Skype Guys Trying to Buy It Back From eBay

Its recommendation technology will be applied to eBay

(NEWSER) - eBay made a splash today by acquiring Hunch , a recommendations startup that launched in 2009, the companies announced . The official statement didn’t list a price, but Michael Arrington’s Uncrunched , which first reported the deal, said it would be "somewhere around $80 million." Hunch founder Chris Dixon will take over eBay’s existing 50-man recommendations team. More»

Group-texting firm will stay in New York

(NEWSER) - Skype has purchased group text-messaging firm GroupMe in a deal worth somewhere between $50 million and $100 million. The startup will remain independent but will likely play a major role in Skype’s mobile and social arenas. It’s a big success for the year-old firm, writes Ben Popper for BetaBeat , who notes two sources pegged the deal at $75 million and $85 million, respectively. And it’s “not just a big win for GroupMe and our amazing investors, but also for New York City,” notes the GroupMe blog . More»

Meanwhile, Google holds talks with Skype for joint venture

(NEWSER) - Skype is suddenly the prettiest girl in school now that it’s pushed back its IPO. Google is in talks for a joint venture with the online calling company, and Facebook is considering buying it outright, sources tell Reuters . Skype is expected to rake in about $1 billion if it goes public, but Facebook could pay $3 billion to $4 billion for the company, according to someone with “direct knowledge of the discussions.” More»

The consensus: 'Ma Bell is back'

(NEWSER) - Reactions to the surprise AT&T-T-mobile merger are pouring in, and, not surprisingly, most conclude this isn't a good thing for consumers:

• The Bell telephone system—"aka AT&T"—was broken up in 1984 to increase competition, and the US telecommunications market was deregulated in 1996, again to increase competition. But this merger "effectively restores Ma Bell to her former girth yet allows the company to operate in a looser regulatory environment," writes David Lazarus in the Los Angeles Times . "Consumers might wonder if they've been played. ... Ma Bell is back," and the only thing left for federal regulators to do is instill "new rules that address the shortcomings of our failed experiment in deregulation."

Users now allowed to move cell numbers to service

(AP) - Google's Voice calling application is adding a long-promised feature: the ability to move a phone number from a cell phone to Google's service. Previously, Google Voice assigned each user a new number,making it more difficult to take advantage of its features, which include cheaper international calls and the ability to answer calls on several different phones and computers. Google says users can now request "porting" for a fee of $20, a service not offered by leading competitor Skype. More»