Over the past week I have been experimenting with two relatively new features that build out the Skype video experience: HD video using the recently released FREETALK® TALK-7140 HD webcam and Skype for Windows 4.2 Skype Group calling using the beta release of Skype for Windows 5.0 FREETALK® TALK-7140 HD Webcam At a price point [...]
It’s Been a Week for New Skype Video Experiences

Skype for Windows 4.2: Enhancing the Skype Call Experience
Three weeks ago Skype made available the “Gold” release of Skype 4.2 for Windows. In the interim I have had the opportunity to experience many of its new features, several of which I have found improve the call experience in somewhat subtle but very beneficial ways. Call Quality Indicator This is what I have found [...]
FREETALK’s New Webcam Product Line: Delivering 720p HD to Skype Video Calling
At CES 2010 last week In Store Solutions announced they will be adding three webcams to its FREETALK® product line that set new standards for video calling hardware. The primary service goal for these webcams is to support up to 30 frames per second transmission over Internet services available via widely deployed broadband (cable and [...]
Skype Launches “Real Canadian Skype Store”
Skype launches a Canadian Skype store customized to the Canadian market. When Skype began working with hardware vendor partners a few years ago, it also realized there was an opportunity for revenue generation by hosting a store where a Skype user could purchase Skype Certified headsets, phones and webcams. However, it also quickly became apparent [...]

Oprah: Taking Skype’s “Jetson Technology” to Extremes
“I thought you were on at 4 in the afternoon”, says a confused Manhattan Best Buy visitor. “No, we tape at 9 in the morning”, replies Oprah. “Oh, then Hi Oprah!”. Placing a Skype webcam setup in a Best Buy store found an adolescent customer who was looking for a Mother’s Day gift and waiting [...]
David Pogue, New York Times: Video Chats Overcome Clunkiness
Columnist David Pogue in a New York Time article reviewing Skype 4.0 starts with the AT&T video phone demonstrated at the 1964 New York World’s Fair and user experience from then. Not a lot of calls due to technical and psychological issues. He talks about why Skype has been so widely accepted (did he remind [...]
Skype Has NOT Thrown Indepedent Developers Under a Bus
Screen sharing is a feature, not a collaboration service. Skype has left the door open for all its developer partners to continue to build their businesses with Skype embedded into their offering, especially when it comes to fully featured collaboration services. When you come from a technical background it’s easy to confuse features with a [...]
It’s About the User Experience I: Huh?
Over the past two weeks there have been several announcements and activities related to the personal conversation space: Skype announced its Skype 4.0 beta program trialing a “full desktop” interface. SightSpeed announced an improved SightSpeed client with many engineering improvements to enhance video and audio quality SightSpeed for Business announced a 9-party video conferencing capability [...]
Alec Saunders on Skype’s High Quality Video
Last week Alec Saunders received an evaluation Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks; in a post today he comments on: the camera’s basic optics quality his previous objections to video calls that are overcome by Skype’s High Quality Video: getting the right lighting how previous cameras tend to focus, distractingly, on the forehead rather than the [...]
Skype Hardware Presence on the CES 2008 Show Floor
Philips, Sony, IPEVO, Nokia, Belkin, Intel MID demonstrating Skype-enabled hardware. As outlined in my recent Skype Primer series there are many dimensions to the Skype ecosystem: core real time conversation services, hardware, mobile and partner solutions. At CES we encountered two of these dimensions: Skype itself was promoting the spread of mobile access to Skype, [...]
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Skype Reference Guide
- Logitech C920 Webcam: for a Superior Skype Video Calling Experience February 1, 2012
- RIM and BlackBerry: Benchmarks for Progress January 27, 2012
- Vidtel MeetMe: A First Glimpse at Group Video Conferencing Interoperability January 19, 2012
- Skype for TV: CES 2012 Update January 16, 2012
- Skype at CES 2012: It’s All About The Consumer January 12, 2012
- FREETALK® Everyman USB Headset for Skype: Not “Just Another Headset”! August 14, 2009
- Coming “Real Soon Now”: Skype for iPhone over 3G February 3, 2010
- Skype’s SILK Codec: Working Towards Adoption as a Standard March 11, 2010
- SILK: Skype’s New Audio Codec Sets New Performance Standards for Voice Conversations February 3, 2009
- Skype Everywhere: Nokia and Skype Announce Ongoing Partnership February 17, 2009
- “Skype Has Stopped Working”: Another Service Interruption | Voice on the Web: [...] Skype Login Disruption Update: User Friendly...
- Skype With Your Doctor: Risk vs. Reward —C3Social Social Media Consulting Milwaukee & Chicago C3Social: [...] Even with a signed disclaimer for treatment,...
- Whither Skype Extras Today? Withered? | Voice on the Web: [...] the Extras publishers were acquired; for ins...
- Whither Skype Extras Today? Withered? | Voice on the Web: [...] and worldwide winners. PamFax, still in its ...
- » Skype for TV – Not on Windows » Voice on the Web: [...] Microsoft Acquires Skype – A Most Inte...
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