voip

If you go around saying things like "P2P" and "VoIP," even your friends are apt to give you the eyebrow, but say "Skype," and millions of users around the world get the message. Skype means free Skype-to Skype Internet phone calls, video chat and conferencing, IM, and Facebook integration. We tried the latest release of the free version of Skype, which not only lets you yak at other Skype users as long as you want for free but also enables free one-to-one video calls, Instant Messaging, and screen sharing. A Pay As You Go … Read more

Skype will stand alongside its parent company when Windows 8 launches later this week.

The VoIP provider today announced that it will have a new application ready for users when Windows 8 launches on Friday. The application, appropriately named Skype for Windows 8, offers the familiar features users would expect, including instant messaging and audio and video chatting.

Skype has received a bit of a face lift in the new app, featuring the new Windows look. That has resulted in a significantly different design than what current users have come to expect. However, the new version does appear to be … Read more

A communications freeware product made for those with a VoIP phone system or a high-speed broadband Internet connection, X-Lite supports instant messaging, traditional phone use, and video or conference calls. It has a number of very desirable features such as call recording and is a great way to cut phone expenses while still maintaining quality communications with friends, family, and business contacts.

X-Lite has a unique interface; it resembles a traditional cell phone with all 10 numbers and working buttons, such as redial and mute. The user can dial the phone just like a traditional cell phone or use the … Read more

Fring joins the long line of iOS apps using VoIP technology to connect you and your friends through video calls, voice calls, and chat. This free app is a no-brainer to set up, and even beginners will understand how the app works without reading any Help files or watching tutorials. Despite its ease of use, we weren't impressed by the video or voice quality.

Fring's user interface is very intuitive because it's based on our everyday use of the phone. We liked the idea of having video calls with multiple friends simultaneously using Fring's Group Video … Read more

If you're looking to make free voice or video calls worldwide, Skype is a great start. Its clean and user-friendly interface makes interaction effortless, so you are ready to go as soon as you launch the app.

During our testing, we were impressed by the video and voice quality of Skype, which uses VoIP (Voice over IP) technology to enable communication worldwide without paying a cent. One of its best features is the chat and mood messages: if you are in the middle of something, you can inform your contacts about it or just type a text message instead … Read more

PALOS VERDES, Calif. -- At the D10 conference, Microsoft's Tony Bates, president of the Skype division, laid out two of the major growth opportunities and challenges for the communications service: mobile and video.

Announcing today that Skye now has 250 million connected users, up from 170 million the last time he reported, he said that over 50 percent of his traffic is now video communications.

Skype is "doubling down" on Windows 8 he said (also doubling down on secrecy), which Bates says is excellent for Skype because of its focus on people. "Windows 8 really represents … Read more

A popular choice for VoIP users and those who make international and video calls, Skype (free for iPhone or iPad) received a few improvements that tweak the interface and give you more control over your video calls.

The overall interface has been slightly tweaked to look a bit smoother with a new header and buttons that are more aesthetically pleasing and better match the colors of the rest of the interface. The contact view now shows more contacts on screen, with smaller icons that don't take up as much space as they did in previous versions.

The most noticeable new enhancement is the ability to touch and drag your video preview (the picture in picture view where you can see yourself during a video call) so you can move it anywhere on the screen during a call.… Read more

Skype for PlayStation Vita essentially works just like any other smartphone version of the software, providing a comprehensive set of features, free Skype-to-Skype voice, and high-quality video calls. Also, gabbers can choose between the rear and front-facing Vita cameras during video communication. The aesthetics of the Skype client seem tailored to blend in with the overall tone of the Vita user interface, which I consider a nice touch. … Read more

This is an update of a deal I posted last year.

I haven't used a landline for as long as I can remember. It's probably been five or six years since I switched to voice-over-IP service, and although there have been bumps along the way (anyone remember SunRocket?), I can't complain about the thousands (!) of dollars I've saved.

If you're ready to do likewise, I highly recommend the Ooma Telo. This sexy black box plugs into your router and provides unlimited local- and long-distance calling.

It normally sells for $199.99, but for a limited … Read more