It seems the recent acquisition of Skype by eBay is doing wonders for the free VoIP service.
You may not have heard of Skype yet. It’s a program, easily downloadable off the Net, that allows you to speak to anyone in the world using your computer speakers and microphone as if on a normal telephone call, over an ordinary Internet connection. The technical term for this kind of software is Voice Over Internet Protocol (you may have heard of it).
What makes Skype so cool?
* Calls to anywhere in the world cost the same as a normal Internet connection – e.g. I phone my cousin in London (she also has Skype on her computer – the software needs to be installed on both sides of a call for it to work), and I only pay for my Internet connectivity for the duration of the call. It’s much cheaper than a normal call overseas, even in non-peak hours.
* Skype also has instant messaging functionality – nice as an alternative to emailing or phoning.
* SKYPE IS FREE! Yes, believe it or not, Skype costs you nothing to use. All you need is a mic, speakers and an Internet connection.
Skype have recently added some really nifty optional extras to their already slick application:
* An updated version (download it here)
* Skype Groups – Are you working in a group, or a team? This is for you…
* A very useful Skype Toolbar for Outlook and Internet Explorer that adds multiple functionality to your favourite Microsoft applications
* Oh, and an updated version for Mac users, too (Rog!)
Some exciting stuff happening at Skype!