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General discussion

Poll: Do you use video chat at home?

Jul 26, 2013 10:41AM PDT

Discussion is locked

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Skype
Jul 26, 2013 11:22AM PDT

I don't use it very often, but it's great when I need it.

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Yes..Skype & FaceTime
Jul 26, 2013 11:54AM PDT

Use Skype with PC but prefer FaceTime which I use on the iPad. Depends on what the kids on the other end are using. They aren't quite as motivated as Grannie, so Grannie adapts.

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Yes
Jul 26, 2013 1:41PM PDT

I use Google Hangouts which has best clarity to see and hear my grandsons in action. It seems to work better
than the others I've tried. I use it on laptop or 7" Android tablet.

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Never.
Jul 26, 2013 1:57PM PDT

I have no one to chat to, no one who will answer the phone. None of my relatives like me much and I have never had the knack of making friends. Nor do I have descendants.
I do talk to neighbours, but they are mere yards away and so don't require much technology.
In the last year, the only phone call I've had was a cold caller robot and even that didn't leave a message. I would have binned the landline years ago were there any way to do so without losing broadband.
I like the idea of video chats, but I'll never make one.

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Aw Nutz
Jul 26, 2013 1:59PM PDT

I have Skype now on Vista laptop with built in camera, XP desktop with no camera but microphone, and iPad2. Windows Live recently turned itself into Skype, or vice versa I dunno - Microsoft tries to confuse me regularly - and guess what... I've got Skype contacts alright, but have never done an actual live chat video call. For one thing I'm not sure how to turn on the Vista camera anyway, am not sure if the iPad's version has an automatic-on camera or if I have to configure it. Just getting Skype set up was a pain, then they keep wanting me to update as they can't seem to decide where to settle their configuration, and windows Live was always a confusing thing, also constantly evolving. Put the two together and I am totally lost. No wonder I never use it. Oh well, no one ever calls me anyway... Why would we really want to see each other anyhow? Email is too much easier.

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AW Double Nutz
Aug 2, 2013 11:12AM PDT

I just upgraded Skype as per C-Net's alert last week. Today another alert that another new version was available. Now on my XP and Vista machines, Skype updates take awhile, even though they provide a little note part way through the update process that says something to the effect, "this won't take long", and "we're almost there". Yeah right.

I'm with Hartiq... I like the idea of it all, but it's a pain in the rear; I've never actually made a video chat, and yet spent hours installing incessant "updates" (this last one to fix bugs in the one last week, for crying out loud!) just in case I should ever want to, and I often thought the wife would like it for great grandkids and other distant relatives.

Skype engineers aren't being paid enough to get it right BEFORE releasing versions? I'm this close to tossing it all off all of our devices, and to heck with its "potential" connection with relatives.

How about one more "update" fellas? C'mon, Make My Day!

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I had a similar experience...
Aug 2, 2013 9:11PM PDT

... with a video suite from Cyberlink. In the end I gave up with it. They couldn't get it to work and I didn't feel like being their technical support monkey and alpha tester. It's a pity because they once made good stuff but I'll never go near them again. And I've binned it.
My sister recently tried to install Skype but she stopped when it asked for a payment method. She asked me for advice as she thought the advertising made it *clear* that Skype was free. I re-assured her that it is free, mostly, but that if she wanted to make long calls to a non-skyped-up landline in Peru she should expect the company to at least recoup its costs from her somehow.
But that need for Skype to have a credit card on file in case we make expensive calls nags at me. I don't like "free" with T&C's, restrictions, void-where-prohibited, not-available-outside-this-area small print. I know they are not a charity nor a government-funded public service but it still nags me that "free" *never* means free.
It's a flaw. I'll survive.

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Obvious answer.
Aug 2, 2013 9:02PM PDT

haf canadian asks : "Why would we really want to see each other anyhow?"

Isn't that obvious? The thing that ruined marriages well before electronics was ever dreamed of.

Come to think on it, some years ago a niece I hadn't seen since she was six inches long or so turned up at my front door. At the time she turned up she had grown a bit, learned to walk on her own, learned at least some of the English language and was allowed out without adult supervision. Had we been Skyping I would have recognised her. As it was, she looked quite different from the uncommunicative wriggly thing I had last seen. So video-chats might have been useful to familiarise myself with the changes she had undergone.
Unfortunately I didn't bother with the technology even then.
Anyway, the next time I see her, if I ever do, I'll know to expect something that walks under its own power and that can look me in the eye.
"Six inches"? Well, maybe a tad more than that.

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Video chat quite often...
Jul 26, 2013 3:49PM PDT

We've used Skype, FaceTime, and now, WeChat. Like them all, just depends on how big we want our screen.

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Yes, I use Skype
Aug 2, 2013 8:18AM PDT

Using Skype to video chat with my sisters that live out of state, and have used it to virtually attend family gathering/birthday parties that I couldn't get to. Originally used in on my Dell desktop running Windows XP; bought a C reative HD camera, downloaded Skype, quick setup, logged in with Facebook and added my contacts. Now using my Lenovo laptop with built-in camera to video chat via Skype, running Windows 8.