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Murphy's Law: What is Skype Up To?

David Murphy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0600

The recent announcement of Skype turning quote-unquote open source has me twirling a finger with delicious glee. It's not that I dislike Skype. And it's not that I'm about to get into one of my 1,500-word debates on the differences between the definition of "free" and "open-source," I promise. This is nevertheless an important premise of Skype's entire move, as some Internet commenters are crying foul that Skype is only half-opening its popular application to the crowd. The GUI code will be yours to play with as you please. The underlying Skype protocol... nope!

To them I say: Duh.

I don't want to put words where they don't exist, but I'm willing to bet that Skype's sudden shift toward open-source waters has more to do with applying a giant, universal band-aid to staggered Linux development. It's not quite an altruistic gift to the community so much as it is a package and a bow with the phrase, "you fix it" written on the label. And that's fine. Let the community create the functional GUIs for Skype. It would be suicide for the company to release its heavily encrypted voice protocols for common use.

So what, then, is Skype up to?

Stronger Integration

Linux isn't just for geeks in the basement anymore. The open-source operating system powers an innumerable amount of devices, including super-small netbook PCs, equally small tablet PCs, mobile phones, et cetera. While opening up the Linux GUI still requires the underlying architecture of the Skype client in order to have any semblance of functionality, this is at least a first step toward smoothing the integration of Skype into Linux-based devices of all shapes and sizes. Developers could freely embed the Skype client and skin it to match the look and feel of a particular device--surely a boon versus, say, waiting for Skype to come into the app center of-sorts for each and every permutation of product.

Third-Party Takeover

And we now venture into the realm of the hypothetical. Imagine, if you will, that Skype's opening of the Linux GUI is but the first step in a gradual elimination of the Skype Client as a whole. Sure, this downloadable application would still exist for those that care to use it, but what if Skype was looking to offload the client's functionality into any software platform that wants to take it? Skype would still control the underlying protocol (depending on how the legal battle sorts out), yet this "naked GUI" approach, as it's been dubbed, would allow one to perform the same call functions using an application like Pidgin, for example.

For consumers, this approach would be a marvelous way to integrate Skype into existing "favorite applications." But there's also a fairly large flaw surrounding this plan. Skype would need to come up with some ingenious way to keep its services relevant, because you can bet that I'd want to add more VoIP services than just Skype to my communications app of choice. I'd love to be able to receive calls on Skype and call other people for free on Skype... but if there was a way to use a cheaper provider for outbound calls, I'd cast off the Skype experience like a boot on the end of a fishing line. Integration with third-party apps is truly a double-edged sword.

Skype as a Service?

Suppose Skype opts for option two and extends its service into third-party applications. What if this is not a measure of altruism, but rather, an investment? With countless developers around the world working on their own programming variants that somehow tie back into the underlying Skype protocol, what's to stop this mass intelligence from coming up with The Next Best Thing for Skype integration?

Both TechCrunch and I envision a future where even the desktop client has been rendered useless by the Skype service. No more installations; no more new applications to load up. Skype would be as permanent and unobtrusive a fixture in your operating system as Windows Contacts. Or, better still, you'd be able to dial up Skype directly through a Web application. As soon as you were to click on a phone number, the call would launch right in your browser of choice.

These are all far-off ideas. Some could even be ideas that only exist in a dreamy haze. Skype is promising a "larger offering" to come centered on its open-source Linux GUI announcement. When that big thing happens, do give me a ring.

David Murphy (@ Acererak) is a technology journalist and former Maximum PC editor. He writes weekly columns about the wide world of open-source as well as weekly roundups of awesome, freebie software. Befriend him on Twitter, especially if you have an awesome app or game you're dying to recommend!

AT&T Claims Google Voice Violates Net Neutrality

Ryan Whitwam — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:03:25 -0500

AT&T has sent a rather pointed letter to the FCC accusing Google of violating Network Neutrality standards. No, that isn’t a typo. AT&T’s beef is that Google Voice will not connect calls to some numbers that traditional telecoms are required to connect. This is because of so-called “common carrier” laws.

Some rural local telephone carriers charge long distance companies extremely high fees to connect calls to certain numbers on their networks. These are usually numbers for conference call centers, adult chat lines, or party lines. Sneakily, revenues from these connections are shared with the owners of the lines. Google Voice does not connect these calls, and AT&T thinks that isn’t fair.

It is interesting that Google, a company that strongly supports Net Neutrality, is taking this course of action. AT&T seems to want them to be treated like any other telecom, but in Google’s response, they lay out their rationale for why AT&T should shut it.

Google says that first and foremost, Google Voice is a free service. To make it workable, they simply cannot spend money to connect those calls. They also say that Google Voice is software, and software isn’t covered by common carriers rules. Finally, they claim that since Google Voice is an invite-only beta service, it doesn’t need to comply with all regulations.

So, is this just AT&T trying to distract the FCC, or is Google really in the wrong here?

First Pictures Released of Microsoft's Pink Phones

Andy Salisbury — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:06:47 -0500

There’s been loose talk of a Zune phone for some time now, and it looks like we’ve finally found out what it might be. According to some scoop from the folks over at Gizmodo, Microsoft’s reported Pink phone is the device at large, and it’ll come in two forms.

The two models, which are known as the Turtle and the Pure, look an awful lot like a Palm Pre and a Sidekick respectively. The phones will be made by Sharp, who will share branding with Microsoft. The phones are reportedly aimed at a younger audience, which explains the perpetually round aesthetics.

It’s expected that they’ll feature Zune services (hint: Zune phone) and have their own app store, making it an obvious competitor to Apple’s iPhone. No word yet on pricing or availability.

Image Credit: Gizmodo

Sony Ericsson Launches World's First Motion-Controlled Headphones

Pulkit Chandna — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:07:14 -0500

Sony Ericsson today lifted the curtain on the world’s very first motion-sensitive headphones. The MH907 headphones possess a special sense for motion and automatically become active when they are comfortably deposited inside the listener’s ears. One can start listening to music by simply plugging in both earphones and pause it by pulling one of them out. Phone calls can be answered and terminated in much the same fashion.

But if the listener wishes to switch from an active music-listening session to an incoming phone call, they have to first remove both earphones and then plug in just one. The MH907 headphones are sensitive to body contact, which prevents inadvertent operation. The MH907 is only meant to be used with Sony Ericsson phones that feature the propriety Fast Port connector. The headphones will go on sale across the globe this week. Sony Ericsson did not reveal their price, however.

Google's Latest Patent Application Hints at Targeted Phone Ads

Pulkit Chandna — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:05:26 -0500

A fresh patent application filed by Google may be an augury of the company’s meddlesome designs. Ringback Advertising, as the patent application is called, deals with technology that can deliver targeted advertisements to all kinds of phones when they are inactive.

The best times to beset the phone user with audio ads, according to the application, are when the call is on hold, when the call is suspended, and when it is being dialed. Furthermore, the ads will be targeted at a certain demographic. Delivering precisely targeted ads would undoubtedly require that the system be fed information about phone users. It is still too early to say what exactly Google has on its mind.

Image Credit: Factoidz

Acer May Launch Their Android Phone in September

Andy Salisbury — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:17:23 -0500

Earlier this year Acer had announced that they’d release an Android powered phone before 2010. And, thanks to a recent statement, it would appear that we’re getting closer and closer to that day.

Acer allegedly plans to release the phone in September of this year, and the phone will be called the A1 (not to be confused with the steak sauce). No word on what exactly the phone will have under the hood, or what service providers it’ll be for, but there’s little doubt that we’ll find out in the coming months.

Image Credit: Acer

Google Voice Invites on their Way to Mailboxes

Pulkit Chandnai — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 07:33:12 -0500

Google Voice invites are headed to the mailboxes of all those who had placed a request on the Google Voice website or on GrandCentral, according to an announcement on Google’s official blog.

Google Voice is a new service that assigns a single phone number to a user, which can be used by the user to simultaneously receive calls and SMSes on his other phones. The user can categorize phone contacts into groups and configure the service to forward calls and messages from a certain group to all the phones, or to a pre-specified number(s), or to Google Voicemail – you can read the transcripts of voicemails as well.

A Google phone number is tethered to you and not a phone number or your location. The cherry on the cake, as with most Google services, is that it’s free. However, Google’s largesse has bounds and users will have to purchase new visiting cards that mention their new Google phone number.

Number Transfers Coming to Google Voice

Paul Lilly — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:24:28 -0500

Formerly called GrandCentral and acquired by Google back in July of 2007, Google Voice aims to streamline mobile communication by giving users a single phone number capable of accessing all other phone numbers, including home, cell, work, etc. Initial impressions by those who have previewed the free service have been positive, but a potential major downside is having to give out a new number to everyone. That might not be the case when Google Voice launches.

Google has started experimenting with letting new users port their existing numbers to Google Voice, including mobile numbers. And according to TechCrunch, this will be a mainstay of the new service later this year.

"Google is only testing the service for now, but we've heard from a source inside Google that they plan to roll out number portability as a general feature later this year," TechCrunch wrote. "Once that happens, users will be able to move the phone number they've had forever to Google, and avoid the switching costs."

The site went on to say that Google will also launch apps for outbound calls for major smartphone platforms that will automatically route outbound calls through Google Voice rather than show the number of whatever device a user is calling with.

Image Credit: Google