The thing that makes this story really noteworthy is that Vonage is undercutting Skype’s international long distance rates by an incredible 30%. It’s similar to the tact Vonage took with their home phone service, coming in at a price that is nearly impossible for competitors to compete with. It will be interesting to see if this puts any pressure on Skype to lower their rates for calling internationally.

Any calls made are charged through credits purchased within the application. Because these credits are added through iTunes or Android, there is no need to give Vonage your credit card information.

For the launch of the app, users will get free calls to any phone in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. This is a limited time offer, so if you want to take advantage you will need to get the application right away.

Here’s the application links:

• Android Link
• iTunes Link

Source: Venture Beat

• Full HD video-calling
• Support for Facebook audio and video-calling (beta)
• Group screen sharing
• Hide offline Facebook contacts
• Push to Talk
• Skype updater service
• Bing Bar integration

Even before this update, Skype was already integrated with Facebook and allowed you to chat with friends, read status updates and more, all through Skype. The new version introduces audio and video-calling with Facebook friends, even if said friends are not even using Skype. All you have to do is connect your Skype with Facebook on the Facebook tab, choose a friend, and initiate a video call. You friend will be able to pick up and talk to you straight from Facebook.

The new version also includes updates such as push to talk, full HD video-calling (for certain cameras and certain connections only), and a Bing bar integration, as could be expected. So far, the new update doesn’t present itself to you automatically, and Skype’s update feature might tell you you’re using the latest version already (this happened to me with version 5.5), but you can download this latest version here and tell Skype what you think about it.

What do you think of Skype’s integration with Facebook? Do you like the fact that it’s getting tighter and tighter?

Source: Skype Blog

The post described 3 excellent apps for recording calls, managing history and using a whiteboard in call. But there are lots more things you can do with Skype apps, such as launching multiple accounts, adding spell checks, translating chats and initiating calls with one click.

Some Skype apps require permission through Skype itself. For a full explanation on how to do this, check out Tina’s post. And now, let’s check out some awesome Skype apps!

Multi Skype Launcher

If you’re regularly using more than one Skype account on the same computer, and you’re tired of constantly signing in and signing out of different accounts, Multi Skype Launcher is going to come in mighty handy.

Simply download the app, add all your Skype accounts, and you’re read to go. Whenever you want to launch more than one account, open Multi Skype Launcher, and launch the accounts you wish to use. For each account you add, you can choose to auto login when the computer starts, and whether it starts minimized or not.

Note that if you choose to auto login, you should disable Skype’s native auto login option from Tools –> Options – > General Settings to prevent confusion.

The app works seamlessly, and I was able to use both my Skype accounts at the same time without a hitch.

Ursa Spell Checker

In today’s world, it’s becoming harder and harder to write without those built-in spell checkers we’re so used to. They’re everywhere, and we rely on them to catch embarrassing typos and even more embarrassing spelling mistakes. Skype chat, however, doesn’t have one. Ursa Spell Checker adds this functionality to Skype, complete with suggestions for correct spelling in a context menu.

Ursa Spell Checker works on an individual user basis. You set up hotkeys to enable and disable it, and whenever you want it to work, simply hit the activation hotkey you set up in the preferences. If you’re chatting to several users at the same time, you will have to enable it for each and every one. This is both a down side and an up side, depending on how you look at it.

You can download multiple languages to Ursa and enjoy a spell checker for different languages. I only tried Ursa with English, so let us know in the comments how it fares with other languages.

Clownfish for Skype

If you need more than a simple spell checker, or if Ursa is not what you’re looking for, give Clownfish for Skype a try. This app offers live translation and text-to-speech, on top of a multi-language spell checker.

The app’s context menu is a bit intimidating at first, but once you brave its sheer size, it’s not that complicated to navigate through.

For translations, you can choose between several different dictionaries, and then set them up for the languages you want to use, or simply let Skype auto detect the languages. You can also encrypt messages, set up the spell checker (which you will have to download dictionaries for), set up text to speech and more.

This is a really useful little app that can make your life easier if you often chat in different languages and need to constantly copy and paste into Google Translate. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the app’s interface is a bit hard to swallow at first, but don’t give up, there are some real gems to be found.

Click.to

Click.to is a brilliant time-saver which is not meant for Skype only, but personally, I find that it’s especially useful when used with Skype. What Click.to does is take data from your clipboard and then lets you use this data in other applications. So how does this help us with Skype? Simple. Say someone just gave you a phone number in an e-mail or a chat, or you’ve found a phone number you need to call in a customer service website. Instead of copying, opening Skype, and pasting, you can use a Click.to shortcut.

When you first install Click.to, you can choose which services it will offer to use. I chose only Skype.

Then, when someone give you a phone number anywhere, simply highlight it, copy it to the clipboard and a set of buttons will appear. If you click the Skype button, a call will immediately be initiated. Simple, and very very useful.

You can easily change things like what shortcuts it offers, the icons’ size and location and whether it offers these shortcuts automatically.

Conclusion

If you use Skype a lot, you’re going to enjoy the enhancements these apps provide. But there are many other apps out there that can enhance your Skype experience. Know of some really good ones? Let us know in the comments, so we know what to try next!

Start Screen

The initial start screen is clean and simple. You can access your contacts, recent conversations, you can call phones, and view or edit your own profile. Via the top right corner you can sign out or change your online status (green). Via the options button (red) you can launch the menu, which includes access to your Skype settings (blue). Note that the option menu changes, depending on what part of Skype you are viewing.

The screenshot below highlights the different status options.

Personal Profile

Your personal profile provides an account overview, including Skype credit and status of your Skype number and call forwarding. When you switch to the profile tab, you can change your personal profile information.

Contacts

Per default, contacts will show your online friends. Clicking the respective button in the top left (red), you can switch to viewing all contacts, only Skype contacts, number, favorites, or blocked contacts. The options menu allows you to add contacts, save a number, search your address book, or sort your contacts by name.

Below is an overview of your contact display options.

When clicking on a friend, you will see a list of possible actions, including voice call, video call, send IM, send file, or SMS. You can also view their profile. Via the options menu you can rename the respective contact, add them to your favorites, block, or remove them.

When you open an IM conversation (click Send IM), you will see the most recent messages. You can make Skype load more messages from the history by dragging the conversation to the bottom. When clicking the chat icon in the bottom left (red), you can select whether to send your message through IM or SMS. Note that charges for text messages apply.

You can manage a conversation via the options menu, for example call the contact, add others to the conversation, send a file, or close the chat.

Sending Files

This is the most recently added feature for the Skype Android app. As of version 2.6, you can send files to your contacts. When you click the respective options buttons, a menu will launch from which you can select a source, typically including the gallery, as well as document and file managers installed on your system. Unfortunately, this does not include your Dropbox account, meaning you have to download any files you want to share via Skype.

Video Calling

As of version 2.5, Skype for Android features video calling, although not on all devices. Unfortunately, the Android Market no longer contains a full list of supported devices. If you run Android 2.2+ on a supported device, however, you can enable video calling and control further details in the settings menu.

I recently wrote a detailed article on how to enable and use the Skype video calling feature: How To Make Skype Video Calls On Your Android Honeycomb Tablet. Briefly, video calls must be enabled via the settings menu, video can then be turned on or off during a call, and on Skype 2.3+ you can switch back and forth between front and rear camera.

Calling Phones

Just like its desktop counterpart, you can use the Skype Android app to call phones or send text messages. Personally, I find this feature much more convenient using the mobile app. The book icon with the # sign in the top right corner is your phone book. You can manually add contacts with the options menu, which is shown at the bottom in the screenshot below.

Conclusion

This was Skype for Android in a nutshell. Basically, it offers all essential functions also available in the desktop application, with clean and simple menus as a bonus. Overall, it may actually be a little easier to use, since the touch navigation forced developers to make the app a lot more intuitive. And by the way, you can have Skype delivered directly to your mobile phone via SMS from the Skype website.

How do you like the mobile edition of Skype and does it look much different on an Android phone? What features from the desktop app do you miss or what other features would you like to see? Please share in the comments!

Over the next week (December 21st – December 27th), Skype will be offering a free hour of Internet access to third-party wireless hotspots in 50 airports across the US. This will be available for anyone with a PC, Mac or iOS device. It will not be available for Android or any other mobile platform other than iOS.

In order to start, install Skype on your computer or the Skype Wi-Fi app on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Sign in using your Skype ID, and then check the wireless network connection. You should now be able to connect to a supported wireless hotspot, if you’re in one of the supported airports. To find out if your airport is included, check out this interactive map.

Source: Official Skype Blog

All kidding aside, it’s great that this feature has been added. Skype for PC has been capable of the same for years, so it was a bummer that the Android app couldn’t do it as well. For some people, Skype has more or less taken over as the mobile messenger of choice. It’s convenient that files no longer need to be sent separately via SMS or an email.

What else is new? There’s been some code enhancements made, like improved video quality for phones and tablets equipped with Tegra 2. This translates to good things for Android Honeycomb tablets and a few high-end smartphones. Skype has also “whitelisted” the HTC Amaze 4G and the Motorola Droid Razr as officially supported.

This is a minor update overall, but one that was needed. File sharing is an important feature for any instant messenger. Heck, I can even share files with Kakaotalk. It was a little weird that Skype couldn’t do the same.

Source: Skype Blog

This article will introduce you to three useful apps that allow you to record your audio calls, manage your chat history, and share an online whiteboard with your contacts during a Skype meeting.

What Are Skype Apps?

Skype apps are small applications that plug into your Skype client to enrich it with extra features. The Skype App Directory presently counts 38 apps in ten categories, ranging from business to translators. Most apps are available for Windows, some also plug into the Mac client, and one is designed to work with Google Android and iOS. Unfortunately, Linux users cannot take advantage of Skype apps.

How Do I Install Or Uninstall A Skype App?

Skype apps are installed independent of Skype and you don’t have to close Skype during the process. Once the installation is completed, you need to give the application access to Skype. If you accidentally deny access, you can always go to > Tools > Options > Advanced within Skype, and > Manage other programs’ access to Skype (bottom right).

In Windows, you can remove Skype apps like any other installed software via the Add/Remove Program menu. Skype apps are listed as independent programs. Uninstalling them does not affect your Skype installation.

Callnote

Callnote allows you to record your Skype conversations and automatically forward them to Evernote. This app only records audio of up to eight lines at once. Names of participants as well as duration of the call are saved automatically. You can set it up to start recording when a call starts. Callnote is available for Windows and Mac.

If you do not use Evernote and would prefer to save your recorded calls on your computer, try G-Recorder Basic. This app also offers the option to back up your chat history and export calls and history to your GMail account in chronological order. G-Recorder Basic is available for Windows only.

SkyHistory

SkyHistory is a chat history manager for Skype. The layout reminds a bit of Windows Explorer. You can browse your chat history by user or calendar, search for keywords, and bookmark selected IMs for later reference.

History from conversations that took place before you installed SkyHistory can be imported via the Options menu. However, this only works for history that Skype saved to your computer.

It’s a great app if you often need to browse old conversations, search for information, or refer back to it later.

IDroo

IDroo is an interactive multi-user whiteboard application that allows you to share a drawing board with your Skype contacts. You can draw and write on the whiteboard, add images, and open several different pages. This app is perfect for visually sharing ideas during an online meeting.

You can save the whiteboard pages as IDroo files or export as an image file and you can open saved sessions to share them again. IDroo is available for Windows only. To participate, your contacts must have the app installed.

Conclusion

Skype apps are tools that co-operate with Skype and add useful features. Even though some work across platforms, most are limited to Windows users. Moreover, the selection of official apps is fairly small and most apps have limited features or only offer a trial version. Nevertheless, you can find some very useful add-ons among the few completely free apps.

If you would like to use Skype on the go, check out these articles:

• How To Make Skype Video Calls On Your Android Honeycomb Tablet
• Skype For iPad – Was It Worth Waiting For?

And here are several more Skype related articles you might be interested in:

• Researchers Discover Skype Flaw That Lets Hackers Track You [News]
• How To Run Multiple Skype Accounts With Multi Skype Launcher [Windows]
• How To Record Skype Video Calls For Free With Vodburner

Do you think chats on Facebook or Google+ are serious competition for Skype? What could get you to switch from Skype to another platform?

Although Skype offers multiple options like calling regular phones and Skype To Go numbers, the basic thing many people still want to do is simply call from Skype to Skype. And here, Tango offers a pretty good alternative, especially since the latest updates to Skype have not been to everyone’s liking.

Installation and Setup

Tango is a video calling solution for Windows (XP and up), Android (2.1+) and iOS (4.0+), which makes use of your existing contact list already saved on the device. In order to use Tango, both sides need to have it installed, but the installation and registration process is quick and easy, and the results are surprisingly good.

The way Tango uses your existing contact list sure saves time, but it’s sorely lacking a way to manually add contacts. If you don’t have contacts saved on your device, there will be no contacts to display in Tango.

When you first install Tango on any device, you’d need to create an account. This includes your mobile phone number and your email address. By these two parameters, others will be able to find you if they already use Tango.

For some reason, the default Windows interface looks like an phone, but don’t be discouraged by this, it’s easily changeable.

The Windows client offers some configurable settings (there are much less of these in the Android and iOS clients), and among these you’ll find the “Skins” option. Click on it to change the skin from “Phone” to just plain old regular Windows.

And now you can actually start using Tango.

On your mobile device there are no skins, and Tango will load all your contacts automatically when you install it. So all you have left to do is invite friends and make calls.

Making & Receiving Calls

While Tango works well on Windows, it’s rather apparent that it’s actually meant to be used on mobile devices. Even if we ignore the default phone skin, the whole Windows interface still leaves something to be desired. To start, the window is small, and there’s no way to make it full-screen. You can play with the size, but it doesn’t really like to be too big, and will sometimes just change sizes on its own to become smaller again.

Having said that, it definitely works well, and you can easily use the Windows client to make calls, receive calls, turn video on and off and so on.

The video quality is not incredible, but definitely usable, and I managed to get better results than those I sometimes get on Skype. Depending on the device you’re using, you can switch between front and back-facing cameras, switch to horizontal view or turn video off altogether.

On a mobile device, things look a lot better. The Tango app integrates well into the interface, and makes using it almost as easy as regular calling. It automatically uses your phone’s contacts, so without configuring anything, you can see names, pictures, and other information you already have in your address book.

Now all you have to do to start using Tango regularly is have other friends that use it too. Tango is not so popular yet, but you can invite friends to install it so you can use Tango to call them.

Inviting Friends

This is probably the biggest glitch in Tango, although it is probably an intentional one. You can only invite people who already appear in your contact list. This is not a huge problem – your friends should be there anyway, but it’s still a weird limitation to have. Moreover, it becomes a real problem when using devices on which you don’t have an address book.

You can invite friends via e-mail or SMS. To do so, either click/tap the “Invite” tab, choose your invitation method and then choose who you wish to invite. You can invite multiple users at once.

Alternatively, if you’re on a mobile device, you can just browse your contacts and tap the “plus” icon next to a contact. This will let you invite this contact using a text message or via e-mail.

The e-mail/SMS you send as an invitation is not customizable, so you might want to inform your friends that you’ve actually sent this. Otherwise, it might look like just another spam/commercial e-mail.

Bottom Line

Tango is by no means perfect. It still has quite a way to go before I can truly call it a full Skype alternative. But with a simple interface, a lightweight app and a friendly attitude, Tango are on the right path. And considering how Skype for Android tends to behave sometimes, it’s actually quite a good option for VoIP calls that I plan to use frequently (just as soon as I have some friends that use it too).

What is your experience with Tango? Do you know of another VoIP solution we should try?  If so, share it in the comments!

With its recent upgrade, Skype for Android white-listed 14 more devices for video calling, including three tablets running Android Honeycomb: the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Motorola Xoom, and the Acer Iconia Tablet. Unfortunately, the video calling option is not enabled by default. This article will walk you through the setup as seen on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 running Android 3.1 (Honeycomb).

Step 1: Install Latest Version Of Skype For Android

If you don’t have Skype installed yet, navigate to the Android Market on your tablet and search for Skype or simply visit this link to install Skype.

If Skype is already installed on your tablet, check whether it was updated automatically or update the app manually. Navigate to the Android Market and click on > My apps in the top right of your screen.

Select Skype from your list of installed applications and then click a button that says > Update, provided you see it. If you have automatic updates enabled, your Skype will already be up to date. To confirm the version, click on > See details.

Step 2: Enable Video Calling

Open Skype from your apps. While in the Skype menu view (Contacts, Recent, Call Phones and Profile), tab the menu button in the bottom left and open > Settings.

In the Settings view, scroll down to the section that says > Video calls. Check the box for > Enable video calling.

A message may pop up notifying you that the device has not yet been certified to work with Skype. Click > Continue to enable video calls.

While enabling video calling, Skype will automatically reload. Once this procedure has completed, you can go ahead and adjust other video calling settings to meet your preferences or make your first video call with your tablet.

Step 3: Make a Video Call

When you now attempt to call one of your contacts, the > Skype video call option will appear on the list of actions.

While on a video call with a friend, you can tab the screen to switch or turn off the camera. Click the camera icon in the bottom right to access the camera selection. Per default, Skype will use the > Front camera. On tablets featuring a backside camera, you can also switch to the > Back camera.

The new version of Skype supports both portrait and landscape mode for video calls. To switch from one mode to another, enable auto rotation on your tablet and simply move your tablet around.

Did you enjoy this article? If you’re looking for more things to do with your tablet, have a look at the following articles:

• How To Load the Desktop Version Of Websites On Your Google Android Honeycomb Tablet
• 10 Fantastic Honeycomb-Optimized Apps
• The 3 Steps To Setting Up Your Android Tablet’s Touchscreen Keyboard
• 6+ Fantastic Apps To Replace Android Honeycomb’s Stock Keyboard
• 6 Handy Android Widgets for Your Homescreen
• 5 Ways To Improve The Battery Life Of Your Tablet

What tips and tricks do you have for Skype calls on Android devices?

When a call is made from one Skype user to another, certain packets are sent to start the call. If the right packets are blocked by the caller, then the recipient’s end of the call can be slightly delayed, and the call disconnected before any notification appears. The caller, however, will have obtained return packets containing the recipient’s IP address.

An IP address in itself can be bad news when it ends up in the wrong hands, but the flaw is deeper still. It’s possible to geolocate an IP address, and if a user has a mobile device with a data connection and Skype installed, a hacker could make numerous terminated calls to roughly work out the user’s movements.

Researchers also found that this method could be used to expose people using BitTorrent. Once an IP address was obtained through Skype, it could be compared to BitTorrent users in an attempt to find a match. The methods used were not targeted (out of 50,000 users, only 400 were matched with a Skype account) but does open the possibility of random blackmail by hackers or investigation by law enforcement.

How do you stop this threat? Your options are limited. Firewalls do not help unless you block Skype entirely. Blocking unknown contacts doesn’t work, either – the initial packets are still sent. It’s really up to Skype to fix this issue by changing their code. In the meantime, if you love to fileshare and you also use Skype, maybe you should stop one of those two activities.

Source: Futurity, Scribed