pretty important)

With the impending adoption of the Windows Genuine Advantage program, watch the exodus begin from M$ to opensource and alternative Unix based OS's. It is much the same argument the proponents of online filesharing make, when critiquing the RIAA going after 14 year olds with 500 mp3's on their PC. The kid wasn't going to buy those songs anyway. Microsoft will find the same thing. A ten year old kid isn't going to shell out 700$ for an OS and some email program, if he can't pirate it, then he will just move onto something else, which is a very dangerous option if you rely on hooking people when there young. Hmmm, sounds like big tobacco.. :)

Pirating M$ software has created an entire generation of people that are Windows only, watch that market share collapse when you create an entire generation of computer users that are familiar and embrace opensource.

Skype For Sale Rumours are Hogwash.

I have heard, Yahoo, Rupert Murdoch, Microsoft, Google are all interested in ponying up a few hundred million possibly a few billion for Skype.

I hereby go on record as saying that it is speculation and innuendo created by the viral masters themselves. Why prove you're worth a billion when everyone just assumes you are, it makes that sale a hell of a lot easier.

Here is my theory, if I am wrong - oh well.

SLA and QOS are the only two words you have to say to yourself when you hear a Skype takeover or sale rumour.

Skype as amazing as it is, can't guarantee a SLA or QOS for business. They are a fringe provider and add no value or intelligence to an otherwise "dumb network" known as the internet.

The internet, as it sits today, is relatively open - meaning the traffic that travels over it is data nothing more, the backbone providers concentrate on delivering the pipe better and faster. The syntax of the messages that travel over that dumb network; however, represent a massive shift in the way we communicate. Today we can use Skype to communicate for no cost anywhere in the world, as a result of this "dumb network". So what happens when the network isn't dumb anymore?

The same guys that give us our mobile and telco service also run this backbone. Do you think they will sit idly by and watch there profits completely dissapear, after sinking billions into building the global network? 3 word's - NOT BLOODY LIKELY.

Skype the technology is amazing, I live, eat and breathe it everyday. It represents a massive opportunity that I am happy to be involved with, and am looking forward to being involved with for a very long time. But to say that anyone other than a Telco., would purchase Skype just doesn't make sense. It is just too risky, there is no guarantee's the network will be "dumb" forever. Telco's, in the end, control the network and whether we like it or not will start controlling the syntax of the messages that travel over their pipes, ultimately they are responsible for and have the control over who gets what service, and as a result are the only ones to benefit from purchasing Skype. Vonage is no different.

I have to go now and send a 10 cent text message from my cell now. (10 cents for 1 kb.. wow, with margin like that it looks like mobile operators have already figured this out :) ) How long before the regular telco's do?

Hunter S. Thompson - Goes out with a Bang (literally)

The late Hunter S. Thompson will go out in style on Aug. 20th, as his remains will be fired out of a cannon atop a 150ft. tower in his backyard.

Johnny Depp, a close friend of Hunter's and whom played him in one of my favourite movies of all time, 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas', will preside over the ceremony and make Hunter's final wishes come true.

How could you not love this guy, I hope they webcast it.

Today is a Free SkypeOut Day

On the heels of my last post, today is a "free SkypeOut" day..

Log into your account page to claim your free 10 minutes of SkypeOut....

Sharing is good, free is even Better !!!!


Thanks Skype.

Free SkypeOut !

This is a great promotion by Skype, and adds to its viral growth - the neverending press releases will continue with simple low cost marketing ideas like this.

On Free SkypeOut Days you’ll be able to redeem 10 minutes of credit for SkypeOut calls and it won’t cost you a thing.

How do I know when it’s a Free SkypeOut Day?

We wish every day could be a Free SkypeOut Day, but that would make us bankrupt. So our accountant says we can have 4 of them this month.

When one is approaching, we’ll let you know through our website and on Share.Skype.com. We’re planning to have those days every week in July, so keep checking back for details. And when you spot one, spread the word.

How do you claim your SkypeOut credit?

On Free SkypeOut Days you will find a “get a free Skype gift” button on your account page. Click on it before it disappears at the end of the day. Then, ‘hey presto’, you’ll be able to claim your SkypeOut credit. It’s our little gift to you. We hope you like it.

Dittybot for Windows

I haven't quite got my head around any potential commercial applications for this, but Henry over at http://www.voxu.com has mashed up a Dittybotlike MP3 to Cell phone app., over Skype using Virtual Audio Cables (which quite honestly scare me) and SMS.

Looks pretty slick.