View Full Version : My First Skype Experience, by a n00b :)
LoneGunman
03-02-2006, 07:03 PM
Bought a Linksys wireless skype phone a while back, and only used it for the first time yesterday, had a three hour conversation with a friend in Boston - and at current Telkom rates, I figure the phone just paid for itself in one afternoon.
Amazing to be able to relax and just talk crap for hours without worrying about the cost.
Seemed every now and then there'd be a dropout or the voice quality would degrade, but either I or them would just call back, and carry on.
Awesome technology..
I recommend to anyone who's got friends or family anywhere else in the world, and is mailing them regularly, to pick up an arb VOIP mike&headset (or USB/wireless phone) and try out skype - if you've never tried it. Its doubly cool given that its free, and Telkom get no money from you for it either.
Mmm. Yummy :)
Cool technology indeed. Is there a wireless headset (good quality earphones, not the Bluetooth mobile phone kind of crap) available for use with your PC and Skype for that matter? Is this what you are getting LG?
LoneGunman
03-02-2006, 07:13 PM
re earphone type thing - no idea, as I said, Im a n00b :)
I bought a cellphone-type wireless skype phone Linksys - from makro, sits on its base station when not in use, and when you're chatting you can pretty much walk around quite a distance and chatter on like on a normal cellfone.
I figured I'd rather have a handheld wireless cellphone lookalike, than some thing stuck on my head as if I'm a gamer :)
Nice to chat via the net, and go make coffee at the same time or walk outside even..
If there wasn't so much possibility for abuse on multiple levels - there's probably some good uses for Skype on this forum..not sure how many people can be gathered on a conference call for instance - or for that matter, how Skype might cope being used as a podcasting online radio station (depending on how many people can listen in on a call same time)
willirob
06-02-2006, 08:30 AM
Hey LoneGunman - what ISP do you use, and which package
LoneGunman
06-02-2006, 01:45 PM
*paranoia switches on* :P
why?
Lets just say I'm on one of the arb ISP's, last month was on just a couple of gigs, this month a slightly more expensive package. The new telkom rules have meant that I buy less monthly gigs, and hardly download anything of any size anymore..
vicarious
06-02-2006, 07:39 PM
Cool technology indeed. Is there a wireless headset (good quality earphones, not the Bluetooth mobile phone kind of crap) available for use with your PC and Skype for that matter? Is this what you are getting LG?
Yes there is.
If you enquire with www.soholink.co.za they can get it for you.
Enjoy
LoneGunman
06-02-2006, 07:50 PM
I actually just forked out and bought the Linksys wireless skype phone - looks like a cellphone. Kinda useful to amble around, go make coffee or whatever, while chatting via the net. Means you arent stuck in front of the pc the whole time. Bought from makro - ripoff prices, I think they go for like the equiv of maybe 500 -600 local bux in the US, here it was over a grand. Still, it works..
MobileAllOver
09-02-2006, 06:02 PM
I've bought the Olympia DualPhone few months ago - works great! For more details regarding Skype Phones goto http://www.skypephones.co.za/
LoneGunman
23-02-2006, 02:37 PM
I'm just averaging up to six hours or more a week now on overseas calls that I wouldn't be able to ever afford on regular phones - so Skype is THE killer app for me.
The concept of 'no cost calls' takes the stress off completely..
Anyone who's got friends or family overseas - as long as they have a PC, nag them to get at least an arb headset and mike, and discover the joys of freecalls. Once you and them chat for the first time, it sells itself.
firefly550
26-02-2006, 06:54 PM
Bought a Linksys wireless skype phone a while back, and only used it for the first time yesterday, had a three hour conversation with a friend in Boston - and at current Telkom rates, I figure the phone just paid for itself in one afternoon.
Amazing to be able to relax and just talk crap for hours without worrying about the cost.
Seemed every now and then there'd be a dropout or the voice quality would degrade, but either I or them would just call back, and carry on.
Awesome technology..
I recommend to anyone who's got friends or family anywhere else in the world, and is mailing them regularly, to pick up an arb VOIP mike&headset (or USB/wireless phone) and try out skype - if you've never tried it. Its doubly cool given that its free, and Telkom get no money from you for it either.
Mmm. Yummy :)
Have you tried VoipBusters yet? Much cheaper than Skype and the sound quality is 100 % better.
www.voipbusters.com
bb_matt
26-02-2006, 07:50 PM
viewing this with interest - need to also get VOIP on the move, to call back to friends in SA.
Like the idea of a cell phone like device, as the idea of being literally "tethered" to a computer doesn't appeal to me.
Busy weighing up the pros and cons - phoning mobiles in SA is still a heavy cost even with VOIP, thanks to the - here we go ....
"total f1cking c0ck sucker Vodacom/MTN greedy mofo as5hole toss3r ****1ing f-ckstick I hope you all die terribly" networks you have over there.
I'll take it a step further ...
"Vodacom and MTN, you are corporate criminals. Your MD's are bottom feeders of the worst kind, your top management eat feces for breakfast and I'd love to blow the lot of you up in a huge explosion, such massive f"ckheaded *******s you really are. I hope you crash your shiny new cars soon and die in fiery explosions as your wives leave you for people who have souls"
I like the idea of a wireless device to VOIP with, I must admit ...
I like the idea of a wireless device to VOIP with, I must admit ...I'd be happy if i could just find a simple little dongle that i can make my headset wireless. Skype calls tend to last quite a while :D and being chained to my desk by a 1,5m cord is very frustrating - but i don't want a handset... just a cordless headset arrangement.
Anyone found any decent pieces of HW that would od this??
Calico182
26-02-2006, 09:55 PM
Another option is to buy a Skype/PSTN box, and make Skype calls from the same phone you make standard calls. So if you already have a wireless phone at home then bonus. Example here -> http://www.voipuser.org/review_12.html
ernstn
26-02-2006, 11:22 PM
I'd be happy if i could just find a simple little dongle that i can make my headset wireless. Skype calls tend to last quite a while :D and being chained to my desk by a 1,5m cord is very frustrating - but i don't want a handset... just a cordless headset arrangement.
Anyone found any decent pieces of HW that would od this??
I am using a bluetooth hedset coonnected to my computer and it works beautifully!
Daveogg
27-02-2006, 07:40 AM
This will be my next skype toy.
http://www.thegadgetblog.com/2006/01/10/actiontec-announces-the-vosky-call-center-and-vosky-exchange-at-ces
kilos
27-02-2006, 02:15 PM
http://www.skypemart.com/direct/skypeusa/itemdetl.jsp?prod=2985
Reatils for $999 in the US
With this device your office can also make SkyPE & SkypeOUT calls
as well as receive calls to any extension on your PBX.
Not a standalone device needs to be connected to a Windows PC
and of course has 4 FXO interfaces to your PBX