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by Noah Kravitz, Reviews Editor 30 September 2006


Free Phone Calls: Skype For Mac OS X



Pros: Free Outgoing Calls to US and Canada Until 1/1/07; Solid Sound Quality; Integrated Chat; 2.0 Beta adds Video
Cons: Not Many; Requires Use of Headphones to Avoid Echo Effect During Calls.
In Sum: It's Like iChat AV + VoIP. And it's (mostly) Free Until the End of the Year.
Pricing: Free (software); Free Through 12/31/06 (Outgoing Calls to US/Canada); SkypeIn Service and International Calling Rates Vary
More Info: Product Page

Cell Phones Are So Last Year
This one's a no-brainer. If you make phone calls while at or near your computer, have a Broadband Internet connection, and don't want to pay for outgoing domestic long distance, get Skype. If you use iChat AV or another Instant Messaging app with voice, and sometimes run into compatibility issues with your clients or friends IM clients, get Skype and tell them to do the same. And If you make calls at or near your computer, have broadband, and want cheap international calling rates, at least look into Skype.

A client of mine asked me to start using Skype for phone calls about a month ago, and it's great. First of all, it's free to conduct voice, video, and/or text chat sessions with other Skype users. It's also free to use Skype to call any home or mobile number in the US or Canada until the end of this year. And it works.

I don't have a home phone, and a few months ago my cell phone bill was sky high because of a spike in long business calls I had to make. Skype has already saved me money on my cellular bill. Granted, I can only place calls for free - accepting calls requires a SkypeIn account (currently running 30 Euros, or around $38 USD for one year) - but I can always field a client call and call them right back from Skype. Skype Voicemail is also available for 15 Euro ($24 USD) a year so you can send voicemails to people when they're not logged into Skype and they can do the same to you. Skype SMS also allows for voicemail-esque delivery of text messages to other Skypers when they're offline for 9 cents a pop in the US (International rates vary).

Skype also has a nice text chat interface that allows for an IM-like experience within the application. I've used this to great effect with clients and colleagues, combining voice conversations with text messaging of URLs, written copy, data, file transfers, and so on. In this way, Skype functions like iChat AV. An OS X beta of Skype 2.0 supports video chat, as well, with fairly solid results (Skype for Windows already officially supports video). Additionally, Skype is starting to preview and promote Skypecasts (a cross between podcasts and party lines on specific subjects) and SkypeZones (pay Skype-specific public hotspots around the world; SkypeZones are not yet OS X compatible).

The Skype interface is simple, clean, and attractive. More importantly, the voice quality is excellent. Some kind of microphone and speaker is obviously necessary to make voice calls, but you really need at least a pair of headphones to avoid an echo effect caused when your call is amplified through speakers and then that amplification is picked back up by the microphone. I've used Skype with my iBook's built-in Mic and a standard pair of stereo headphones and it works just fine. Wireless headsets and those with built-in mics will, of course, yield better results.

Skype-specific accessories are starting to hit the market, including USB and Bluetooth headsets and Skype phones that connect directly to WiFi networks. In addition to the OS X and (of course) Windows versions of Skype, Linux and PocketPC versions are also available, the latter of which is starting to come pre-installed on WiFi-capable cell phones. In short, Skype is one of a few VoIP providers leading the Internet telephony charge. Check it out, especially while it's still free to call your "old school phone" friends.

Skype 1.5 and 2.0 (beta) for OS X are free and available for download from the Skype Website. Outgoing calls to mobile and landline phones in the US and Canada are free through the end of 2006. Incoming calls and other services are available on a paid basis - check the Skype website for rates and details.

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Noah Kravitz is the Reviews Editor for PBCentral. A writer, educator, and musician, he lives in Oakland, CA and is the author of Teaching and Learning with Technology.


 

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