Micro$oft buys Skype -- Windows Phone 7 dead in the water?

For those of you who don't know, M$ got their greedy hands on Skype. They said they will offer Skype on Xbox, and Windows Phone 7. The acquisition was said to be a headscratcher, as it jeopardizes M$'s relationship with it's carrier partners, like AT&T, Verizon. I do not think either Big Blue or Big Red will like Windows Phone coming with a built-in way of cutting in the carrier companies's revenue from voice traffic. It is now piss easy for carriers to let WP7 die and wither away. Karma is a bitch, eh, M$? You've spent so much time working on WP7, and now it's good as dead because of this questionable acquisition.

?? why the hell would you want a FREE talking program on a PHONE??!?

i do not understand this... there is NO money to be made there.

I seriously don't get why they're turning phones into smaller less practical laptops.

Call me old fashioned but the only thing I care about is calling someone and maybe sending a few text messages.

It's a bit of a cliché, but "the more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate" is becoming more and more relevant.

Bloody technology.

Exactly. I hear M$ shelled out 8.5 BILLIONS for Skype. However, this is bad buisness, jeopardizing their relationship with cellular providers is suicide for WP7. Let's say Big Blue/Big Red start shunning WP7, who is going to sell the phones? This would be a crippling blow to the fledgeling platform.

BUT, on the other hand... as cellular networks evolved, the emphasis is being put on DATA more and more, especially with the Smartphone revolution. It is debatable, but not impossible, that M$ could reach an agreement with it's partners to allow the use of Skype, theorically it could be possible to have a DATA only plan and use it to make calls via VoIP. Long Term Evolution, or TRUE 4G -- don't be fooled by those idiots calling their current network "4G", because it is NOT. What those morons claim as 4G is actually 3.5G. Lies, lies, lies and deception. But I digress... LTE was originally designed to be a purely data network, with phone calls being implemented as possibly VoIP.

However, I think it can safely be said that M$ murdered Windows Phone 7 through this dubious, unnecessary, counter-logical acquisition.

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Call me old fashioned but the only thing I care about is calling someone and maybe sending a few text messages.

While I am more of a heavy SMS and DC user, I perfectly understand caring only about the basics. That is exactly why I have reboxed my Android i1, and whipped out the BlackBerry 8350i. I occasionally also whip out some old MiKE phones who are not smartphones for the nostalgia factor. I understand perfectly, dude.

Some how W$ will make money off the deal. I heard this a while ago but forgot about with my PC problems. I use SKYPE and hope I can continue to use it. I am with Cara phones are to talk on and maybe send a few text messages.

what ever happened to phones that called people. now you can watch videos.. and it just so happens to send and take calls LOOL

i remember my father use to have a pager and he got the number it had before.XD but that is a story for another thread.

I used to make that joke that I would get a phone that could be used underwater so I could call people and say "guess where I'm calling from?" the only problem is that there are phones now that can be used underwater (well theoretically at least since how you can talk underwater is another problem).

So now I'm waiting for the phone that will also work as a microwave oven (and maybe serve as a toaster).

Games, music, videos, the internet, these phones are turning into laptops.

Yeah, the Sonim Enduro, as well as Verizon's lineup of G'z'one phones come to mind. Those rival even my MiKE phones in terms of durability. Both of them have been demonstrated to work underwater. The Sonim Enduro is F'N awesome. The entire G'z'one... not so. Even their Android phone is sub-par.

Truth is, I have nothing against smartphones, I use a BlackBerry 8350i. I enjoy the speedy OS, and the rock-solid reliability, and as a communication tool, it's flawless. The multimedia functions like the Media Player -- which is damned efficient and LOUD -- are extra icing on the cake. I can't watch videos or record HD video or have a n+1 kilometer touch screen with all the latest garbage, but I DON'T WANT IT, it's F'N USELESS!

Android sucks. Rotten Apple's garbage is no better. Windows Phone 7 is terrible. If the deal hurts M$, I won't cry in my Pepsi Max.

Reading TON talking about phones is like reading a foreign language for me. I'm a total noob when it comes to this. I've been meaning to get a new phone but I'm daunted by the prospect of having to upgrade to a freakishly annoying piece of pseudo high tech crap.

Underwater phones... That is just crazy.

Nope, it seems M$'s Windows Phone 7 is not dead, at least not yet...

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Verizon today announced the availability of its first Windows Phone device, the HTC Trophy. This 3G phone comes packed with a 3.8-inch WVGA touchscreen, a 1GHz processor, and a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video. Verizon is offering a special deal… buy the HTC Trophy before July 15 and get a free Xbox 360 console game. You can choose from Halo: Reach, Kinect Sports, or Lode Runner.

The HTC Trophy will be available online on May 26 and in Verizon stores on June 2. It is going to cost $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year commitment.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much bling on this phone.