Friends forever!!!
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
SKYPE REVOLUTION
Well, first thing is, what is Skype? Skype is a software that act as Internet Telephony using Voice Over IP (VoIP) technology/protocol. Basically, in plain English, it means you can use your Internet connection to voice chat FOR FREE as long as your buddy or buddies (yes, it can support mutiple user on one time) on the side using Skype too. Interestingly, this concept is not new, but this is the first time I had it working for me. MSN and Yahoo! got their own audio chat service embedded in their Messenger client, but it DIDN'T WORK. Skype, on the other hand, download, install and start chatting, without any fuss! (as long as U have microphone, off course). The bottom line is IT WORKS.
VoIP is not new, but over here (read: Malaysia) its still an alien concept yet. Whereas in the US or Europe where there is a very high broadband internet penetration rate, Malaysia broadband Internet is quite slow. Over there, VoIP start-up companies seems to be new darlings. They give U a fixed amount of payment for a month, and you're off talking like crazy. There are also some prepaid type of service where U pay an amount and use, and when its finish U top-up the amount back. And its cheaper than those fixed line phone off course. Vonage, Skype, Vontage... well u name it. But lately, theres a new service offered by Nasioncom Sdn Bhd that provide just that. They offered u fixed line broadband voice chat with an Internet phone as the starter pack. Rates may vary if calling to one phone service provider than the other, but its cheaper than your normal fixed line service. Telekom Malaysia opps... TM I've been told already have that technology, but as usual of a big bereaucratic conglomerate company, they still not pushing the market and the new technology just yet. We, on the other hand, have to wait for a "little" while.
Back to Skype, its not only offering that voice chat only. Besides there's all those usual stuff of text-chatting, file transfer and etc. But the best thing is the SkypeOut features where U can call all your friends or families using Skype to the normal phone. And they wont know who's calling them. The downside? you have to pay for it. Although the rate is quite acceptable (read: cheaper) but it still to much hassle using foreign exchange rate for Malaysian. But the thing is, it works. That's the bottom line. There's also the new SkypeIn feature where they'll throw at U 3 fixed number for others to call U on Skype and a voicemail, but then it only to a certain country only. I dont think Malaysia included. There's also a Windows Mobile (a.k.a. PocketPC) version of the software that U can use on any HotSpot Wi-Fi places around Malaysia (although the Windows Mobile requirement is quite steep... U have been warned). Skype works well with Streamyx, its crystal clear voice and no such lagging occured. Even when sharing the connection with a number of computer. Although the website stated its also Ok with dial-up connection, I still didn't test that type of connection yet. Proceed with caution if U wanna go using that route.
SO WHAT ARE WAITING FOR? DOWNLOAD SKYPE NOW!!
http://www.skype.com/download
VoIP is not new, but over here (read: Malaysia) its still an alien concept yet. Whereas in the US or Europe where there is a very high broadband internet penetration rate, Malaysia broadband Internet is quite slow. Over there, VoIP start-up companies seems to be new darlings. They give U a fixed amount of payment for a month, and you're off talking like crazy. There are also some prepaid type of service where U pay an amount and use, and when its finish U top-up the amount back. And its cheaper than those fixed line phone off course. Vonage, Skype, Vontage... well u name it. But lately, theres a new service offered by Nasioncom Sdn Bhd that provide just that. They offered u fixed line broadband voice chat with an Internet phone as the starter pack. Rates may vary if calling to one phone service provider than the other, but its cheaper than your normal fixed line service. Telekom Malaysia opps... TM I've been told already have that technology, but as usual of a big bereaucratic conglomerate company, they still not pushing the market and the new technology just yet. We, on the other hand, have to wait for a "little" while.
Back to Skype, its not only offering that voice chat only. Besides there's all those usual stuff of text-chatting, file transfer and etc. But the best thing is the SkypeOut features where U can call all your friends or families using Skype to the normal phone. And they wont know who's calling them. The downside? you have to pay for it. Although the rate is quite acceptable (read: cheaper) but it still to much hassle using foreign exchange rate for Malaysian. But the thing is, it works. That's the bottom line. There's also the new SkypeIn feature where they'll throw at U 3 fixed number for others to call U on Skype and a voicemail, but then it only to a certain country only. I dont think Malaysia included. There's also a Windows Mobile (a.k.a. PocketPC) version of the software that U can use on any HotSpot Wi-Fi places around Malaysia (although the Windows Mobile requirement is quite steep... U have been warned). Skype works well with Streamyx, its crystal clear voice and no such lagging occured. Even when sharing the connection with a number of computer. Although the website stated its also Ok with dial-up connection, I still didn't test that type of connection yet. Proceed with caution if U wanna go using that route.
SO WHAT ARE WAITING FOR? DOWNLOAD SKYPE NOW!!
http://www.skype.com/download
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