Microsoft paid $8.5 billion for Skype
Microsoft on Tuesday paid $8.5 billion for Internet voice and video communications company Skype, a deal the software giant hopes will help it better compete in a world shifting away from desktop computers.
During a news conference in San Francisco, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer announced the all-cash deal for Skype and outlined grand plans to bring the technology to a wider audience of consumers and business customers.
Those plans included the potential for video chats between game players on Microsoft's popular Xbox platform, Internet audio calls by business associates through the Outlook e-mail program, or mobile conferencing through Windows Phone.