EBay Finally Sells Skype

By Dena Cassella November 20, 2009

EBay has completed its sale of Skype for about $2 billion to an investor group that included the founders of the Internet phone service.

Last week, the online auction site settled a legal skirmish with co-founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis which allowed the deal to move forward. The settlement gave Skype ownership of critical software that had been licensed from the company they founded, Joltid Ltd.

Ebay said Thursday it sold a 70 percent stake in the company for about $1.9 billion plus $125 million that it will receive at a later date. The company is keeping the remaining 30 percent stake.

The settlement means Zennstrom and Friis get a 14 percent stake in Skype. The investor group, led by Silver Lake, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Andreessen Horowitz, get 56 percent ownership.

San Jose, Calif.-based Ebay Inc. also purchased senior debt securities worth $50 million to help finance the deal.

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How to use Skype

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Skype is outstanding. Anyone can download it, and you can use it to chat face to face (so to speak) or make a regular voice call. It’s easy to use, and best of all, it’s free. And who doesn’t love free stuff?
Getting started with the popular calling app may take some getting used to if you’ve never used it before. If you’re a Microsoft Windows 10 user, then this Skype guide is for you.
Getting set up
The first step in using Skype is downloading it and setting up your account. They are two steps that are far easier today than they’ve ever been and will get you well on the way to your first Skype chat or call.

Step 1: Open your browser of choice and navigate to the Skype homepage. Click the big blue Get Skype button, and it will open the corresponding Microsoft store page. Alternatively, open the Microsoft Store yourself by clicking the taskbar icon or searching for “Microsoft Store“ in the search box. When there, search for “Skype” and click the corresponding app page.

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How to share your screen on Skype

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Skype is one of the best free internet calling apps there is. If you are an avid Skype user, then you can attest to its greatness. But there are many more additional features to take advantage of other than video chatting.

One of the most useful features of Skype is the ability to share your screen on the app. All it takes is a click of a button, and you can invite multiple family members and friends to the conversation.
How to share your screen on Skype (PC)
You’re most likely using the Classic Desktop software if you’re running an OS that’s anything other than Windows 10. Fortunately, Microsoft gives us a unified experience, even between both versions. They look and act the same, so deciding on one version over the other really just comes down to our personal preferences.

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Ebay began its life as an auction website, but in recent years, it has grown into an online retailer with deals to rival those of outlets like Amazon and Walmart. Many tech brands even have their own official eBay stores now, and it's become one of the best places to score hot discounts on new electronics. Whatever you're shopping for, chances are good you'll find it here, but to save you the trouble of sorting through it all, we've already rounded up all the best eBay deals
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