Microsoft Corporation is purchasing internet phone company Skype for a whopping $8.5 billion. The cash deal was finalized this morning.What do they see in Skype that others don't? A brand name to add to its already impressive consumer product stable that will probably make the TV in your home even more important.The Wall Street Journal: About 170 million people log in to Skype's services every month, though not all of them make calls. Skype users made 207 billion minutes of voice and video calls last year. Microsoft said it will marry Skype's functions to its Xbox and Kinect game consoles, Outlook email program and Windows smartphones. The company said it will continue to support Skype on other software platforms.The Skype deal ranks as the biggest acquisition in the 36-year history of Microsoft, a company that traditionally has shied away from large deals. In 2007, Microsoft paid approximately $6 billion to acquire online advertising firm aQuantive Inc. Many current and former...(Read Full Post)