Top Items:
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".
Discussion:
Associated Press, Aqute Market Research, TechSpot, Alex Barnett blog and The Silent Penguin
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.
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:
Andrew Lark, The Doc Searls Weblog, Susan Mernit's Blog, The Stalwart, Threadwatch.org, Moore's Lore and OpsanBlog
Jeff / The Jeff Pulver Blog:
End of an Era? eBay to purchase Skype — So it turns out that the rumors late last week were true. eBay is going to purchase Skype. — But one thing the folks at eBay forgot about, is that while money can buy many things, as the Beatles once said, "Money can't buy you love."
Discussion:
Roland Tanglao's Weblog
Anne Broache / CNET.com:
eBay to nab Skype for $2.6 billion — update eBay plans to buy Net telephone provider Skype in a move aimed at boosting its sales volumes and supplying seamless voice communications to its consumers. — Company executives said Monday that eBay plans to pay $1.3 billion in cash and $1.3 billion …
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.
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) …
James Enck / EuroTelcoblog:
Niklas and Meg 4-ever — It's official, and I have to admit to feeling more than a bit crestfallen. Tracking the rise of Skype was one of my principal reasons for initiating the email blasts which evolved into this bloglet, and now it's going to be part of something bigger, but hopefully equally interesting.
Eric Auchard / Reuters:EBay to buy Skype in deal worth $4.1 bln - source
Discussion:
Jon Arnold's Blog
Robert Scoble / Scobleizer:
Note to Mary Jo: Sparkle is no Flash killer — Mary Jo Foley gives her predictions of what's coming at the PDC: More Developers, More Developers, More Developers! — One thing I gotta correct. I used to think that Sparkle was a Flash killer. Hey, that was good hype cause that team hired …
Discussion:
JD on MX
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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 …