Google needs to work hard and fast pushing google talk. This will determine Google's place in the future of VoIP / video calling in the Internet.
Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
31–40 of 79 posts
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#32Skype client should be axed instead. It's a pile of ugly looking mess and eats half of computer's resources. I dread to turn it on anywhere else than on my overpowered home PC. And don't even get me started on the Android client. It's completely useless on a high-powered tablet, and equally useless on a low-powered phone. I remember the times when official IM clients were lightweight and pleasant to use. Now you eith…
I don't disagree with you. Skype is ugly, bloated and has been crashing frequently since the last couple of updates on my computers. The problem is: it works. I tried to do a Google Hangout last night, and the plugin couldn't find my mic. Logged into Skype, it worked perfectly. It'll be a while yet before someone really takes Skype's business. For now it's my #1 goto communication line as a remote freelancer.
This was the point I was going to make too. Skype is terrible, but yet it is still the best compared the competition.
Let's consider the competition:
- Live Messenger: It was the next best, now discontinued, but before that it was poorly supported, rarely updated, and had a ton of bugs. No external connectors (e.g. telephone networks).
- Google Hangouts: Browser only. No external connectors.
- Facetime: Apple ecosystem only. No external connectors.
- AIM: No video/voice chat. No external connectors.
- Cisco WebEx: Expensive.
I'm sure there are others. But in general this is a very unhealthy market with not a lot of competition. It has always been that way. We desperately need an explosion of innovation here.
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#33The best way to spend any extra money saved on retiring MSN: open up the Skype API for devs to use. Adium is still the undisputed king of IM clients and with a proper Skype plugin for it I'd be happy again. Because let's face it, the Skype client is really, really bad.
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#34Skype & IM mean different things to different people. A lot of people may be using both, but not necessarily interchangeably, even though Skype has the ability to do both text IMs as well as voice. So, unless MSFT have a seamless migratory path, they will end up losing a lot of people who will suddenly be exploring all possibly options as their next IM client.
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#35Maybe this will help the uptake of xmpp.
Windows Live Messenger is XMPP - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/live/hh826554.aspx
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't disagree with you. Skype is ugly, bloated and has been crashing frequently since the last couple of updates on my computers. The problem is: it works. I tried to do a Google Hangout last night, and the plugin couldn't find my mic. Logged into Skype, it worked perfectly. It'll be a while yet before someone really takes Skype's business. For now it's my #1 goto communication line as a remote freelancer.
This was the point I was going to make too. Skype is terrible, but yet it is still the best compared the competition. Let's consider the competition: - Live Messenger: It was the next best, now discontinued, but before that it was poorly supported, rarely updated, and had a ton of bugs. No external connectors (e.g. telephone networks). - Google Hangouts: Browser only. No external connectors. - Facetime: Apple ecosyst…
Google Hangouts works with apps too, not just a computer browser. I've been using it with my work team for about a year since we're often spread across the country and it's been amazing. We tried Skype, but it often didn't load the video feed.
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#37Surely they know something we don't. I expected them to go the other way by bringing Skype into Messenger.
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#38This fixes the "Messenger" branding issue.
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#39Skype client should be axed instead. It's a pile of ugly looking mess and eats half of computer's resources. I dread to turn it on anywhere else than on my overpowered home PC. And don't even get me started on the Android client. It's completely useless on a high-powered tablet, and equally useless on a low-powered phone. I remember the times when official IM clients were lightweight and pleasant to use. Now you eith…
Skype also doesn't work on windows on 16 core PCs with hyperthreading enabled.
Re: Microsoft and Skype to axe world's most popular IM client early 2013
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
This was the point I was going to make too. Skype is terrible, but yet it is still the best compared the competition. Let's consider the competition: - Live Messenger: It was the next best, now discontinued, but before that it was poorly supported, rarely updated, and had a ton of bugs. No external connectors (e.g. telephone networks). - Google Hangouts: Browser only. No external connectors. - Facetime: Apple ecosyst…
Google Hangouts works with apps too, not just a computer browser. I've been using it with my work team for about a year since we're often spread across the country and it's been amazing. We tried Skype, but it often didn't load the video feed.
It doesn't have a dedicated PC or Mac application like Skype does. Which is a big downside. Trying to keep a chat session open in a browser window or tab all day is surprisingly annoying as it is too easy to close the window/tab without realizing what it is.
There was a Google application called like Google Talk but that never supported video as far as I know.