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Skype VoIP Software & Service Reviewed

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the skype-ripe-for-hype dept.

securitas writes "The Atlantic Monthly's James Fallows reviews Skype VoIP software and the SkypeOut paid Internet telephony service in today's New York Times. Fallows almost raves about the software and service, writing, 'Skype, a made-up term that rhymes with "tripe," is the most popular and sexiest application of VoIP'. But he acknowledges that 'There is one huge drawback: Skype works best from a fully connected computer, which runs counter to the whole trend of ever more mobile communication.' Fallows interviewed Skype's CEO Niklas Zennstrom, who discussed company plans for 'partnerships with manufacturers of cellphones and personal digital assistants,' to address Skype's mobile limitations - it's currently restricted to Pocket PC. Fallows concludes with a provocative thought about Internet telephony when he writes, 'there are also questions about whether this new form of instant access could become as oppressively intrusive as e-mail often seems.' (Mirror at Taipei Times). Slashdot previously covered reviews of VoIP services Vonage, Packet8 and VoicePulse and profiled Skype."

5 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Email's not intrusive! by defile · · Score: 4, Insightful

    there are also questions about whether this new form of instant access could become as oppressively intrusive as e-mail often seems

    As intrusive as email? I consider email to be the least intrusive form of communication. Making a phone in my pocket ring no matter where I am in the world is the most intrusive way to communicate, if you ask me.

    1. Re:Email's not intrusive! by geekoid · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Man, you are lucky.
      Managers in many companies are expecting emails to be returned whenever. 7am 9am 2pm 7pm 10pm. they expect you to be conmnected, and it is a lot easier to deal with any guilt when they don't have to hear their voice.
      Yes, this 'allways connected' is turning working into a 24/7 nightmare.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  2. Online Help for ecommerce, tech support by davejenkins · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The biggest boom for this market will NOT be you calling your friends to gossip or talk about cars, it will be to have instant tech support or online help while shopping: you're sitting at your computer, looking at something, and needing help.

    There are already online stores (Amazon.com, backcountrystore, etc.) that offer instant chat with a service rep-- it`s a very short hop, skip and a jump from there to being able to dial up at customer service rep. and verbally talk while getting help or confirming an order.

    Things will get mean when this process goes the other way: once I buy a CD on Amazon, someone will call me on my VoIP to upsell or cross sell me on related titles...

    --

    davejenkins.com |

  3. true. by www.sorehands.com · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But in general (not zealots), the person using the software cares about the functionality and price. If something is free do most people care if it is open source? Have you modified your open source software today?

    --
    Fight Spammers!
  4. Re:My experiences with Skype... by Nos. · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That's just it... I remember using both the products you mentioned while playing Duke Nukem 3D! Now that there are services to push the VOIP onto the PTS, this is where things get interesting. Especially for example, if Phildelphia has wireless all over the city. All of a sudden you can have a VOIP portable phone... very interesting idea. Start adding in things like GPS, Internet, VOIP onto a single small handheld. That is where things should be headed.