Various Functions of Skype

The various functions that Skype provides are as follows:

SkypeOut
Besides the ability to call other Skype users through your computer, you can also call traditional landlines and mobile phones, for which you have to pay a nominal fee. This fee ranges between USD $0.024 and USD $2.142 per minute, depending on the country where you are calling. The calls to US and Canada, which were free, will now attract a small fee. Skype calls to toll free numbers in France, Poland, Canada, and United States are free.

SkypeIn
Skype users can receive calls from regular phones in other countries, if they call a local Skype phone number. If a user in Los Angeles creates a local telephone number in Copenhagen, people in Copenhagen can call that number at local rates. Skype users can subscribe to numbers in various countries, such as, United States, UK, Australia, Switzerland, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, The Dominican Republic, Japan, Estonia, Hong Kong, Finland, Germany, and France.

Skype Voicemail
This service enables the callers to leave voicemail messages for users of Skype, who are not available. You have to pay for this service, but some providers like Kishkish[4], provide it for free. There have been many complaints regarding this service, as these voicemail messages are sometimes not received and at other times, they are not recorded.

Skype Chat
Skype allows group text chat, using an interface like IRC, with 150 People.

Skype Me
If a Skype user sets up his status to Skype Me, he can connect to users throughout the world, via voice and will be open to callers from anywhere in the world.

Skype Video Calling
Skype enables cross-platform conferencing between Windows and Mac, but Windows 2000 users would need DirectX 9.0 for video calls and only one-to-one video chat is possible. It is, however, possible for two or more people to chat, but not three or more.

Skypecasts
With the help of Skypecasts, groups of 100 people or less can have moderated conversations. You would need a host who can eject, mute, or pass the microphone, to those people who wish to speak. Text information cannot be shared over chat windows.

Skype SMS
If you subscribe to Skype 2.5 and above, you can send SMS messages to mobile phones, but the message will be shown to have been sent by a sender, whose first 11 digits of username will only appear on the receiver's phone. The rates for this service are cheaper than for standard SMS messages. The message might not be delivered if the recipient is in roaming state.

There are many other functions, such as Skype web toolbar, Skype Zones, Skype history logs, Skypefind, Skype Prime, Skype hardware, and many others. The most interesting innovation is the PocketSkype, which is Mobile Pocket PC, and you can use Skype voice with this device.

Skype and the Skype logo are trademarks of Skype Technologies S.A. U3

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