Skype is taking over!

[Jeff]

Many of us in the lab are using it instead of our reliable analog phone system. It has a Mac version on par with the windows vewrsion. Rutgers will soon be switching to a state of the art voice over IP system to save money. Hmmm........ I wonder if they should just push Skype instead?

http://skype.com/

[Hunker]

I have skype at work try me to see, I have never used it.

[Jeff]

Hunker - it's ok. Saves a lot of money on calls made to industrialized countries from remote ones. But not the other way around.

BTW...... I think Rutgers needs a work-every-time-phone-system and not an internet system full-time. Skype is cool but wouldn't want to trust it for emergency calls.

[Wise Young]

New version of Skype available for Mac OSX, and also new beta release and widget to allow you to dial calls, look up country codes, and check calling rates.

http://www.skype.com/products/skype/macosx/

[garvey]

I recently read about a competitor that seems to be ready to supplant Skype - doesn't use peer to peer model like Skype so it tends to be traffic proof and more reliable - can't remember if I saw the article in Fortune or Wired magazine.

(maybe Gizmo?)

[PN]

It sounds to me that it also does a good job with conference calls. Listen to the first five minutes of TWiT Episode 32 (http://thisweekintech.com/).

[Hunker]

I have this at work goofing off but cannot get it to set up? Any tricks?

[crazyskiier83]

I found this program through my dad, and it works pretty well. I have an ethernet connection here at school, which usually gives pretty good quality calls, but there's a little distortion here and there. I am also amused by the fact that when you put on the "skype me" setting, people from weird countries (like Algeria?) will randomly call you, with the intention (I believe) of finding an American spouse. Hilarious.

Anyways... Hunker... if you have a more specific question, I may be able to answer it. I know some about computers, but I don't claim to be a genius.