Just had a friend turn me on to VoIP again on PCs and Macs.
I used VoIP back in the 99 and 2000 for calls in the 100s
around the country for political reasons. It worked then, but
the DotBomb thing basically buried all the startups. Skype.com
client for OSX is really slick. Dialing is easy, contacts list
is slick, option to chat for default is easy in prefs, and file
sharing for songs and photos is simple too. In all, the client
deserves a rock solid 8.7-9.2 depending my mood. :)
August 31, 2004
Voice-Over-IP Lands On Mac Desktops: Skype For Mac OSX Is Here!
Skype, the best free voice-over-IP solution available today to PC and Linux computer is now accessible also from Mac OS X powered machines (beta version).
With this new release, Skype is the first company to have on the market a powerful instant messenger integrating voice, multi-party conferencing, text chat, file transfers (up to 1 GB), direct calls to any phone line (land or mobile) in the world (at unheard of international call rates), and with a full cross-platform set of versions covering Windows PCs, Macs, Pocket PCs and Linux boxes.
Skype celebrated its first birthday on Sunday (August 29) and in just one year Skype has attracted more than 9 million users.
According to the data I can see displayed on my Skype interface, this tool has around 350,000 to 500,000 people connected at a given moment and, as claimed by Skype itself approximately 1.5 million users per day.
Skype for Mac OS X beta DOES include the new SkypeOut service, offering global calling to any traditional telephone number at local rates.
I cannot recommend enough this service to anyone as it has provided me with tremendous savings and the opening of a whole new set of opportunities when needing to talk to far away partners and customers. The service allows Skype users to pre-pay and use their computing device and Internet connection to call landlines and mobile phones anywhere in the world. SkypeOut Global Rate pricing is 1.7 Euro cents per minute (approx USD$0.02). The complete country rate sheet is available at http://www.skype.com/skypeout/help.pricelist.html
Skype for Mac OS X requires a Macintosh computer with Mac OS X v10.3 or newer, a G3, G4, or G5 and minimum 400 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM, 20 MB free hard drive disk space, sound card, speakers, microphone and an Internet connection.
The Skype for Mac OS X user guide and FAQ are available at www.skype.com. The software can be downloaded for free and is available immediately.
I am actively looking for early parts on the Mac to PC/Linux performance and other first-hand impressions from new and old users. If you do have any valuable feedback, please feel free to post it here.
Conversation Tags:
Readers' Comments
| 2004-12-31 10:09:33 |
| 2004-11-25 11:48:31 |
Trying to use Skype .11.0.6 beta on Mac OS 10.3.6. I have not been able to hear or be heard at all, ever. I can send files and IM. If anyone can help that would be great? I have a headset and it is selected and working with the Core Audio but when I make a call with Skype I get connection and my friend will pick up but he can't hear me and visa versa! Highly anoying!
| 2004-09-24 21:35:44 |
Please, could somebody tell me how to dial an extension number with Skype?
| 2004-09-07 01:23:22 |
mi linda hija, estoy con Koke y paty. Todo padre.
Un gran placer de estar contigo y mucha admiacion para lo que haces.
Buena noticia, ya skype funciona para mac.
Te escribo pronto.
Estoy en una tienda mac.
| 2004-09-03 18:47:17 |
Skype will change the world for the better! The only feature that I see that is still missing outside of Conf. is the dialpad. I tried to call my office and when asked to put in and extension I could not figure out how to dial a couple of numbers.
I know that that the dialpad on the PC works fine. But, all else is wonderful. The quailty truly blows my mind. One of our clients is a VoIP equipment maker and I hope that they will tie their products to Skype as well.
Jame
| 2004-09-01 00:17:42 |
Michael Sampson (OS X) and I (Windows XP SP2) chatted briefly this afternoon with Skype (before my land-line phone interrupted).
The connection was great between NZ and Western Canada.
I could tell Michael wasn't using a headset because you can actually hear background noise! No static or fuzz.
A real breakthrough!
| 2004-08-31 20:43:19 |
hello - I'm most pleased by this release (I've been using Skype on a PC for a while now). Only major missing feature - conferencing, which I hope they plug in real quick.
Slight instability with a couple of crashes (can't figure out reason for those).
Interface is lovely - a full cocoa app using OSX GUI widgets like drawers etc.
Dial out seems to work seamlessly (has this improved on PC app in the last month or so?). Sound quality is excellent - better than (shock, horror) ichat (using an isight as a microphone).
Features they could add? Integration with Apple's address book would be my priority (syncing would do me).
Recent Articles
January 31, 2009
Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Jan 31 09
Content-restriction concerns about Wikipedia, social connectivity, the benefit of video lectures in academic environments, are just some of the interesting topics covered inside this week edition of George Siemens' Media Literacy Digest.
Photo credit: Teemu Arina
In this issue:
Educational technologies and media expert George Siemens highlights the recent... read more
Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Jan 31 09
January 24, 2009
Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Jan 24 09
Location-aware devices, the importance of good visuals, generational distinctions, and open educational resources are just some of the fascinating topics included in this week issue of this Media Literacy digest.
Photo credit: Mr_Stein
How can you define and group completely different individuals together? Just because they're all the... read more
Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Jan 24 09
January 17, 2009
Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Jan 17 09
In this issue of the Media Literacy digest George Siemens deals with the predominance of advertising in Web 2.0, usage statistics of social networks, alternative approaches to teaching, and the need to improve existing learning platforms.
Photo credit: Rogers
Furthermore, today digest points to an interesting MIT experiment... read more
Media Literacy: Making Sense Of New Technologies And Media by George Siemens - Jan 17 09
January 14, 2009
Web-Based Screencasting Service Integrates High-Quality Screen Recording And Online Video Distribution: ScreenToaster Is Here
ScreenToaster is a new screencasting web-based service which provides high-quality screen video recordings ready for immediate web publication. ScreenToaster works on Macs, PCs and Linux computers and requires no software to downloaded or installed on your end. To me this looks like the best and most... read more
Web-Based Screencasting Service Integrates High-Quality Screen Recording And Online Video Distribution: ScreenToaster Is Here
January 7, 2009
Education And Learning: A Paradigm Shift - Part 2 - How To Prepare You For A Meaningful Life?
What kind of approach to education and learning must we have, if the end result we want to provide to our kids is to enhance their ability to self-direct themselves into living a sustainable, meaningful and successful life?
Photo credit: Dmitriy Shironosov
If our goal is the one... read more
Education And Learning: A Paradigm Shift - Part 2 - How To Prepare You For A Meaningful Life?
January 6, 2009
Education And Learning: A Paradigm Shift - Part 1 - Is Our Educational System Broken?
It's all so good to talk about new media, 2.0, participation, collaboration, real-time web, mashing-up, agile development, remixing, or lifestreaming but what value do these discoveries have when as soon as we turn our heads home and to our kids we still force them to go... read more
Education And Learning: A Paradigm Shift - Part 1 - Is Our Educational System Broken?
