Free video-calls to Skype members around the world
Written: Mar 09 '11
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| Full Review |
My only regret about Skype is that I didn't subscribe to it a couple of years ago. In fact, my Mom had been urging me to get it since 2008, but I always suspected that there would be some hidden fees involved. Well, I was wrong.
To make the long story short, I finally downloaded Skype last summer. Boy, is it convenient! I have family and friends all over the world, and now I can get in touch with them whenever they are online. Skype lets you make free voice- and video-calls to any other Skype subscriber at your convenience, and I have been taking advantage of that a lot. So far, I haven't encountered any time limits on my calls.
Downloading Skype is free and really easy (my 80-year-old Mom figured it out on her own!): you fill out your profile, entering your e-mail address and some basic information about yourself, picking a contact name and creating your password. You can also upload your photograph to make identification easier. Then you create a contact list by entering your friends' names or e-mail addresses - and voila - you are in business.
[Sorry, "business" is a wrong word here, because Skype does not really encourage the use of its free services for business purposes. Well, that makes sense: telemarketers would really love to have an opportunity to bug you through Skype, wouldn't they? But to prevent that, Skype has a procedure, where you need to accept a contact request before you start communicating with a particular person.]
What I like about Skype is that you have a lot of control over your communications. For example, if you look particularly dishevelled on any given day, you have an option of making (or accepting) a voice call without video. In this case, your interlocutors will only hear you, while admiring your best picture on their screen (I am just assuming you are going to place your best image on your profile). If you don't have one, they will see a question mark on top of your name. I also enjoy the fact that I am given a choice of changing my status - just click on on "online, away, offline, do not disturb or invisible" next to your name. Too bad I discovered this feature only a couple of weeks ago - before that, everybody used to start calling as soon as I switched on my computer. Before my coffee, that is just too much - I am grumpy in the morning.
The quality of calls is generally good. I have encountered only a couple of snags, like the lack of video or "dragged-out" sound, with slow Internet connections. But my overseas phone calls are not always perfect, either. It is also helpful that Skype provides you with a tutorial, showing you how to make calls and deal with problems.
Skype also offers a number of paid services, including calls to ordinary phones and group calls, but I am not going to dwell on those, because I haven't really researched those options. Oh, and you can also exchange instant messages with your contacts at no additional charge - nothing out of the ordinary, but convenient.
So on the whole, I just love my Skype. Now I am the one bugging my non-Skyping friends to get it. Some are reluctant, but they shouldn't be.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: New York
Reviews written: 83
Trusted by: 2 members
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