What is Skype?
Skype is a program that offers a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service. This allows users to make calls to people all over the world via your computers or cellphones and have text chats. Calls between computers are usually free, and other Skype calls are generally inexpensive. Skype features are very rich and keep innovation.
Skype is for doing things together, whenever you’re apart. Its text, voice, and video make it simple to share experiences with your loved ones, wherever they are. Although Skype had some problems getting mobile and was in some way late to the party, today it has strong apps for iOS, Android, and all other common mobile platforms. You can use this VoIP service on whatever works best for you, on your mobile, computer or tablet. Also, you can even try out group video, with the latest version of Skype. Share a story, celebrate a birthday, learn a language, hold a meeting, work with colleagues by using Skype.
With the latest Skype feature which translates, it allows people to talk in different languages while still understanding each other. Thanks to the app translating.
It is the most popular VoIP service, as it has more than 650 million registered users. “Skyping” is now almost as familiar as the term “googling”.
The History of Skype
Skype was created in 2003 during the early days of Voice over IP or less technically Internet calling. It has known since great success and it changed hands a couple of time before finally being acquired in 2011 by software giant Microsoft.
How does it work?
In order to use Skype, you’ll need to first sign up for a Microsoft account. If you don’t already have one, you can create one. Then, you can immediately begin adding Skype contacts by searching for either their Skype screen name, email address, phone number, or display name. All you have to do for adding contacts is click or tap the Contacts button in the left-hand sidebar. And then select the little icon at the top right of the screen that looks like a person next to a plus sign. At last, I recommend you to upload a profile photo and put your name so that people you’d like to add to your contacts will recognize you. When you’ve filled your address, you can start video calling, chatting, and sharing files to your favorite people.
What are Skype features?
Calling
- Video calling: Skype allows users to have free video calling through which they can have face-to-face conversation. Users can have video calling with anyone else who has either Skype and a webcam or a compatible mobile device. Moreover, users can share up to 10 videos in 1 single call. Up to 10 people can share their video at the same time while the rest can participate over audio. At home or on the move, users are able to feel more connected to their loved ones and share the great or little moments with each other.
- Audio calling: With Skype, you can make Skype-to-Skype calls with anyone, no matter their location. These calls are free and can last as long as you want. If the ones you’d like to contact doesn’t have Skype, you can also pay low to call mobile phones and landlines. It’s amazing how little it costs to call people on the other side of the world or just across town. Also, you can forward Skype calls to any phone in case you’re not on Skype when someone needs to contact you.
- Conference calling: In Skype’s group calls, you can host a group video chat or audio conference call for up to 25 people. This is a very great Skype feature for sharing news with your family, hanging out with multiple friends at once, or undertaking a business task with a team of colleagues.
- Voicemail: You can set up a voicemail on Skype that will take calls for you when you’re busy or aren’t using the program. Much like regular voicemails, you can save or delete them and listen to your voice messages and return any calls whenever you are free.
Messaging
- Instant messaging: This Skype feature makes users staying in touch simple. When you’re not feeling up to calling, Skype allows you to instant message your friends in a format similar to other IM services like Facebook Messenger. You can either chat with a single person or a group of people for free. So no matter where you are, your friends are at your fingertips with instant messaging on Skype.
- Video messaging: Your friends don’t have to be online or available, you share the moments of your day with them. By using this Skype feature, connect face to face even when you are miles apart. Now go ahead and use the video messaging app to send your loved ones a moment they can see, hear and feel.
- SMS texting: Although this feature cost a bit money like making audio calls to non-Skype phone, it is worth to use it. This Skype feature lets users send text messages to any mobile device. It’s especially a great value for texting abroad.
Sharing
- Screen sharing: Use this Skype feature to make big travel plans online. If you need to collaborate with a client or colleague or give a friend a tutorial you can share your screen with whoever you’re calling. Also, this feature is making it easy to work on projects together.
- File transfer: Whether you want to send large files to multiple contacts during a voice, video, or group call or you want to send a small document to someone in an instant message, it’s all up to you. You can send, receive, and view any type of file with this Skype feature. The files can be presentations, videos, photos, or gifs, and it can go over and over. Moreover, there are size limits to files and some types of files may require certain software to view properly.
- Contact sharing: In order to share your contacts, all you have to do is to simply drag and drop the person you want to share into the chat. So your friends can add them to their own contact list. Skype makes it super easy to transfer contacts to a friend or family member. Actually, I recommend you to make sure your new Skype contacts are kept in the loop.
Other features
- Skype language translator: It breaks down language barriers with your friends, family, clients and colleagues. Skype has a voice translator for video calls that currently works in 10 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Arabic, and Russian. Also, it has text translator which is able to translate in more than 60 languages for instant messaging. Of course, new languages are being added all the time. Unfortunately, this is a feature that’s only available on devices with Windows 7 or above.
- Skype for Slack: Go from emailing and chatting to making video and voice calls, right from your inbox. If you use Slack in the workplace, you can move your work conversations from your office’s channel or a DM into a free group call with Skype. All you have to do is install the Skype slack app and then type “skype” into the message input to start a voice or video call. In order to use Skype for Slack, you need to have Skype installed locally on your device as well.
- Share button: You can easily share your content from your site by using this Skype feature. The Skype share button works with just a touch. It allows you to deliver your info directly into a Skype chat and get people talking about your website.
Conclusion
As we all know, recent communicating devices, like Skype, have brought much convenience for us in our daily life. It would be good to use such services in order to have more chances for communicating and take advantages from their well-organized features. But it should be kept in our mind that none of the communicating services is completely secure. Actually, most of them have vulnerabilities that provide good chances for hackers to hack. Also, there are multiple tools for hacking Skype. So you’d better to be aware of them and try to protect yourself from being hacked by bad guys.
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