Skype - Free Internet Telephony

Skype is an absolutely excellent VoIP client (Voice over IP, means you can talk like on the phone but using the internet).

Skype is free, allows talking to up to 5 people on the same line (conference calls), can send files, has a text messenger and can even work reasonably well over dial-up connections.

So what could I do with it?
Do you know people in other countries? Skype will allow you to talk to your friends or relatives for free, even if they are in another country! This saves you HEAPS on International Calls!

Are you a computer game lover? Well if you play multiplayer online then Skype will give you the power to chat to the people you want while in the game. This means if you open a conversation with the people on your team you can discuss strategies and the like, without having to type it out to them.

Do you LOVE chatting to friends? Well skype means as well as chatting over MUSM Messenger, Yahoo or AIM you can send messages over skype, and then we you feel the need call the person. It sure saves mobile phone bills, and its quicker than typing.

Are you a student who has group studies? Then this is probably the best application of internet calls. You are able to discuss projects, your ideas, send links with relevant pages, and then send your current work. It is ideal, free and right there in front of you (well if your project involves a computer it is).

But how easy is it to use?
Skype is probably one of the easiest pieces of software I have ever used. Usually there is a getting used to it period of about a week, but with Skype I felt comfortable from the point "Go!". To know the status of people, just add them to your contacts list. This can tell you whether they are busy, unavailable or want to chat!

Starting a call is as easy as finding the name and double clicking it. Alternatively you can click the name, then click the green telephone button (which starts a call)!

One of the greatest new additions to Skype is the ability to call normal telephones through Skype. This can be convenient if you have to discuss work on your computer, or are calling internationally. I haven't yet tested the feature, but it seems to be very popular. It is currently the only service in Skype that actually costs anything.

That's great, but how do I get it?
Just go to www.skype.com and click downloads. From here you can download the version for your operating system. If you don't know what I'm talking about then select Windows. Other supported systems include Linux, Mac and Pocket PC.

Once the file has downloaded, open it, follow the installation prompts and enjoy! (sounds like a recipe, enjoy)

My Final Opinion
Skype is excellent. It is guaranteed to contain no sphere, Adair or malaria. It's free, fast, reliable and used by more than 1 million people at any time of the day.