Microsoft seen not to blame for Skype rejecting open source company

Golvin says it is conceivable that Microsoft might avoid new partnerships with companies whose products compete directly against Microsoft.

But Elliot says he thinks Microsoft is likely to expand the number of platforms Skype works on. "They would like to have as many companies interact with Skype as possible," Elliot says.

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A problem might arise, though, if Microsoft competitors decide to back out of current integrations with Skype because of their rivalries with Microsoft, he says.

Companies like Cisco and Avaya make SIP trunks that are compatible with Skype, but "if the Skype-compatible trunks become something that is competitively advantageous for Microsoft, they might be a little less enthusiastic," Elliot says.

Still, Elliot says Cisco and Avaya are more likely than not to preserve Skype integration.

Microsoft, of course, will do its best to integrate Skype functionality into products like Office and Lync, its unified communications platform, which competes against Cisco and Avaya.

Although Skype has primarily been a consumer brand, Elliot says he expects "that Skype will offer a premium, business-oriented service that includes the rich presence, various federation and security services, the kinds of things that enterprises want."

Keeping Skype open to competitors would not harm Lync -- it would make it easier for Lync customers to communicate with non-Lync users, Elliot says.

Skype is expected to become a Microsoft division, led by Skype CEO Tony Bates, as opposed to being swallowed up into another product division.

In a short analysis published May 12, Gartner analysts wrote that "Skype's independent position, which Gartner expects it to maintain for at least three to four years, will allow it to continue relationships with Microsoft competitors Avaya and Cisco, as well as other mobile platform vendors." (See also: "Microsoft's top 12 rivals")

15 High-Tech Cooking Tools for BBQ Season

Barbecue season is nigh! We want to help you tech-lovers prepare for your most impressive, champion-league, "winningest" (thanks, Charlie Sheen) cookout ever. You've already got your stainless steel natural gas outdoor grill with dual burners, as well as far too many useless kitschy tools—corn holders, shrimp deveiners, avocado slicers—probably received as gifts, through gritted teeth, from some over-priced mod kitchen store. Forget this stuff. It's all old hat. You need to break out something wild!

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The list kicks off with a group of tools that you can find in most hardware stores, some of which seem like they belong in the garage rather than the kitchen. From there, we'll move onto chemicals—not exactly "tech," but they fit right in with a scientifically equipped kitchen. We'll also explore some affordable plug-in appliances, some of which have unusual culinary applications. Finally, a few drool-inducing pro tools are too expensive for most people to own, but may inspire your culinary experimentation nonetheless.

In putting together this article, I spoke with several professional chefs and food experts who are on the bleeding edge of molecular gastronomy. Many thanks go out to James Beard Award-nominee Chef Francisco Migoya of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Michael Cirino, Alex Talbot of Ideas in Food, and Volcano Vaporizer distributor Adam Schoenfeld. They all contributed a significant amount of time and insight in putting together this list of 20 extraordinary tools that will not only wow your guests but also help you make one hell of a meal.

So cooks, get ready. Most of these tools are not for the faint of heart. But if you're prepared to order your first tank of liquid nitrogen, steel yourself for these 15 incredible and high-tech kitchen gadgets and tools, with tips on how to use them and what to make.