Oh, Skype. We have you to thank for transforming thousands, of not hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people into cheapskates. I say that lovingly, for I, too, dream of a day when I can forever free myself from the confines of a monthly cell phone plan and run into the loving, warm embrace of no-monthly-cost, Skype-based chatting…
Okay, so maybe that’s a bit overdramatic. But it would be silly to think that Skype hasn’t radically transformed the way a lot of people go about their daily lives. In fact, some people do indeed subsist on this service, and this service alone, for all of their phone-based needs. And many more people use Skype to conduct business; to make podcasts; to call loved ones from afar, as is the case with Maximum PC dream date winner Magali and her French family.
In short, Skype is kind of a big deal. You know it, I know it, but… the one thing that you likely don’t know off the top of your head is all the different ways you can maximize your VoIP-chatting experience through the use of third-party Skype add-ons, software tweaks, and more! That’s what we’ll be covering in this comprehensive tips guide: Making Skype awesome.
Let’s get started!
It seems obvious, but we’ll get the most important tip out of the way up-front: Do not ignore Skype. Don’t ignore the client after you’ve just plunked down your credit card for the service’s Skype Credits (which, of course, allow one to make phone calls from PC to phone). And don’t ignore emails that Skype sends you.
Skype isn’t just going to let you keep your paid-for time in perpetuity. No, after 180 days of non-use, the company will invalidate any Credits you’ve purchased on your account. Stinks, huh? Make sure you heed Skype’s warning messages and place a call—any duration of a call—when asked to do so, and you won’t lose your cash, credits, or temper.
[beginner]
Skype isn’t that complicated to use—at least, not nearly as complicated as your average soundboard or, perhaps, even the Windows volume controls themselves. However, it’s worth your while to test out your call and microphone volumes before you blow someone’s ears out with a cacophony of sound.
First off, place a test call using the lovely link likely located right in your Skype contacts window (or just dial up user name: echo123). How’s it sound? If you want to make changes, fire up Skype’s options panel via the Tools menu, then select Audio Settings on the left. Uncheck the options to allow Skype to automatically adjust your volume settings and, instead, pick something that’s more to your liking.
And a side bonus: If you have more than one pair of speakers attached to your computer for whatever reason (or, say, headphones), you can use the “Ringing” drop-down menu to select where incoming Skype rings should play.
As you begin your travels through Skype, you might notice little notifications popping up in the lower-right corner of your desktop. That’s normal—you can tweak the reasons why Skype needs to tell you something within the “Notifications” section of the options window.
One thing you might not know about, however—the annoying advertisements and information boxes that Skype slaps onto the bottom of its main window can be eliminated in a similar fashion as well. Click on the “Alerts & Messages” sub-menu below the “Notifications” section on your options panel, then uncheck both “Help and Skype Tips” and “Promotions.” I hate promotions, don’t you?
Did you know that you can perform a few Skype functions—like answering a call—without even having to move your hand to your system’s mouse or trackpad? Yes, Virginia, Skype has built-in hotkey functionality buried within its options panel as well. And unfortunately for novice users, these helpful timesavers aren’t enabled by default within the program.
Hit up the “Advanced” menu in your options panel and select the “Hotkeys” submenu. Clicking on the appropriate box to turn said hotkeys on will allow you to now answer calls, ignore calls, and hang up—amongst other tasks—by mashing a configurable combination of keys on your keyboard.
Alright, Mr. or Miss popular. If you’ve just spent the last 10 minutes adding all of your friends as Skype contacts (hint: Contacts Menu > Import Contacts), you’re going to rip your hair out at your person-packed list of people you can call via the main Skype screen.
Thankfully, someone at good ol’ Skype HQ decided to build categories into the program, which you can use to segment your “buddy list,” as it were, into whatever classifications you want. Click on the drop-down arrow of the “All Contacts” menu on your main Skype screen, then select “Create New Category.” Give it a witty name, then drag-and-drop your friends into this new listing. You can pull it up the same way you created it—via the handy drop-down menu above your contacts list.
If you’re decently familiar with Skype, then surely you’ve heard of Pamela—a paid-for application that allows you to record your Skype calls as easy as it is to click a button. If you’re an interviewer, or just plain devious, it’s one of the best solutions we’ve found for transforming a chit-chat into an editable MP3.
But… it costs money. So, barring that, check out MP3 Skype Recorder instead. As the name implies, this free app allows you to record Skype calls of any length—either automatically or manually—and output said conversations as compressed MP3 files. Take that, spending money.
Did you know that Skype comes with its own repository of add-ons, analogous to the browser extensions you can install in an app like Mozilla’s Firefox or Google’s Chrome? Yep. They’re called “Skype Extras,” and it would take us another article and a half to describe all of the cool-slash-useful stuff you can find within Skype’s official repository of plugins.
Just point your browser over to good ol’ extras.skype.com and get surfing. The extras are not only sorted by category but, if you’re really lazy, you can also arrange them by upload date and popularity—the latter’s perfect if you just want the best-in-class add-ons as chosen by your peers right now.
Okay, so maybe that’s a bit overdramatic. But it would be silly to think that Skype hasn’t radically transformed the way a lot of people go about their daily lives. In fact, some people do indeed subsist on this service, and this service alone, for all of their phone-based needs. And many more people use Skype to conduct business; to make podcasts; to call loved ones from afar, as is the case with Maximum PC dream date winner Magali and her French family.
In short, Skype is kind of a big deal. You know it, I know it, but… the one thing that you likely don’t know off the top of your head is all the different ways you can maximize your VoIP-chatting experience through the use of third-party Skype add-ons, software tweaks, and more! That’s what we’ll be covering in this comprehensive tips guide: Making Skype awesome.
Let’s get started!
Use Your Minutes, Stupid!
Skype isn’t just going to let you keep your paid-for time in perpetuity. No, after 180 days of non-use, the company will invalidate any Credits you’ve purchased on your account. Stinks, huh? Make sure you heed Skype’s warning messages and place a call—any duration of a call—when asked to do so, and you won’t lose your cash, credits, or temper.
[beginner]
Set Up Sound Selections
Skype isn’t that complicated to use—at least, not nearly as complicated as your average soundboard or, perhaps, even the Windows volume controls themselves. However, it’s worth your while to test out your call and microphone volumes before you blow someone’s ears out with a cacophony of sound.
First off, place a test call using the lovely link likely located right in your Skype contacts window (or just dial up user name: echo123). How’s it sound? If you want to make changes, fire up Skype’s options panel via the Tools menu, then select Audio Settings on the left. Uncheck the options to allow Skype to automatically adjust your volume settings and, instead, pick something that’s more to your liking.
And a side bonus: If you have more than one pair of speakers attached to your computer for whatever reason (or, say, headphones), you can use the “Ringing” drop-down menu to select where incoming Skype rings should play.
Stop Bugging Me
One thing you might not know about, however—the annoying advertisements and information boxes that Skype slaps onto the bottom of its main window can be eliminated in a similar fashion as well. Click on the “Alerts & Messages” sub-menu below the “Notifications” section on your options panel, then uncheck both “Help and Skype Tips” and “Promotions.” I hate promotions, don’t you?
Let Your Fingers Do the Walking
Hit up the “Advanced” menu in your options panel and select the “Hotkeys” submenu. Clicking on the appropriate box to turn said hotkeys on will allow you to now answer calls, ignore calls, and hang up—amongst other tasks—by mashing a configurable combination of keys on your keyboard.
Control Your Contacts
Thankfully, someone at good ol’ Skype HQ decided to build categories into the program, which you can use to segment your “buddy list,” as it were, into whatever classifications you want. Click on the drop-down arrow of the “All Contacts” menu on your main Skype screen, then select “Create New Category.” Give it a witty name, then drag-and-drop your friends into this new listing. You can pull it up the same way you created it—via the handy drop-down menu above your contacts list.
Record Thyself
But… it costs money. So, barring that, check out MP3 Skype Recorder instead. As the name implies, this free app allows you to record Skype calls of any length—either automatically or manually—and output said conversations as compressed MP3 files. Take that, spending money.
Pack In Some Add-Ons
Just point your browser over to good ol’ extras.skype.com and get surfing. The extras are not only sorted by category but, if you’re really lazy, you can also arrange them by upload date and popularity—the latter’s perfect if you just want the best-in-class add-ons as chosen by your peers right now.
