Facebook Adds Group Chat; Skype Video Chat

Today Facebook unveiled its plans for an all new redesign to its chat feature, while also debuting group chat and Skype-supported video chat.  Mashable has a live stream recap of the press announcement.

Here are my points of interest, including personal thoughts:

-Microsoft buys Skype.  Skype teams with Facebook.  Google+ debuts which offers group video chat.  Definitely not a coincidence.

-Instead of just debuting group and video chat, Facebook is also redesigning its chat interface.

-Chat summaries will be provided after the fact.  So this will be a type of archiving I’m assuming, for users that need to go back to previous chats for information.

-No group video chat, but I’m sure that will be rolled out in the future.  For now only one-to-one video chat.

-Will this make the Skype desktop application obsolete?

-Majority of people have more Facebook contacts than Skype contacts, so if users can do all their networking in one convenient location/application, thats what they will do.

-Once group video chat is available, will businesses start producing live streams right on Facebook for their customers/fans, instead of using other applications like Ustream?

-Very smart of Skype to start offering their services to other companies.  They’ve perfected voice and video chatting, so instead of companies like TiVo and Blackberry who attempt to keep their companies afloat by themselves, Skype is offering itself up to be integrated into other products.

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE