eBay to Acquire Skype

London, September 12, 2005 – eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY; www.ebay.com) has agreed to acquire Luxembourg-based Skype Technologies SA, the global Internet communications company, for approximately $2.6 billion in up-front cash and eBay stock, plus potential performance-based consideration. The acquisition will strengthen eBay’s global marketplace and payments platform, while opening several new lines of business and creating significant new monetization opportunities for the company. The deal also represents a major opportunity for Skype to advance its leadership in Internet voice communications and offer people worldwide new ways to communicate in a global online era. Skype, eBay and PayPal will create an unparalleled ecommerce and communications engine for buyers and sellers around the world.

“Communications is at the heart of ecommerce and community,” said Meg Whitman, President and Chief Executive Officer of eBay. “By combining the two leading ecommerce franchises, eBay and PayPal, with the leader in Internet voice communications, we will create an extraordinarily powerful environment for business on the Net.”

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Personal Note:
On the Skype website, they show some headsets to use with your computer. I already had headsets with microphones that I used to use with a landline phone. Rather than buying a new headset that has connecting plug for computer, I went to Radio Shack and found a Computer Headphone Speaker Switch. It allows you to switch from headphones to speakers (or vice versa) without reaching behind your computer. One button controls the PC speakers' jack and the jacks for headsets or headphones.

Brand: Radio Shack
Model: 26-204
Catalog # 26-204
Price: $16.99