THE LIVING ARCHIVE

From punched cards to autonomous collaborators: the ideas, people, languages and systems that taught machines to follow—and increasingly interpret—human intent.

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Tag: skype

Microsoft Buys Skype: The $8.5 Billion Communications Bet With a Complicated Return

Microsoft paid $8.5 billion for Skype to strengthen communications across consumer and enterprise products. The technology and user base mattered, but the standalone brand ultimately disappeared into Microsoft's broader Teams strategy.

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eBay and Skype: The Acquisition That Proved Strategic Fit Matters More Than User Growth

eBay paid about $2.6 billion for Skype expecting communications to strengthen commerce, then wrote down $1.4 billion and sold control after the predicted synergies failed to materialize.

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