Subscribe in a readerSkype - Online Phone Calls for Free
By now, I’m sure all of you have heard of Internet telephony or VoIP. VoIP (or voice over IP) is a technology that allows you to make telephone calls over the Internet. And, when you and the person you are calling are using the same VoIP provider, you can make the phone call for free.
Skype is the largest provider of VoIP service in the world. Purchased by eBay over two years ago for $2.6 billion dollars, Skype has over 196 million registered users (including me). Skype is huge, and should continue to grow with the help of eBay.
So what does Skype have to offer the Useful Stuff Online community? Well, here’s some of the great features available through Skype:
FREE FEATURES
- Calling other people on Skype
- Transfer Skype calls to other Skype contacts
- Video calls on Skype
- One-to-one and group chats
- Conference calls with up to nine people
- Forwarding calls to other Skype names
PAID FEATURES
- Skype Unlimited - 12 months of unlimited calls to any phone within the US and Canada for only $29.95
- Calls to international phones at low, per-minute rates
- SkypeIn - your own personal Skype phone number to receive calls from regular phones - only $60 per year
- Send and receive voicemails - only $20 per year
- Forward calls to phones at Skype calling rates - buy Skype credit
- Send SMS messages from Skype - buy Skype credit
In addition, there are some other cool features available for a modest fee, including ringtones, pictures for your Skype profile, gift certificates, and equipment such as headsets, webcams and more.
There’s even Skype for Business, which allows small businesses to get the tools they need for normal business operations, but also adds conference calling, group chat, video calls, and Outlook integration.
What do you need to use Skype? Basically, all you need is broadband Internet access and a fairly up-to-date computer (either Windows or Mac). And, you’ll need a microphone to talk. If you want to do video calls, you’ll need a web cam on both ends of the call (although I think you can use a webcam on one end).
The great thing about Skype is that you can use Skype as your home phone number, saving a ton of money and offering free Skype-to-Skype calling. For example, I talk to my mother and father (grandma and grandpa to the kids), who live in Florida, all the time. Since they have broadband, I can call them for free via Skype. Of course, their computer needs to be on, and they have to be somewhat near the computer to hear the ring, but if you set something up ahead of time via the Skype chat or email, you’ll have no problems.
I’ve use Skype in my own home business to communicate with people from all over the world. I have a programming team I work with in Romania, and business contacts in Australia. In fact, I talked to someone from Australia last night, and the call was crystal clear. Plus, I don’t have to worry about figuring out all of the dialing codes for making an international call.
Skype is a great add-on for anyone who makes calls nationwide or to international residents. Or, if you’re ambitious, you can replace your home phone service with Skype. Take a few minutes to check it out and download your free copy today.
Virtual Room Designer
I just came across a really cool new web site that lets you design a room in your house using an online design tool. Called www.designmyroom.com, the site offers a free account that allows you to design one room. There are also premium accounts for five rooms ($4.95 a month/$39.95 a year) or 25 rooms ($9.95 a month/$79.95 a year). But, for many, a single room is more than enough of a design project to tackle.
So, I signed up for a free account and starting playing around with the application…
The sign-up process was pretty easy, and you don’t need to confirm, which means you can go directly to your account. You can set up a profile with the site in case you want to participate in the community. There’s the standard profile items - photo, description, etc. - and the account page allows you to change passwords and other information. Pretty standard stuff.
Next, I went and started creating my first project. I chose a small bedroom to see if I could decorate it for something my son would like. So, to begin, you pick a room and the application sets the stage. After you have your room ready, that’s when the fun begins. You can add furniture, window treatments, paint the walls, change the carpet, and add accessories like lamps and other home decor. There are a ton of different products available to choose from, and you can change size and perspective based on the dimensions of your room.
It seems like the main way the site makes money is through some kind of agreement with different manufacturers. All of the products available on the design page have prices, as well as a link to take you to the manufacturer’s web site. There’s no pressure, and having actual products makes it a bit easier to visualize. And who knows… you may find that perfect dresser or bedroom set for your bedroom remodel.
There’s all kinds of different rooms that you can design, including:
- Basement
- Bathroom
- Bedroom
- Den
- Dining Room
- Garage
- Kids Room
- Kitchen
- Laundry Room
- Living Room
- Other
If you’re looking to upgrade the look of one of your rooms, check out and try your hand at virtual interior design.
Chuck