Very OT: Anyone use Skype?

"Rona Y." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A friend of mine suggested I download Skype so we could talk without long
distance charges (Skype is an internet phone service). I currently use
YahooBB which I think might be similar (my long-distance calls go through
a
modem), though I make YahooBB calls with my telephone, not my computer.

Has anyone here used Skype? If so, how is the reception? Have you
encountered any problems with the service?

If you've used Skype, have you also used SkypeOut? Was the reception
good?
With YahooBB I pay Y15/minutes for calls to Canada, but with SkypeOut
they'd
only be about Y3 or Y4/minute. That would amount to huge savings for me.

I'm not affiliated with the company at all, nor am I asking multiple ngs
about this (though if no one replies, I might ask rpch+b, too). I've been
posting here since '97 or '98 and I think those who know me know I'm not
one
to spam. I've posted this because I know many here are computer savvy
people who might have tried this service.

rona
--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"[America] is filled with people who decided not to live in Europe. We
had
people who really wanted to live in Europe, but didn't have the energy to
go
back. We call them Canadians."
---Grover Norquist in Newsweek, November 22, 2004

Best thing since sliced bread! Been using it for 6 months. Superb clarity
of conversation, PROVIDING you have a Broadband connection.

It's OK on a dial-up, just a bit breaking up. Impossible on a cellular net
link.

A good duplex soundcard is a plus but not needed specifically.

A $15 boom microphone/Headset works best with the sound coming only thru the
headphones. If U use the speakers to hear the other person, then unless U
have a good noise cancelling mic, they get their own voice echo back., but I
guess yahooBB is similar?

Skype-out is also excellent. At about US$0.025 per minute, a Euro10
purchase lasts months, assuming the calls are not long. I use it for all
International calls and clarity to a normal phone or cellphone is probably
better than phone to phone conversation.

The Instant Messaging is a buzz as well. Good screening, as you can set it
(and the phone contacts) to only accept calls from those you have
authorised, so that keeps out the weirdoes! So there goes 25% of this NG
<smile>

Frenchy

Frenchy said:

Best thing since sliced bread! Been using it for 6 months. Superb
clarity of conversation, PROVIDING you have a Broadband connection.

It's OK on a dial-up, just a bit breaking up. Impossible on a
cellular net link.

A good duplex soundcard is a plus but not needed specifically.

A $15 boom microphone/Headset works best with the sound coming only
thru the headphones. If U use the speakers to hear the other person,
then unless U have a good noise cancelling mic, they get their own
voice echo back., but I guess yahooBB is similar?

Skype-out is also excellent. At about US$0.025 per minute, a Euro10
purchase lasts months, assuming the calls are not long. I use it for
all International calls and clarity to a normal phone or cellphone is
probably better than phone to phone conversation.

The Instant Messaging is a buzz as well. Good screening, as you can
set it (and the phone contacts) to only accept calls from those you
have authorised, so that keeps out the weirdoes! So there goes 25%
of this NG <smile>

Frenchy

Thanks! I wanted to hear a bit more about it before getting the headset. I
don't think I have a duplex soundcard, but I do have broadband so I think I
should be OK in terms of sound quality. Now I just have to get all my
family and friends to download it, too!

I'm not really sure how YahooBB works. It's only a telephone service (i.e.
you use a phone, not the computer to make your calls), but it goes through
the modem. Sometimes I do get feedback, but it rarely happens. It's been
great, though, especially considering how much international long distance
is from Japan (usury!). Even with Skype-out, I'll probably still use
YahooBB for calls to the US, as they would be about the same price, and
YahooBB prices don't depend on the Euro. I'll also use it for calls to
other YahooBB members (free!). From what I've read, though, Skype-out would
even be cheaper than domestic long distance~! That's pretty amazing!

Thanks again!

rona
--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"[America] is filled with people who decided not to live in Europe. We
had people who really wanted to live in Europe, but didn't have the
energy to go back. We call them Canadians." ---Grover Norquist in
Newsweek, November 22, 2004

snip>

Quoted message said:

Thanks! I wanted to hear a bit more about it before getting the headset.
I
don't think I have a duplex soundcard, but I do have broadband so I think
I
should be OK in terms of sound quality. Now I just have to get all my
family and friends to download it, too!

I'm not really sure how YahooBB works. It's only a telephone service
(i.e.
you use a phone, not the computer to make your calls), but it goes through
the modem. Sometimes I do get feedback, but it rarely happens. It's been
great, though, especially considering how much international long distance
is from Japan (usury!). Even with Skype-out, I'll probably still use
YahooBB for calls to the US, as they would be about the same price, and
YahooBB prices don't depend on the Euro. I'll also use it for calls to
other YahooBB members (free!). From what I've read, though, Skype-out
would
even be cheaper than domestic long distance~! That's pretty amazing!

Thanks again!

rona

Konichi Wa, didn't pick up U were in Japan! Head for Akihabara for the
electronics <smile>

Re the headset with Boom Mic. Don't get too heavy a one with big padded
earmuffs. These can get quite hot and sticky in a long phone call. Even
worse if it is a hot and sticky conversation <smile>

Sounds like the YahooBB is just a Voice over IP connection (VOIP) with a
special phone that utilises the providers computer.

The point of a full duplex sound card, is your get somewhat over the problem
of both talking at once in a conversation and cutting each other out. But
even if U have a full Duplex, if the one at the other end is only
half-duplex, the problem is still there. If you have a modern Computer with
just onboard (motherboard) sound, it may still be full duplex. If it is 3+
years old, it probably isn't.

Skype is certainly MUCH cheaper than long distance calls here in NZ. I am
not sure why the various telecom's are not panicking. Most times now with
Skype fired up, there are over 2 million users on line at any one time.
This should grow exponentially as well.

There is a new beta service called Skype-In. It ain't very well advertised
yet. You can pay to get a normal Phone number in a small number of USA Area
Code locations as well as UK. Then people in those places can call that
local phone number (for those without a PC and Skype) and it comes through
to your PC as a Skype call. Could be good for International business, as it
comes with a Voice Mail if you are asleep!

Frenchy

Frenchy said:

Konichi Wa, didn't pick up U were in Japan! Head for Akihabara for
the electronics <smile>

Are you crazy?!??! Akihabara is insane! And I'd have to be insane to go
there! :-)

Actually, the last time I was in Akihabara, I was very disappointed. All
the stores had the same things at the same prices. And there was very
little that I couldn't find at my friendly neighbourhood Yodobashi Camera
(I'm in Nishinomiya, near Osaka). It's still a great place for tourists,
though.

Quoted message said:

Re the headset with Boom Mic. Don't get too heavy a one with big
padded earmuffs. These can get quite hot and sticky in a long phone
call. Even worse if it is a hot and sticky conversation <smile>

Eeek!

Quoted message said:

Sounds like the YahooBB is just a Voice over IP connection (VOIP)
with a special phone that utilises the providers computer.

Possibly, though it's not a special phone. It's just my regular phone. One
thing I like about YahooBB is that it automatically determines which service
will provide the cheapest call for me. When I call a YahooBB member, I hear
4 beeps--that means my call is free. When I call long-distance, I hear
three beeps--that means the call is going through YahooBB. If I hear only 1
beep, it means the call is going through my local provider (NTT, in my case)
since it would be cheaper than YahooBB prices.

Quoted message said:

The point of a full duplex sound card, is your get somewhat over the
problem of both talking at once in a conversation and cutting each
other out. But even if U have a full Duplex, if the one at the other
end is only half-duplex, the problem is still there. If you have a
modern Computer with just onboard (motherboard) sound, it may still
be full duplex. If it is 3+ years old, it probably isn't.

Unfortunately, my computer is about 4 years old :-(. But I did a check and
I think I might have a full Duplex (I used MS instructions on determining if
I have a full Duplex or half duplex. I can listen and record at the same
time, so I think I have a full duplex).

Question--If I have a built-in microphone on my laptop, do I still need a
headset?

Quoted message said:

Skype is certainly MUCH cheaper than long distance calls here in NZ.
I am not sure why the various telecom's are not panicking. Most
times now with Skype fired up, there are over 2 million users on line
at any one time. This should grow exponentially as well.

Probably because it is still not well-known. I have been asking around to
my IT friends, and none of them knew anything about it.

Quoted message said:

There is a new beta service called Skype-In. It ain't very well
advertised yet. You can pay to get a normal Phone number in a small
number of USA Area Code locations as well as UK. Then people in
those places can call that local phone number (for those without a PC
and Skype) and it comes through to your PC as a Skype call. Could be
good for International business, as it comes with a Voice Mail if you
are asleep!

I saw it on their website, but didn't really look into it. I guess now I
won't have to, since I wouldn't qualify!

Thanks again!

rona

--
***For e-mail, replace .com with .ca Sorry for the inconvenience!***

"[America] is filled with people who decided not to live in Europe. We
had people who really wanted to live in Europe, but didn't have the
energy to go back. We call them Canadians." ---Grover Norquist in
Newsweek, November 22, 2004