Posted on 09/13/2010 8:25:09 PM PDT by pfflier
My sister-in-law just joined Skype and is trying to drum up contacts.
I am leery of anything "free" on the internet and see that Skype has some parts that are pay-to-use.
I also assume, like facebook, they may have porous security or may exploit their member's personal information.
Any opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks for the heads up. I’ll look for it when I go on there again. :~)
I use it for my “landline” and have been happy with it. The cost is about $2-$3 per month and I have my own phone number with unlimited calling in the United States and Canada.
I've gotten to the point where I just use a junk computer for the internet and wipe the hard drive and reload. Seems the simplest way to solve the problem.
I talk to friends in China on it, for free.
It works fine for me. I have the landline number option and have eliminated all other phones. I have a pre-paid cell plan for emergencies. I’ve used it for years without span or security issues. I pay about $35 per year and about $3 per month for the landline phone number with voice mail, call forwarding, etc.
WTF am I paying for Vonage?
How does Skype handle 911 calls?
Get a Magic Jack.
No, I don’t work for them.
Sorry, I forgot Skype has pictures, right? So not comparable to Magic Jack.
I never had the need to use the paid services.
Under your privacy settings check all the “people in my contact list only” buttons. Also don’t have it run at startup. Just turn it on when you want to use it.
What costs? Skype is free I thought.
It has seamless audio and video, as well as file sharing.
I think you may even be able to share computers, but I never do that.
I have Skype, it doesn’t do 911 nor do you pay for it. It is best to get the landline number to the 911 center and keep it in your contacts.
OK.
I had thought of that option.
Vonage does it for you automatically.
It's free for computer to computer calls.
For a call from a computer to a landline or cell phone there is a charge. I think it is .02 cents a minute. You can use a pre-paid account or buy a monthly subscription for a specific country.
???
"as they type"?
We use Skype all the time to talk face to face with my daughter in Italy. The first time, she walked around and showed us her apartment and the view out her window and even played her guitar. Whichever way either of us points the laptop, that's what is seen by the other party. We walked around and let her say hi to all the pets. Over the past couple of weeks we have talked face to face, with instant video/audio, for hours... for freaking free! Skype is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
(But there is no typing involved.)
BTW. The only time I have ever had issues with VOIP quality is if you are uploading and downloading a ton of data to and from servers while you are trying to talk.
Uploading tons of data really cuts into your bandwidth.
On those rare occasions that i am doing something like that and the phone rings or I get a skype call, I just pause the FTP uploads.
Yup. With a $10 Microsoft VX 3000 lifecam http://bidstick.com/latest/microsoft-lifecam-vx-3000/14359.html?gclid=CIGmpdqJhqQCFcde7Aods0aWIg
It’s hands free.
I’m don’t have my hearing, so my daughter types. And since I don’t have a cam, I type back to her. And I agree it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread, and I like the “freaking free” part too ... talking to Malta for hours on end ... eeeesh, wouldn’t want to see that bill ...
Before I had skype I had to call India once when there was a Tsunami.
1 hour cost me over $200
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