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Skype is a software program created by the Swedish and Danish entrepreneurs Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis and a team of software developers: Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu and Jaan Tallinn based in Tallinn, Estonia. Skype allows users to make telephone calls over the internet to other Skype users free of charge and to landlines and cell phones for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer, short message service, video conferencing and its ability to circumvent firewalls.

Skype
MSRP $0.00
Release date August, 2003
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Pros & Cons16
Reviews6
Details
Buy It
Competitors10
Comments1
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Pros & Cons

ProSCORE
6 reviews
72
negative
mixed
positive
6 positive
0 mixed
0 negative

[i] How is the ProSCORE calculated?

show me!

Pros:
Do you agree?
•
easy to use
+6agreedisagree

•
clear audio quality
+5agreedisagree

•
Available on Mac, Linux and Windows
+5agreedisagree

•
Runs well on cheap netbooks
+4agreedisagree

•
Clear voice
+3agreedisagree

•
good video quality
+2agreedisagree

•
added support for High Quality Video (640 x 480) with certain webcams
+2agreedisagree

•
Skype app available for iPhone
+1agreedisagree

Cons:
Do you agree?
•
can be a resource hog
+2agreedisagree

•
High Quality Video requires a fairly powerful computer
+2agreedisagree

•
causes MS Outlook 2003 to freeze occasionally
+1agreedisagree

•
Skype app for iPhone not available in Canada
+1agreedisagree

•
occasional Skype spam calls
+1agreedisagree

•
Skype uses a proprietary Internet telephony (VoIP) network.
+1agreedisagree

•
The Skype network is not interoperable with other VoIP networks.
+1agreedisagree

•
slow startup
0agreedisagree


6 people added to this review by submitting or voting on pros and cons. Add your say!
See individual votes »

Details

The Skype Group, acquired by eBay in September 2005, has headquarters in Luxembourg, with offices in London, Tallinn, Tartu, Prague and San Jose, California. Skype experienced rapid growth in both popular usage and software development since the launch, of both its free and its paid services.

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This report was started February 22, 2008 at 5:42 pm by Jan
with the last edit occurring October 21, 2009 at 12:10 pm by Emma Taboada
This page has been viewed 2162 times, with 97 edits by 16 contributors.
See the full report history »

Buy It

Competitors

Skype is ranked 2nd among it's competitors.  See the top picks in Other Software »
Pidgin

Pidgin

MSRP  $0.00    Released  --
Pros
  • Free
  • Supports a lot of protocols
  • Doesn't take a lot of resources
Cons
  • No video/audio chat
  • Rough interface. Not as slick as more commercial programs
  • Can't easily launch IRC chat
ProSCORE
20 reviews
69
Vote! (6 votes)
vote Skype 50% vs. vote Pidgin 50%
Google Talk

Google Talk

MSRP  $0.00    Released  --
Pros
  • Integrates with Gmail
  • Unlimited file transfers
  • Uses XMPP protocol so it compatible with many Third-Party applications
Cons
  • Currently NO message encryption
  • Official stand alone application does not support Group chat
  • Lackluster interface and design.
ProSCORE
12 reviews
84
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Skype 50% vs. vote Google Talk 50%
Trillian

Trillian

MSRP  --    Released  --
Pros
  • Allows the use of multiple chat protocols with ONE universal app
  • Shared buddy lists from all contacts in one easily accesible space
  • Contact message history very useful (chat logs)
Cons
  • you are allways asked to go pro and pay
  • No Google talk (yet?)
  • No Skype compatibility
ProSCORE
5 reviews
64
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Skype 67% vs. vote Trillian 33%
Miranda IM

Miranda IM

MSRP  --    Released  --
Pros
  • freeware
ProSCORE
1 review
100
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Skype 67% vs. vote Miranda IM 33%
Windows Live Messenger

Windows Live Messenger

MSRP  $0.00    Released  --
Pros
  • customizable through third party tools such as apatch and Messenger Plus!
  • Free
  • lots of features
Cons
  • Not compatible with ICQ.
  • Mac version slow, buggy and outdated.
  • Requires registration with MSN.
ProSCORE
13 reviews
32
Vote! (5 votes)
vote Skype 80% vs. vote Windows Live Messenger 20%
AOL Instant Messenger

AOL Instant Messenger

MSRP  --    Released  --

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) is a free, advertisement-supported proprietary instant messaging and presence computer program which uses the OSCAR instant messaging protocol and the TOC protocol. It was released by AOL in May of 1997. It is one of the most popular instant message programs in the United States. Stand-alone official AIM client software...

ProSCORE
0 reviews
N/A
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Skype 100% vs. vote AOL Instant Messenger 0%
Yahoo! Messenger

Yahoo! Messenger

MSRP  --    Released  --
Pros
  • Clean design, tends to use less visual space than other IMs
  • Freeware
  • Very popular, almost everyone have account on Yahoo!
Cons
  • Crashes a lot on the Mac platform
  • Ads included, more data
  • Google Talk not supported
ProSCORE
2 reviews
43
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Skype 100% vs. vote Yahoo! Messenger 0%
Kopete

Kopete

MSRP  --    Released  --

Kopete is an open source Instant Messaging program that uses the popular KDE package. Similar to other Open Source IM programs Kopete communicates with nearly all the major protocols, including AIM, MSN and Google Talk. With its plug-in architecture even more protocols can be supported. On top of the basic messaging abilities Kopete adds...

ProSCORE
0 reviews
N/A
Vote! (2 votes)
vote Skype 100% vs. vote Kopete 0%
ICQ

ICQ

MSRP  --    Released  --
Pros
  • The first widely used Internet instant messaging program
Cons
  • ICQ is often used for distribution of unwanted advertisement and spam.
  • It is not possible to cancel or delete an ICQ account.
  • Pressure on alternative clients.
ProSCORE
1 review
20
Vote! (3 votes)
vote Skype 100% vs. vote ICQ 0%
Gizmo5

Gizmo5

MSRP  $0.00    Released  --
Pros
  • Free when calling other Gizmo5 users
Cons
  • Spotty quality. Sometimes people can here me, other times they can't.
ProSCORE
4 reviews
33
Vote! (1 vote)
vote Skype 100% vs. vote Gizmo5 0%

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Comments

1.  avatar east-tec said:

Skype is what I use everyday to communicate with my friends, co-workers and even business partners. The sound quality is also much better than on normal phone!
Jun 18, 2009 8:53am
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Reviews

Sort by: Most helpful  •  Newest  •  Most positive

Erik

avatar
March 31, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
62
negative
mixed
positive
8 pros
5 cons
have ithave it
love itlove it
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • easy to use
  • clear audio quality
  • Available on Mac, Linux and Windows
  • Runs well on cheap netbooks
  • Clear voice
  • good video quality
  • added support for High Quality Video (640 x 480) with certain webcams
  • Skype app available for iPhone

Cons

  • can be a resource hog
  • High Quality Video requires a fairly powerful computer
  • Skype app for iPhone not available in Canada
  • occasional Skype spam calls
  • slow startup

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

fractalhorizon

avatar
January 4, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
78
negative
mixed
positive
7 pros
2 cons
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Pros

  • easy to use
  • clear audio quality
  • Available on Mac, Linux and Windows
  • Runs well on cheap netbooks
  • Clear voice
  • good video quality
  • added support for High Quality Video (640 x 480) with certain webcams

Cons

  • can be a resource hog
  • High Quality Video requires a fairly powerful computer

Competitors

fractalhorizon prefers Skype over Windows Live Messenger
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Fila

avatar
September 17, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
67
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
2 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • easy to use
  • clear audio quality
  • Available on Mac, Linux and Windows
  • Runs well on cheap netbooks

Cons

  • Skype uses a proprietary Internet telephony (VoIP) network.
  • The Skype network is not interoperable with other VoIP networks.

Competitors

Fila prefers Skype over ICQ
Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

korbendalis

avatar
March 18, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
60
negative
mixed
positive
3 pros
2 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • easy to use
  • clear audio quality
  • Runs well on cheap netbooks

Cons

  • causes MS Outlook 2003 to freeze occasionally
  • slow startup

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Jan

avatar
March 31, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
4 pros
0 cons

Pros

  • easy to use
  • clear audio quality
  • Available on Mac, Linux and Windows
  • Clear voice

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

Emma Taboada

avatar
October 21, 2009
approved
reviewer
ProSCORE
100
negative
mixed
positive
2 pros
0 cons
have ithave it

Pros

  • easy to use
  • Available on Mac, Linux and Windows

Cons

Did not agree with any cons

Did you find this review helpful?
Yes
 / 
No

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