skype

People who use Gmail to make free phone calls in North America will be able to keep doing so for another year.

Google said in a blog post today that it was extending free domestic calling through 2013. It also touted its cheap rates for international calls.

Launched in the summer of 2010 as an alternative to Skype, Google's calling plugin lets people make calls to any mobile phone or landline via the Chat section in Gmail. The service is available for a slew of countries (there's a list here, under "show all rates").

For a … Read more

Skype lets you pick between text, voice or even video to communicate. When using the text option, your message history is saved to the client forever, by default. This means that every single message you've sent to someone is being stored on your computer -- until you take action to delete it.

If your computer is only accessed by you, then the message history may not be an issue. However, if you are sharing a computer, or you're just worried that private data could fall into the wrong hands, then check out these quick steps to delete all … Read more

Skype is one of the most widely used messaging and calling applications available on practically every current platform. Skype for iPhone is, as the name implies, the iOS port that works on iPhone and iPad. Available for free from iTunes or several download sites, including the publisher's, Skype installs and configures easily.

Skype lets you message or chat with anyone on your contacts list. You can also set up either audio or video conferences easily with Skype, as well as conference calls, by hitting a single button after choosing the contact. Calls over standard data networks, from one Skype … Read more

Skype has updated its iOS app to give it some of the same features as its full client software.

Released today, the latest version lets you log into Skype with your Microsoft account and chat with contacts on Messenger, Hotmail, or Outlook.com.

Users new to Skype can create an account directly from the app. You can now tap and hold down an instant message to edit it. You can also edit your saved phone numbers directly from the dial pad.

Those of you who like to spruce up your instant messages with emoticons can choose one when typing a … Read more

Skype released a new app for Android devices today, and the update boasts a new design for tablets, the ability to sign in and merge with a Microsoft account, and better audio.

This is the 3.0 version of Skype, a popular choice for video chatting and messaging across the Internet for free, and it requires Android 2.1 and up.

CNET's Jaymar Cabebe concludes that the design and audio quality on the new app is a definite upgrade, but the video quality of the service is not.

This update comes shortly after Skype launched a preview of its Windows 8 … Read more

Those of you in search of gifts for family or friends now have another option: Skype gift cards.

Available through the VoIP provider, the gift cards can be used to make Skype calls to mobile phones or landlines or to send text messages, either inside or outside the U.S. Skype gives you a few options for buying a card.

You can grab a physical card at your nearest Target, OfficeMax, or Microsoft Store. Or you can pick up an e-gift card from Skype's Web site or its Facebook page, which are then delivered to the recipient electronically.

Buying … Read more

We were already impressed years ago when Skype was first introduced on a full OS, but when its video call features are applied on a mobile OS, it gets even better.

The familiar blue-and-white interface makes a comeback in the mobile version of Skype. Things are a little simplified, of course, but the critical elements are easily accessible. You can quickly build up your contact list with the option to import all of your contact information from your phone's list. The call quality was high in our tests, and the video calls didn't lag and appeared very natural. … Read more