Skype Builds Multiparty Video Calling While Google Buy's Skype's Video Engine

Skype is recruiting video engineers to work on Skype's next generation of video calling. This may raise the barre in multiparty video calls. At least it matches what ooVoo, iChat, and Sightspeed do.

Meanwhile, Google will buy On2 Technologies, makers of Skype's video engine. Conflict of interest? Maybe.

Coincidence? Somehow I don't think so. 

Here's the official job listing. [Emphasis mine]

Video Codec Developer

developer stockholm tallinn usa video

Team

Skype video development team is developing technology enabling high quality multi-way, multi-modal video communications experience over the Internet on x86 based Personal Computers as well as embedded platforms targeted for Mobile- and Consumer Electronic devices. We are continuing to expand this exceptional team and are thus looking for highly experienced, talented and motivated individuals capable of both working collaboratively with others as well as making significant individual contributions.

Responsibilities

As a member of the video team you will be engaged at the forefront of Skype's innovation of breakthrough solutions to real-time IP video communication on heterogeneous networks. You will be expected to play an active role in the generation, development, verification and delivery of new concepts and methods for video coding as well as pre- and postprocessing of realtime video for enhanced quality.

Requirements

• degree in image/video/signal processing/compression
• minimum 3 years experience of H.264 AVC/SVC video codec algorithms development
• must have developed algorithms for a video codec that went to productization phase
• detailed understanding of underlying technology behind H.264 AVC/SVC
• Understanding of realtime requirements and error resilience toolset of H.264
• Understanding of signaling protocol for video
• Excellent skills in technical communication and teamwork.
• Command of programming languages including Matlab, C, and C++.
• Excellent command of English.

Location - Stockholm, Sweden; Tallinn, Estonia; Europe, various locations; Bay Area, US

Ref: VIDEO-CODEC-DEV 

tags: skype, video, codec, H.264, AVC/SV, matlab, c, c++, coding, encoding, algorithms, dsp, compression, stockholm, tallinn

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Skype hiring a Terminator Accountant

Well, a termination accountant.

Not quite as cool as robot warrior accountants.

Based in Luxembourg.

Putting together all those SkypeIn and SkypeOut charges from termination service providers. Turning it into a stream of wisdom for managing partnerships, allocating resources, finding opportunities, keeping Skype competitive.  

Skype has more than 60 other job openings, most in Europe, none in the Americas.

tags: skype, jobs, careers, terminator, termination

Call me at +1-510-455-4384, Skype me, follow @skypejournal and @Phil Wolff.
Visit our Skype Journal private roundtable, one of the longest running public Skype chats.

Friday reading

me

I'm in the New York Times coverage of Google Voice. Quoted correctly (yay!) but before my own column on the subject came out (d'oh!). Google has some truly delightful advantages in the race to become the world's largest communications company. 

under

Australia's Telestra keeps Nokia N85 inside the walled garden, keeps Skype out. A year without growth leaves them cautious, even when Skype offers to pay.

New Zealand's Yellow partners with Skype. Search through the Skype Directory and call most nz companies for free until June 10. 

the future

Foresight Institute gets a new president. Skype me (evanwolf) if you want to come to Dr. Hall's Sunday reception in Palo Alto. We'll all be talking molecular manufacturing, nanotechnology and the singularity.

Nokia shares its vision. Smartphones rising. Death of patience. Rewarding engagement. Personal expression. New learning economy. Clickable world. Personal relevance. A good summary of forces driving the interplay between mobile technology, industry dynamics, and human behavior.

the present

One in four drop landlines in some states according to a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study. Turning to mobiles, an act of belt-tightening. Q. Of those who switch to mobile, how many have unlimited flat-rate data plans, favorable to Skype?

CRM Over Voice: Using Voice in New Ways for Service Providers to Retain Subscribers and Strengthen Brand. White paper by analyst Jon Arnold for Mobivox. The cool stuff starts on page 4. Speech recognition + VoIP + SaaS = Contextual CRM, creating touch points that add value to the customer journey. Jon explains why it's good and how to build it, using Mobivox as an example.

VoSKY sells Skype trunking to Majorcan hotel chain. Attach a box to your PBX and your staff doesn't even know they are calling through the Skype network at lower rates. 

Larry Dignan shows why mobile developers migrate from Symbian to RIM and Mac OS X. Growth and share favor the Bold. And iPhone.

the past

Transcript of Skype's Jonathan Christensen's talk about speech quality at the Emerging Communications Conference last week. History as prelude to something new?

gig

Benjamin Leviton seeks VoIP help: "I have a Brekeke SIP proxy server. I am looking for someone to remote on to my desktop, log into its interface and config my carriers with the proxy server. Also check the interface of Polycom phone and make sure it is working properly with the SIP proxy server." Contact:  +1-917-273-5808, ben@capitalfinanceusa.com, yahoo IM gcc644@yahoo.com, or skype:levtop.

tags: google, googlevoice, australia, telestra, nokia, N85, New Zealand, nz, yellow, skype, directory, search, foresight, smartphones, landlines, cdc, mobile, crm, mobivox, vosky, majorca, spain, pbx, symbian, rim, apple, blackberry, iphone, jonathanchristensen, ecomm, brekeke, sip, polycom

follow @skypejournal and @Phil Wolff. Ask for an invitation to the Skype Journal private roundtable.

Skype developer wanted

A friend asked me if I know any programmers good with VoIP, that can be trusted with a confidential project. Ping me on tips@skypejournal.com if you're interested. Free agents only. Project starts soon. Thanks.