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| What do I need to use "Skype"? 1. A computer running Microsoft Windows, Apple OS X or Linux. 2. A headphone/microphone head-set - look for Skype-compatible head-sets on Amazon.com,  find head-set bargains on eBay microphone and speaker if you have a laptop, but check out these independent product reviews first! 3. An internet connection, preferably broadband; a 56k modem gives lower quality phone calls. 4. The Skype software - free download from Skype You are now ready to make free calls to other Skype users! 5. If you want to do video calls, you will need a webcam (sometimes already built into your laptop). 6. Your first 10-minute call to a normal phone or cell/mobile is free!!! But if you want to regularly make very low cost phone calls and send SMSs to mobiles, put at least $15 of "SkypeOut" credit want to call other Skype users. Mastercard and Visa are OK, but a free PayPal account is the easiest and safest payment method! 
If you need more help, get a Skype book from Amazon.com. So, what can Skype do for me? Skype allows you to make and receive calls from your PC, has free video, IM-style chat and file transfers. Check out this LONG list of Skype features!!! Click here to get your own
local landline number And what can't Skype do? This is COOL: Get your own US Toll Free phone number If you want to send and receive faxes from your PC, click here for a FREE 30-day trial OK, let's get started... Step 1: Download the free software from Skype.com Step 2: Make a Test Call:  After you have installed Skype, type in the Skype-name "Echo123" into the Skype-name/phone-# field (see picture on left) and click on the green phone-button. An automated system will answer your call, ask you to record a test message and replay that test message back to you. If you appear to have problems with your microphone or speakers, go to Skype's Sound Set Up Guide for instructions on how to set up and test your headset, microphone and speakers. If you send a "Call me" chat message to "Echo123", the automated system will call you, ask you to record a 10-second test message and replay
that test message back to you.Step 3: Make calls to people who have Skype: If you know their Skype-name, type it into the Skype-name/phone-# field and click on the green phone-button. If the other person is at their computer, they will hear Skype ringing, can accept the call and you can talk for free as long as you like. Step 4: Make calls to people who do not have a computer and/or Skype: Skype can call any phone world-wide (including mobile/cell/hand-phones). Your first "SkypeOut" call is free, then you can purchase some SkypeOut credit Use Skype for Video-Conferencing: It is not widely known that Skype has provided video-conferencing from the desk-top since January 2006 and in November 2007 released features similar to those found in professional systems. Desk-top video-conferencing can eliminate the need for special video-conferencing equipment and rooms. For existing Skype users, the only additional technical requirement is a web-cam. The call costs are the same as for Skype voice conferences, eg. free to other Skype users. It is estimated that one in four calls already involve video - both for professional collaborations across the globe and for
staying in touch with family and friends. Click here for more information on Video Conference! Use the Skype Call-Forward function: Very useful when you are not at your computer. Your calls are forwarded to any phone number, local or overseas. Note that you will need SkypeOut credit for the forwarded calls. Undocumented Feature: You can forward your calls for free to another Skype name, eg. from your home PC to your work PC. Use the Skype Instant Messaging (IM) function: Very useful, especially during phone conferences or if the voice line breaks - you can still communicate via a IM-style "chat". Use the Skype file-transfer function: Very useful, especially during phone conferences - you can exchange files in the background. Use the Skype cheap SMS function: Send SMS Texts to any cell/mobile/hand phone - but at half-price or less! Click here for more Skype SMS Texting info. Skype for Business: The Skype Business Control Panel SkypeIn
numbers and produces expenditure reports with allocation to employees/cost centres. Send Faxes using Skype:
Pamfax integrates with Skype and can send low-cost faxes worldwide. The Skax service is web-based. What type of Internet connection does Skype need? While broadband is always better (although there are sometimes problems using a WiFi connection), we have found Skype to work quite well on 56k modem lines (even as low as 33.6k, especially since V2.5.0.122). If you are using a slow line, the sound quality will be marginal at first - wait for
20-30 seconds until Skype switches to lower bandwidth. | |||
| Skype Security and Technical Information | |||
| Make Skype secure: Exclude your personal data (birthdate, sex, home number, etc.) from your personal profile as it is visible and searchable for>100 million Skype users. ● To prevent getting rogue calls, go to Skype -> Tools> Options -> Privacy and click the two "Only people from my Contacts can ..." options! ● Do the same in the Tools> Options -> Video to prevent rogue video connections. ● To prevent constant taskbar notifications as people go online/offline, go to Skype -> Tools -> Options -> Notifications and unclick "Display Notifi-
cation in the Windows tray when someone..." -> "... comes online"! More at www.skype.com/security/safety/safety.html.Avoid Skype scams: Beware of Skype "phishing" e-mails. Similar to the well-known banking scams, these e-mails look as if they come from Skype and ask you to click a link to "validate" or "re-activate" your account on a Skype-look-alike web page. The aim of these fraudulent e-mails is to get access to your Skype account and any credit you may have. DO NOT respond to these e-mails and delete them immediately! Skype does not ask for your password via E-mail. Skype only asks you for your password when you log into the Skype program or directly log onto their website at http://Secure.Skype.com. For
more information on how to verify that an e-mail is from Skype, see http://Support.Skype.com. Using Skype as an Internet Connection Indicator Checking if your internet connection is "live" is not so easy. Because the pages you browse could be coming from a cache or your connection may be having DNS problems, experts use "ping" for this. But the green/grey Skype indicator in
the Windows taskbar gives a reliable display if your connection is "up": Internet connected =  Offline =  How to run Skype from a USB stick: Running Skype from a USB stick (rather than installing it) can be very useful, because this "portable" version allows you to run Skype on any computer. If you are away from your home or office PC, you can plug your USB stick with portable Skype into any computer (internet cafe, office, friends, etc.) without needing to install Skype and use Skype as normal. Being portable, Skype runs independently without requiring or leaving any information on the host PC. 1. Make a folder named "Skype" and create a "Data" subdirectory 2. Copy the file "skype.exe" into the "Skype" directory (download the latest version for free) 3. In the "Data" subdirectory, create a text file "Skype.bat" containing: skype.exe /datapath:"Data" /removable 4.
Run the program from your USB stick... Get VoIP textbooks from Amazon.com. Providers of VoIP and/or Skype-related products and services, on this site! | |||
