For a good time call pawly_canuck

For a boring time call demiurg2

My handle and SkypeIn number are unlisted. :)

I am the list:-)

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It is SEXY to DONATE!
Skype = demiurg2

For a good time call pawly_canuck

For a boring time call demiurg2

Of course there's not a problem, Pawly! Sheesh!

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

For a good time call pawly_canuck

For a boring time call demiurg2

My handle and SkypeIn number are unlisted. :)

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

For a good time call pawly_canuck

For a boring time call demiurg2

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It is SEXY to DONATE!
Skype = demiurg2

Haven't tried the toolbar. But thanks for the reviews.

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I guess no one else is experiencing the problems with the dial-pad.
How about problems with the Skype Toolbar? If you have it, you can just click on phone numbers showing on web pages and Skype will dial the number. However, the toolbar is incompatible with Yahoo! Mail Beta (or was up until about a month ago). I hope Yahoo! or Skype works that out, because it is a handy feature!

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

I am primarily using Skype as my substitute for a cell phone. I've got one year for unlimited SkypeOut in the US & Canada, and am buying SkypeIn at 3 months at a time. (3 months at a time because I'll probably move towards the end of the summer.)

I have problems with dialpad when I dial-out. A call is made, and then if I try to put in an extension number or something like that, it often does not read it whether I punch the keys on the virtual pad or type in the numbers. It's worst when I am connected to the 'Net on wireless.

Does anyone else experience this problem?

I've filled out feedback forms for them sometimes, but I wonder if it might be time for some more direct contact?

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Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.

For a good time call pawly_canuck

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I'm Walkin'!





HAHahahahaa! Thought it an appropriate clip! Still haven't got around to this yet. Thanks for reminding me Stacey!

Reminding you about Skype? You're welcome Pawly.

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Modern dang fangled gadgets. Why can't people just talk to each other down the local pub like they did in the good old days?

BTW, has anyone got one of those new digital photo frames? They're cool!

Can't smoke there anymore!!!

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I'm Walkin'!





HAHahahahaa! Thought it an appropriate clip! Still haven't got around to this yet. Thanks for reminding me Stacey!

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Recently I have been hearing mixed reviews on Skype, but
mostly third party anecdotal. I see that many of the posters here use Skype and was
hoping they could report some first-hand pros and cons.

Thanks

I have been a long time user of Skype which can be found at skype.com. Skype enables a person to instant message similar to aim and msn however the windows are tabbed to one window so if you are having multiple chats with different people it is better. Also, i really enjoy the calling ability. For someone without a cell phone or whoever is abroad, this gives the person an extremely cheap method to communicate home. (2 cents a min). I personally haven't found many negatives except the fact of adding new people. Sometimes its a little difficult to know what you are doing but i enjoy the phone feature a lot. For using it on a bad wireless internet, calling to my family is always nice. If you want to pay the extra for it you can get your own number and voicemail and people then can call you as well. Microphone and headphones needed. Therefore, if you don;t have an internal microphone, you should buy a handset or headset. I give this good reviews because its free to call skype to skype and you can all do video chats. Any more small questions, let me know and reply.

Chao

> i use D-Link w/ a Regular Cordless Telephone connected to the D-Link which Connects to the Computer via USB . . .

ps - got it for $50 @ COMPUSA

D-Link Skype USB Phone Adapter - Model DPH-50U

D-Link Site

This is great info folks! I feel like a babe in the woods.
Keep it coming. If you feel you can add something don't be shy.
No such thing as too much info.

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Looks like I should get a headset!
I would want high quality stereo.
Any thoughts on wired vs. wireless?

High quality and free do not go hand in hand very often. This is one of those cases. Download it, http://www.skype.com and try it. It will owrk over your current laptop no problems, most have built in microphones and speakers. I have a cheap headset with a boom microphone built-in that I use. Works fine for me. No duplexing on the talking though! That means no two people talking at the same time. You will get used to it and LOVE the cost. I have a friend whose kid is in Hong Kong, you just need to schedule when you will both be on-line.

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Here's the deal from a new user's perspective. I have been using SKYPE video for only a week now. Video conferencing was my specialty while still working (Now retired) so I am a little spoiled as to what is available in the commercial world.

Packet voice will get stepped on since the internet does not guarantee delivery of packets in time nor in sequence. What this means is that the voice --which is compressed heavily-- is good enough to understand the other party most of the time; but will sound like gibberish (heterodyning) in bursts and somewhat frequently during a conversation. The video is atrocious-- looks like 3 -5 frames per second even at a small window size. There is frequent tesselation especially under subject movement as the packets are dropped and the codec struggles to re-paint a changing picture. The speaker's face will often disintigrate into squares. It might be better to have a picture of the other party and just have a moving lip.

The data rate for video is too low. Appears to be 32Kbps. I don't know why it isn't higher --excellant video is available at 128 KBPS and certainly at 384KBPS. The problem is maintaining this bandwidth when it is thrown into a shared (Socialist model) medium such as the internet.

So --its good and cheap( or free) for what I consider to be low quality communication. Not as good as switched circuit video and voice (Capitalist model).

You will need a headset or at least headphones to stop the echo which will drive you nuts. I don't know why there is not built-in echo cancellation via software. Todays computers have as much horsepower as many video conferencing systems. We should be able to get higher frame rates and better audio. Delay end-to-end was really quite good --not too hard to interrupt the speaker. you will find it hard to interrupt --a lot of overtalking will occur. Perhaps a longer delay would improve the audio but then it would be like talking over a satellite phone.

I haven't used any other home-PC Video to compare with. I am going to try I-CHAT (Apple Mac) video to see if it is better will let you know in a few weeks if the observations would be any better with the I-CHAT.

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Looks like I should get a headset!
I would want high quality stereo.
Any thoughts on wired vs. wireless?

Head set with Mic attached....Wired or wireless is fine...

if you get a wired one, make sure its a usb connection, better sound quality.

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Join Calm Chaos

Looks like I should get a headset!
I would want high quality stereo.
Any thoughts on wired vs. wireless?

Head set with Mic attached....Wired or wireless is fine...

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Looks like I should get a headset!
I would want high quality stereo.
Any thoughts on wired vs. wireless?

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DONATE TO SETI

So computer to computer and Skype to Skype are totally free?
I don't need to prepay any type of account unless I want to call a land line or cell phone? This is where I am unclear.

That is correct.

They also have a plan where you can have an incoming number and voicemail so people can call you from a landline.