The present shift to “work from home” should have a moment for Skype to shine. Instead, it is an afterthought for many of us, who have turned to Zoom (warts and all) at a time when the video has become a crucial part of our daily communication. Microsoft has bungled the Skype acquisition, and on its watch ruined what was clearly a simple, effective, and a beloved product. Instead, it is foisting Teams on to former Skype-lovers. And it is not just Microsoft – other big technology companies video collaboration products are a bit meh as well. In this wonderful article, the Wired UK has covered the rise of Zoom and the fall of Skype. And given my long history with Skype, they asked me to explain why?
Skype
Skype, redesigned (again)
Skype, Interrupted
Bloomberg took a closer look at the Skype and its decline. Microsoft argued that the “criticism is overblown and reflects, in part, people’s grumpiness with software updates.” They say that now the focus is the corporate market. But that doesn’t deny the fact that it is a terrible interface, inhuman and difficult to use. It lacks any imagination — a fact that is repeatedly reinforced on social media every time you bring up Skype and its user experience. “It is like Tim Tebow trying to be a baseball player,” I told Bloomberg reporters. “The product is so confusing, kludgey and unusable.” (more…)
Where great startups are: the Nordics
When brands disappoint…
This rambling piece will (and should) fall under the category of #thingsyoulearnrandomly. And hopefully you will soon see, why! Every morning, instead of reading newspapers, now I need curated emails and twitter lists. One of these early morning reads is Jason Hirschorn’s Fashion Redef email newsletter — I like fashion and style and it has … Continue reading When brands disappoint…