There’s a new VOIP kid on the block, and you really should take a look at it if you’re interested in making free (or really, really cheap) phone calls over the Internet: I
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There’s a new VOIP kid on the block, and you really should take a look at it if you’re interested in making free (or really, really cheap) phone calls over the Internet: I
Tuesday, February 1st, 2005
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Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) has been a dream of Internet users for years, but until now there have always been… issues, such as poor sound quality, expensive equipment, operating system dependencies, costly rates (even though VOIP is supposed to be cheaper), and an inability to call non-VOIP users who use land lines or cell phones. Well, there’s a new VOIP kid on the block, and you really should take a look at it if you’re interested in making free (or really, really cheap) phone calls over the Internet: Skype.
Let’s get some potential caveats out of the way immediately. Yes, Skype is made by the same people that created KaZaA. No, there’s absolutely no spyware or even adware in Skype. Yes, Skype is closed source and intends to remain that way. (If that’s a dealbreaker for you, then so be it.) No, Skype is not against the law — there’s nothing illegal about using VOIP. In fact, Michael Powell, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commissions, uses Skype. So, feel free to try out Skype. You’re not risking anything.
Of course, since Skype is a phone, you have to hear them and have them hear you. You could use your computer’s built-in microphone and speakers, but really, you need a headset to use Skype. Headsets are cheap and easy to acquire, and the Skype Store (http://www.skype.com/store/) has some good Plantronics models. Get your headset, and then get Skype.
Skype is available for Windows, MacOS X,…
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