Microsoft's $8.5 billion buy of internet communications company Skype is the biggest in the technology behemoth's history. Here’s a look at some of Microsoft's other high-profile acquisitions.
No. 10: Hotmail
Price: $400 million to $500 million (estimated)
Date: Dec. 31, 1997
Web-based e-mail Provider
No. 9: WebTV
Price: $425 Million
Date: April 6, 1997
Early Internet-on-TV company
No. 8: Greenfield Online Inc
Price: $486 Million
Date: August 29, 2008
Including price-comparison site Ciao (Reuters)
No. 7: Danger Inc.
Price: $500 Million (estimated)
Date: February 11, 2008
Mobile Software and Services
No. 6: Tellme Networks, Inc.
Price: $800+ Million (rumored)
Date: March 14, 2007
Voice Technology
No. 5: Great Plains Software
Price: $940 Million
Date: December 21, 2000
Accounting Software
No. 4: FAST Search and Transfer
Price: $1.2 Billion
Date: January 8, 2008
Enterprise Search Specialists