In a deal worth $2.6 billion, online auctioneer eBay has added Skye's Net phone service to assets that include Shopping.com and PayPal.
With rumors now confirmed, bloggers debate the merits of eBay's acquisition and how it could change e-commerce down the road.
September 12, 2005
Skype and its voice services give the auction giant no sustainable advantage in communications or communities, Forrester says.
September 13, 2005
Some industry observers praise a "strategically positive" move. Others say entering the nascent Net calling market is risky.
September 12, 2005
Auction site hopes to let consumers discuss transactions in real time. But analysts remain skeptical of the high-price deal.
September 12, 2005 previous coverage
The online auction giant has been a boon to many antique dealers and collectors. But has a unique curio culture been left behind?
September 2, 2005
The VoIP giant is opening up its instant-messaging program for integration with Web sites and other Internet software.
August 24, 2005
The Net telephony upstart has a cult following, but the challenge is going to be shedding its geeky image.
August 16, 2005 FAQ As use of Net telephony increases, so does the number of questions about it. Here are answers to some of the common ones.
August 11, 2005
Auction giant says the deal will enhance its service with comparison shopping capabilities.
June 1, 2005 newsmaker Not long after Skype's launch in 2003, co-founder Niklas Zennstrom explained why, on the Net, telephony was "just another application."
December 2, 2003