This morning, I noticed that Gizmo has one more advantage over Skype: substantially better performance over slower/less optimal WiFi connections.

Skype is slowly getting the can from me. Sorry kids.

Around the blogs, there are a number of folks talking about Skype making people pay for SkypeOut calls.

Guess what? Everywhere else in the world, you have always had to do this. So I don’t understand what the problem is.

I know that the QoS will improve on SkypeOut once the feeloaders are gone. Free is good, but you get what you pay for.

Those people who think free is a sustainable business model are either selling ads to pay the bills, or falling into the 1999 trap all over again.

Ok Skype hounds, this is is. Skype, in a move to get us North Americans (sorry Mexico) to use more Skype, is offering us unlimited calling to Canadian and American numbers (landlines and mobile) for all of 2007 for the ridiculously low price of $14.95 (offer valid until January 31, 2007).

Get it! Like you need a reason to resist Skype?

Oh, and of course all Skype-to-Skype calls are still free.

So, the question begs to be asked: why? Well, it seems that us dense folks on the non-European side of the Atlantic and the non-Asian side of the Pacific haven’t been adopting Skype fast enough.

A variety of theories abound about this. The one I have is that the US phone companies have priced long-distance so low that there is no motivator driving people away from their POTS connections.

The competition between the Telcos and the Cablecos over your phone service has been another factor in keeping long-distance costs so low.

It will be interesting to see which of the long-distance companies responds with a North American unlimited plan for a ridiculously low rate.

Technorati Tags: Skype, SkypeOut, unlimited+calling, voip, Telcos, Cablecos, long+distance, competition

I do not want to host my own blog.

Even if I wanted to, Wordpress.com does not make it easy to export content. This, however, is a separate discussion.

Skype and Web 2.0 (I hate the term, but I am using it) are inextricably linked.

Wordpress and Web 2.0 are inextricably linked.

Wordpress.com hates Skype. It’s that simple.

According to a Wordpress.com forum post:

Actually in this case it’s because skype and callme are being stripped. They’re not XML recognized tags and staff has stated that they won’t be supported.

And

Fraid not. Javascripts are still removed from input for security concerns. If you really need Skype, I would suggest getting a paid host.

See here.

Wordpress.com: BUILD A SKYPE WIDGET!

Thank you.

Technorati Tags: Wordpress.com, skype, widgets

Dear Skype:

I love the software. I am using it more for personal and work calls.

But I need to know when I have a voicemail. Now, not 24 hours from now.

I know you know about the problem. But it’s been over a month. I assume the voicemail notification wasn’t a problem before. So you know how to fix the problem, right?

Are you working on it?

Is anyone out there?

Technorati Tags: Skype, voicemail, Skype+voicemail

Here in North America, we have a little over a month left in our free Skype-2-North America phone service. (here)

I’m addicted. I will pay whatever they want me to so I can keep calling US phone numbers from one application.

And I can’t figure out why more people in the US and Canada still don’t use Skype. Maybe they think that it’s too good to be true.

Guess what?

It’s very good, and it’s true.

Get it.

Over the next 12-18 months, my plan is to move to working from home more. Like, 100% of the time, when I’m not travelling. To help accomplish this, and to free myself from the servitude to the Telcos, I have started to migrate almost exclusively to Skype for my work communication.

In this area, I bought two SkypeIn numbers over the weekend: One for the US, and one for the UK. So, if you want to contact me (oh yeah, I’m beating down the doors to keep people out — NOT!), I can be reached at:

SKYPE NORMAL: stephen.pierzchala
US: +1.508.471.3865
UK: +44 20 8133 3865

If I am online, I will likely be willing to chat; if not, you’ll bounce to my Skype voicemail.

I love Skype.

Did I mention that I love Skype? Oh, ok…

I just had a friendly chat with the American Express Account Security group. My card got flagged for unusual activity (“Why are charges from London appearing?”), and they sent me an e-mail.

I fired up Skype, called the US toll-free number and dealt with it in 2 minutes.

Have I mentioned that Skype rocks?

Technorati Tags: Skype, London, American Express

If you need/want to chat with me, you can now get me on Skype as well: stephen.pierzchala

UPDATE: Just talked to Ian Holsman in Australia. Other than some speakerphone-like reverb, it was like he was down the street. Ok, I know, I’m late to the party again; but Skype ROCKS!

Technorati Tags: skype