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skype.com:
eBay to Acquire Skype — London, September 12, 2005 - eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY; www.ebay.com) has agreed to acquire Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA, the global Internet communications company, for approximately $2.6 billion in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based consideration.
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BBC:
eBay to buy Skype in $2.6bn deal — Online auction site eBay has agreed to buy internet telephone company Skype Technologies in a $2.6bn (£1.4bn) deal. — eBay said it would pay half the amount in cash and the other half in stocks to create "an unparalleled e-commerce and communications engine".
Ross Mayfield / Ross Mayfield's Weblog:
The Simple Reason eBay bought Skype — In two hours, eBay is holding a conference call about buying Skype. I'm visiting the Skype guys in Tallinn a couple of hours later. Lot's of folks are scratching their heads. I have no inside information, nor really want it, but can offer …
Discussion:
The Doc Searls Weblog, The Stalwart, seanbonner, Susan Mernit's Blog, Threadwatch.org, Moore's Lore and OpsanBlog
MarketWatch:
Ebay set to seal Skype deal for over $2.6bn — By Richard Waters in San Francisco and James Politi in New York — Ebay was in the final stages late on Sunday night of sealing an agreement to buy Skype, the fast-growing provider of voice calls over the internet, for more than $2.6bn, according to a person close to the situation.
Om Malik / Om Malik's Broadband Blog:
SkypeBay done for $4.1 Billion. — Update: So the deed is done - $4.1 billion. EBay will pay $1.3 billion in cash and $1.3 billion in stock for the online communications company. It will make a further payout of up to $1.5 billion if certain financial targets are met, Reuters reports.
Andy Abramson / VoIP Watch:
eBay Buys Skype — The last few days were rather quiet on the Skype Hype front. It seems my first gut reaction about Skype Was right and only over thinking caused a shift. I still view the Skype team as master marketers who played the game to the fullest and have won with eBay making the acquisition.
Discussion:
VoIP Blog and Podcast
Reuters:
eBay to buy Skype for $2.6 billion in cash, stock — eBay has agreed to buy the fast-growing Internet start-up Skype in a move to add free Web telephone calls to its online auctions and fuel growth, the companies confirmed Monday. — The auctioneer said it plans to pay $1.3 billion in cash …
Jeff Clavier / Software Only:
Skype + eBay = Deal! $1.3B cash + $1.3 stock + $1.5 earn-out = $4.1B! — Reuters' Eric Auchard has just reported that eBay has made a run after Skype after all, and has put a consideration that would total $4.1B if earn-out conditions are met. — This is a massive deal …
Mark Evans:
Wow! eBay is Really Buying Skype — No other way to describe it but as stunning as the rumours about eBay Inc. acquiring Skype turned out to be true. For a cool $2.6-billion in cash and additional payments based on future performance (which could apparently boost the deal to US$4.1-billion) …
Jeff / The Jeff Pulver Blog:End of an Era? eBay to purchase Skype
Discussion:
Roland Tanglao's Weblog
Business Week:
Oracle to Buy Siebel in $5.9 Billion Deal — eBay to acquire Skype; Wachovia snaps up West Coast bank; plus more of Monday's stocks in the news — Oracle (ORCL ) agreed to acquire Siebel Systems (SEBL ) in a deal valued at about $5.85 billion, at $10.66 cash per Siebel Systems share.
Discussion:
The Post Money Value
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Ars Technica:
Opening the package — The out-of-box experience was nothing less than expected from Apple: excessive, high-end, and oh-so-delightful. When purchasing our 2GB black iPod nano for this review, it even came in a "commemorative" iPod nano bag. — Opening the slim nano box was pretty …
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Times of London:
New legal threat to Google over GMail — Google, the internet search engine, is facing a renewed threat of legal action from a company that claims to own the intellectual property rights to its GMail e-mail service. — Independent International Investment Research, a British company …
Discussion:
Techdirt
Clive Thompson / Wired News:
The Video-Game Novel Also Rises — Here are some details about Sam Fisher you probably didn't know: He's 47 years old, and his hottie martial-arts instructor has a major crush on him. He lives alone in a condo and struggles to figure out how to deal with his college-age daughter.
Discussion:
Kotaku