Skype, Skype, Skype. How many times have we heard about this company in the past few months? Oprah always talks about it (so I have been told), and everywhere the company’s name is surfacing.
I am a new user to this phenomenon and wanted to share my experiences. Currently, I am typing from Qatar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. My wife and family are back in the USA. Since I like them all, I began to explore options to speak with them before I left and kept landing on Skype.
It is an online chat program much like Yahoo and MSN Messenger. There is even video chat. Nothing too ground-breaking there, until you add in the ability to call people on the phone very cheaply. In fact, Skype-to-Skype calls are free.
In the time it took me to load the program on my computer and create a profile, my coffee had not even finished brewing. Now, how is the quality? The area I was in had a very weak Wi-Fi connection, and I still was able to chat with no problems at all. My video and audio were extremely choppy.
I was able to bring up video and type even though the audio was non-existent. Feeling defeated, I was ready to hit delete until I was told otherwise. Many others sharing the desert scenery with me say the program works great when in a good area. It will be great to put it to the test but getting to that area will be a small challenge for me in the very near future.
Summary: Skype, so far, has not had a fair chance to live up to its hype. In time, I have faith it will be a great program given a good connection. It worked outstandingly for me at home during my test runs. However, the true test is if I can still talk to others when I am this far away with minimal to no problems.
Does anybody have any tips or testimonies to vouch for Skype? Any other programs out there that are even better?
I use it all the time. You should try Skypeout where you can call any phone anywhere at really reasonable rates. My mobile phone has Skype so anyone can contact me for free anywhere I go.
actually, Skype sucks. It’s PC to phone rates are atrociously higher than other services online. Skype is truly a hype.
I still remember when It started it’s service. That was hideous. It gave free calls to land lines and later charged unexpectedly.
These companies should be doomed.
If you opt to chat with your family, better stick to Yahoo or MSN chat/video services. Avoid using Skype or any other so called over-hyped bullshit.
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