Skype!

[MexicanOnABike]

I'm starting this thread because I haven't seen one in the search.

Is anyone using Skype?

What is your setup?

Do you pay for calls?

Do you use it on anything else than your computer?


I have JUSt started using it so I will answer those a bit later on.
My main question was: has anyone been successful in using the IpodTouch for Skype audio? I can't find anything that tells me it would work. (there's no mic in the touch).

[The_Jazz]

We use it for videochats with my parents, who live a few hundred miles away. They can see the boys that way. We don't pay for anything, and it's pretty convenient and stable. Mostly we use it on the laptops, but occassionally we'll use it on the desktop.

[braisler]

I've used it on my computer for a while. Both laptop and desktop. I never pay for calls, just use the free service.

My wife is going to be traveling next week. We were looking into whether it would work on a Motorola Droid for receiving video. Technically I suppose it could send video, but the camera is on the opposite side from the screen so you couldn't do both at the same time... or you could use a mirror I suppose.

And before all you pervs get started... no it isn't for that. This is going to be the first time she is going to be away from our son (2.5 years). She was hoping to be able to see him on Skype if we can get it to work.

[dlish]

its illegal here, and you cant access the skype website here, though i have heard of people bypassing the law. im not too sure how because ive never looked into it.

The two main service providers here are partly owned by the government, so any form of competition is seen as a loss to the government.

A few weeks ago, a law was passed that allowed IP calls to be made legal. Although those calls need to be made through selected service providers chosen by the government. Skype on the other hand needs to make an application to the government if it wants to be made 'legal'.

oh i got carried away.. no i dont use it.

[Xerxys]

I don't use it. Mainly for the same reason I hardly use yahoo chat. I call everyone and the internet here in bumfuck carolina is fucking slow.

[Tully Mars]

I use Skype all the time I use it on my laptop when traveling and have two cordless Skype phones in my home. Skype allows me to call the US and Canada for about .02 a minute. Europe's no that much more. I have friends who use Vonage and if what they tell me is true then Skype is considerably less money.

[spindles]

I work from home and my work colleagues and I use it every day, either for text chat or voice. We've also used the 'share your desktop' feature a bit (to show the other person something on your screen.

We quite often have 4 or 5 way conversations, without too much noticeable loss of sound quality.

I also pay $80 AUD for a 'local' phone number. People with traditional landlines can ring me, and it goes directly to my PC.

I don't use it for outgoing calls to phones.

[Ratman]

I use it for study group sessions for my Master's cohort. We are kind of spread out, so it's the most convenient way to "meet". I also use it to contact my collaborators on various projects, and they are in various parts of the world. I don't pay anything. The only problem with Skype is that for the kind of use that I do, we all need to be online with Skype on at the same time to connect. My parents are 17 time zones away, and they don't sit by the computer all the time. I have a Magic Jack for calling them. It's freakin' dirt cheap (around $60 for two years, unlimited calls to N. America) and the call quality is superb.

[Charlatan]

For the year I was living abroad while my wife and kids were back in Canada, we would use Skype so we could chat on a frequent basis. Once I upgraded my computer I was able to videochat. I have to say, being able to see them made life a lot easier that year.

Now that we are all here together, we use Skype to stay in touch with the grandparents and some of our friends.

We have even gone as far as buying Skype Out minutes so we can call landlines in Canada. The price per minute is exceedingly cheap and it works well.

[Radio Monk33]

I use it for chatting with friends, online gaming voice chat.

Recently I bought 14.00$ of credit abroad to use while travelling. Used at internet cafes, it's a very cheap option for calling home.

[Shauk]

well if I want to call someone, I call them, if I want to see them, I visit them, the only exception seems to be for my parents, I set them up with it on their laptops and they use it to check up on the grandkids and see how they're growing up.

I have it, I know how to use it, but in application, not really.

[MexicanOnABike]

Originally Posted by Shauk

well if I want to call someone, I call them, if I want to see them, I visit them, ...

I can't visit someone 6hrs away often. and calling is about 30$ in longdistance per month so if Skype can save me more than that, then it's a great option. As for visiting someone, well the webcam is a great way to talk to an entire group of people like my gf's family. There's 5 or 6 at a time in the living room.

I've been using it all week so far and I love it! i would just like it if everyone else had high quality cameras like mine! haha. 2mp is sooo nice!