Skype For Android 4.5 Rolls Out

Just the other day, we read about how Microsoft rolled out a Skype for Windows Phone 8 update to the masses, and this time around, we have a little bit of something for Android device owners who cannot help but sneak in some Skype goodness into their everyday routine. We are looking at Skype for Android version 4.5 now, where there will be a couple of totally new features which will cater for Android tablet owners, in addition to general improvements across the board. Skype happens to be the first Android application that will be able to deliver a picture in picture window, letting you check out your video call never mind the fact that you have already switched away to other applications. I guess some might say that this is an experience which would not be too different from Windows 8′s Snap View, albeit it comes with a touch of Android this time around, letting you multitask even when you are attending to a Skype video call. While this feature is available only on tablets, those using Skype 4.5 on your Android smartphone will still be able to catch out a message that performs a permission request to draw on top of other apps. Other bug fixes and quality improvements in Skype 4.5 would include better Video Instant Messaging functionality, compatibility for the Hudl tablet, crash issues on the Nexus 5 would be no more, as well as persistent drop down filter selections on the people tab.


source-ubergizmo.com

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China's Alibaba to pass Amazon, eBay in transaction value: executive

(Reuters) - China's largest e-commerce firm, Alibaba Group, expects to sell merchandise this year worth more than that sold by Amazon Inc and eBay combined, Alibaba's chief strategy officer said on Saturday.

The company is aiming for 3 trillion yuan ($473 billion) in annual transaction value from its Taobao e-commerce units in the next 5 to 7 years, Zeng Ming told reporters.

Alibaba's founder, Jack Ma, said last year that Taobao's transaction value for 2012 would reach 1 trillion yuan. The company has not said what percentage of online sales come from Taobao, but it is the crown jewel of the Alibaba Group and its profit engine.

"From their annual reports we did a rough calculation and we were similar last year but we are growing faster than them this year, so this year we are probably larger than them," Zeng said of Amazon and eBay, America's top online retailer and auction site.

"The gap is just going to get bigger and bigger when we grow faster," he said.

In May, Alibaba ended more than two years of often fractious negotiations with Yahoo Inc to buy back much of a stake held by the U.S. web giant and, crucially, reduce the voting power of foreign stakeholders including Yahoo and Japan's Softbank Corp.

As part of the deal with Yahoo, there are incentives for Alibaba to list its shares by December 2015. The company has said there is no timetable for a listing. This year, Alibaba took its Alibaba.com unit private.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Writing by John Ruwitch; Editing by Robert Birsel)

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