No contract, talk for free... too good to be true? (Skype)

Member Name: he6rt6gr6m

Product:	Skype
Date:	21/10/09 (19 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy install and very reliable.

Disadvantages: Only available to people with direct Internet access, which can be expensive on Mobile Phones.

Skype. Preached as a service which uses the Internet to transmit your voice, slightly delayed, from my personal experience, to another user of the service without the need of a phone number for free, with no strings! And, surprisingly, IT WORKS!

The basic jist, is that you download this fundy software on you Voice Over IP Phone, PC or Laptop, and get your friends and family on it as well. And with that, we go into what the software offers. Firstly, theres a friends list, which is like a phonebook without numbers. Clicking their name, and clicking 'Call' will make their software ring if they are online, and ask them if they would like to accept the call, or to refuse it. Once that is done, and they accept, providing all your drivers, speakers and mic is working correctly, you will have a crisp clear call, free for as long as you like! AMazing!

Another addition is the ability to Instant Message and Webcam chat as well as voice, which seems to point into the direction of the Skype Company trying to take the place of the ever popular Windows Live Messenger, formerly MSN Messenger. The major difference in the two being the start-up time, which takes the Mick with WLM and can slow your high spec computers down, whereas Skype is speedy and is barely noticeable... until the sounds come on to tell you that it is starting up. (These can be muted.)

Other ways to contact people, are through the extensive directory built-in, which allows you to search by name, town and other ways to find people you know, might now, or just randomly want to call.

The lay-out is very simple and is even operated by my 'computers really do bite' Mum. Buttons and so on are big enough so that anyone can use it. Simplistic works with everyone. And its design is very 21st Century.

Installation, I found, to be the same as any other application install. No restart was required until I realised my Drivers were knackered. Please make sure you have all of the necessary ones installed and working.

With 18m people regularly online every day, Skypes popularity is high now and can only get higher. Id recommend it to everyone... so I could get in touch with them for nowt!!

Summary: Well wortj having if you have a PC at home. On a Mobile, check with your network for Internet Prices

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