Skype® for Dummies®

Skype® for Dummies®

by Loren Abdulezer, Susan Abdulezer, Howard Dammond, Niklas Zennstrom
Released January 2007
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9780470048917

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Book description

See how to use Skype for secure chats and connect SkypeOut and SkypeIN. Here's the fun and easy way (r) to understand all the hype about Skype and make this cool alternative communication system work for you! You'll get great advice about hardware, directions for downloading and installing Skype, ideas for using Skype in your business, and the lowdown on making Skype calls to people with old-fashioned phones.

Discover how to:

  • Install Skype and start making calls

  • Create a contacts list

  • Set up voicemail and call forwarding

  • Use Skype for worldwide conference calls and Skypecasting

  • Enhance Skype with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi wireless, and video

    •

    Table of contents

    1. Copyright
    2. About the Authors
    3. Authors' Acknowledgments
    4. Publisher's Acknowledgments
    5. Foreword
    6. Introduction
      1. About This Book
      2. How to Use This Book
      3. Foolish Assumptions
      4. How This Book Is Organized
        1. Part I: Getting Started with Skype
        2. Part II: As You Like It: Skype Your Way
        3. Part III: Calling All Seasoned Skypers
        4. Part IV: The Professional Skyper
        5. Part V: The Part of Tens
      5. Conventions Used in This Book
      6. Icons Used in This Book
      7. Where to Go from Here
    7. I. Getting Started with Skype
      1. 1. What's All the Hoopla about Skype?
        1. 1.1. Seeing What Skype Can Do For You
          1. 1.1.1. Skype (the basic stuff) is free
          2. 1.1.2. You can use equipment and services you already have
          3. 1.1.3. It's great for personal communications
          4. 1.1.4. And great for professional services, too
        2. 1.2. Going Beyond the Basics with (Not Necessarily Free) Services
          1. 1.2.1. Skyping in from a phone
          2. 1.2.2. Skyping out to a phone
          3. 1.2.3. Getting voicemail
        3. 1.3. Getting a Load of Add-Ons and Accessories
          1. 1.3.1. Going wireless
          2. 1.3.2. Software and gadgets, too
        4. 1.4. Making Skype Play Well with Others
          1. 1.4.1. When enterprise security matters
          2. 1.4.2. When the Web is your playground
      2. 2. Hooking Up with Skype
        1. 2.1. Downloading and Installing Skype
        2. 2.2. Choosing Your Skype Name and Password
        3. 2.3. Filling Out Your Skype Profile: Making It Profile You
        4. 2.4. Testing Your Connection
          1. 2.4.1. Eliminating feedback
            1. 2.4.1.1. Feedback you can hear
            2. 2.4.1.2. Feedback you can see
        5. 2.5. Making Your First Skype Call
          1. 2.5.1. Conducting a simple search for a fellow skyper
          2. 2.5.2. Initiating a call
          3. 2.5.3. Using the Skype search directory
      3. 3. Getting Familiar with Skype's Interface
        1. 3.1. Understanding the Skype Menus
          1. 3.1.1. The File menu
            1. 3.1.1.1. Change Online Status
            2. 3.1.1.2. Edit My Profile
            3. 3.1.1.3. My Skype Account
            4. 3.1.1.4. Sign Out
            5. 3.1.1.5. Close
          2. 3.1.2. The View menu
            1. 3.1.2.1. View Toolbar
            2. 3.1.2.2. View Addressbar
            3. 3.1.2.3. View Statusbar
            4. 3.1.2.4. View Dial
            5. 3.1.2.5. Show Live Tab
            6. 3.1.2.6. Show Text on Toolbar
            7. 3.1.2.7. Show Text on Tabs
            8. 3.1.2.8. Show Contact Groups
            9. 3.1.2.9. Show Outlook Contacts
          3. 3.1.3. Contacts menu
            1. 3.1.3.1. Add a Contact
            2. 3.1.3.2. Search for Skype Users
            3. 3.1.3.3. Import Contacts
            4. 3.1.3.4. Send Contacts
            5. 3.1.3.5. Backing up and restoring contacts
            6. 3.1.3.6. Manage Blocked Users
          4. 3.1.4. The Tools menu
            1. 3.1.4.1. Create a Conference Call
            2. 3.1.4.2. SkypeOut
            3. 3.1.4.3. SkypeIn
            4. 3.1.4.4. Voicemail
            5. 3.1.4.5. Call Forwarding
            6. 3.1.4.6. Send SMS Message
            7. 3.1.4.7. Ringtone
            8. 3.1.4.8. Share Skype with a Friend
            9. 3.1.4.9. Recent Chats
            10. 3.1.4.10. Bookmarked Chats
            11. 3.1.4.11. Change Language
            12. 3.1.4.12. Options
          5. 3.1.5. The Call menu
            1. 3.1.5.1. Answer
            2. 3.1.5.2. Ignore
            3. 3.1.5.3. Resume
            4. 3.1.5.4. Hold
            5. 3.1.5.5. Mute/Unmute Microphone
            6. 3.1.5.6. Hang Up
          6. 3.1.6. The Help menu
            1. 3.1.6.1. Help
            2. 3.1.6.2. FAQ
            3. 3.1.6.3. Getting Started
            4. 3.1.6.4. Get Headset
            5. 3.1.6.5. Buy Skype Credit
            6. 3.1.6.6. Redeem Voucher
            7. 3.1.6.7. Check for Update
            8. 3.1.6.8. Report a Problem
            9. 3.1.6.9. About
        2. 3.2. Using the Skype toolbar
        3. 3.3. Status Icons: Announcing and Changing Your Online Status
          1. 3.3.1. Displaying your Skype online status
    8. II. As You Like It: Skype Your Way
      1. 4. Customizing Skype Options to Suit Your Style
        1. 4.1. Fine-Tuning Your General Options
          1. 4.1.1. To speak or not to speak
          2. 4.1.2. Express yourself
          3. 4.1.3. Falling asleep at the keyboard? Set Skype to cover for you while you snooze
        2. 4.2. Protecting Your Privacy
          1. 4.2.1. Editing your Skype profile
          2. 4.2.2. Establishing who can call or chat with you
        3. 4.3. Receiving Notifications when Someone Skypes You
        4. 4.4. Customizing Your Sounds
          1. 4.4.1. Playing with bells and whistles
          2. 4.4.2. Changing your Sound Devices settings
        5. 4.5. Customizing Hotkeys
        6. 4.6. Connecting to the Internet when Skype Default Settings Aren't Enough
          1. 4.6.1. Customizing your proxy settings
          2. 4.6.2. Customizing your firewall settings
        7. 4.7. Keeping Up-to-Date
        8. 4.8. Improving Your Skyping with Advanced Options
      2. 5. Getting Personal
        1. 5.1. Personalizing Your Skype Profile with Graphics
        2. 5.2. Having Fun with Avatars
          1. 5.2.1. Creating WeeMees as avatars
          2. 5.2.2. Building animated avatars with CrazyTalk
        3. 5.3. Skype Is a Communication Kaleidoscope
      3. 6. The Mad Chatter
        1. 6.1. Set 'er Up and Let 'er Rip
        2. 6.2. Mastering the Chaos
          1. 6.2.1. Setting a time to chat
          2. 6.2.2. Chatting outside the box
            1. 6.2.2.1. Whisper chats
            2. 6.2.2.2. Blocking a chatter from your Contacts list
          3. 6.2.3. Passing notes around the virtual room
            1. 6.2.3.1. Sharing contacts
        3. 6.3. Chatting Strategically
          1. 6.3.1.
            1. 6.3.1.1. Leaving a chat
            2. 6.3.1.2. Returning to former chats
            3. 6.3.1.3. Bookmarking a chat
            4. 6.3.1.4. Getting your attention
        4. 6.4. Modifying Your Chat Window Dressing
          1. 6.4.1. Hiding your contacts
          2. 6.4.2. Changing your text size and style
          3. 6.4.3. Opening your windows
        5. 6.5. Chatting in the Past, Present, and Future
          1. 6.5.1. The never-ending chat
          2. 6.5.2. When the chat is over...
          3. 6.5.3. Searching, saving, and sending past chats
            1. 6.5.3.1. Searching your chats
            2. 6.5.3.2. Saving your chats
            3. 6.5.3.3. Sending your chats
      4. 7. Skyping Eye to Eye: Skype with Video
        1. 7.1. Enhancing Your Conversations with Live Video
        2. 7.2. Considering Types of Webcams
          1. 7.2.1. Standalone webcams
          2. 7.2.2. Clip-on webcams
          3. 7.2.3. Specialty webcams
        3. 7.3. Understanding Webcam Features
          1. 7.3.1. Sharpening those pixels
          2. 7.3.2. Follow this face, or that face, or those faces!
          3. 7.3.3. Toggling into focus
        4. 7.4. Shopping for Webcams
        5. 7.5. Installing and Setting Up Video for Skype (On Windows)
          1. 7.5.1. Installing your video driver
          2. 7.5.2. Setting Skype video options
          3. 7.5.3. Checking your sound settings
          4. 7.5.4. Making a video call on your PC
        6. 7.6. Installing and Setting Up Video For Skype (On the Macintosh)
          1. 7.6.1. Choosing your video "set"
        7. 7.7. Video in Action
          1. 7.7.1. Video with chat
          2. 7.7.2. Video with file transfer
        8. 7.8. Creative Uses of Skype Video
          1. 7.8.1. Setting up a "NannyCam" or SurveillanceCam
          2. 7.8.2. Using video in the field
            1. 7.8.2.1. Getting the scoop, and then some
            2. 7.8.2.2. Searching for answers with Skype and a scope
            3. 7.8.2.3. Tuning into the business of Skype video
      5. 8. The Ins and Outs of SkypeIn and SkypeOut
        1. 8.1. Connecting Skype with Regular Phone Lines
        2. 8.2. Understanding SkypeOut
          1. 8.2.1. SkypeOut pricing
          2. 8.2.2. Setting up SkypeOut
            1. 8.2.2.1. Purchasing credit through your Skype application
          3. 8.2.3. Using SkypeOut
            1. 8.2.3.1. Dialing international calls
            2. 8.2.3.2. Navigating touch-tone and voicemail systems
            3. 8.2.3.3. Keeping track of your SkypeOut accounting information
        3. 8.3. Staying in Touch Through SkypeIn
          1. 8.3.1. Understanding SkypeIn
          2. 8.3.2. Buying SkypeIn
        4. 8.4. Redeeming Skype Credit from a Voucher
    9. III. Calling All Seasoned Skypers
      1. 9. Managing Your Messages
        1. 9.1. Staying Connected via Skype
          1. 9.1.1. Taking messages with Skype Voicemail
          2. 9.1.2. Forwarding calls when you can't answer
          3. 9.1.3. Making it short and sweet with SMS messaging
        2. 9.2. Bridging Skype with Your Outlook Contacts
          1. 9.2.1. What do you get when you cross Skype with Outlook?
          2. 9.2.2. Plugging in and setting up Skylook
          3. 9.2.3. Getting Skype and Outlook in sync
        3. 9.3. Handling Voice Messaging with Skylook
          1. 9.3.1. Please leave a message ...
          2. 9.3.2. Making WAVs or, better yet, MP3s
          3. 9.3.3. Organizing messages
        4. 9.4. Pamela Is Not Just Another Pretty Voice
          1. 9.4.1. Pamela is alert
          2. 9.4.2. Pamela has a great memory recall
          3. 9.4.3. Pamela is attentive
          4. 9.4.4. Pamela knows whom she's talking to
          5. 9.4.5. Pamela is Web savvy
          6. 9.4.6. Pamela is very punctual
          7. 9.4.7. Pamela is polite
          8. 9.4.8. Pamela is moody
      2. 10. Partying On — On the Conference Line!
        1. 10.1. The Benefits of Conference Calling
          1. 10.1.1. What you can do with conference calls
          2. 10.1.2. Applying good conferencing practices
        2. 10.2. Native Skype Conferencing
          1. 10.2.1. Starting a conference call
          2. 10.2.2. Reconnecting a dropped caller
          3. 10.2.3. Seeing who's doing the talking (Or what he or she is saying)
          4. 10.2.4. Transferring files while conferencing
        3. 10.3. Conferencing with Skype Plus Third-Party Web Conferencing Tools
          1. 10.3.1. Web conferencing with GoToMeeting and Skype
            1. 10.3.1.1. Setting up your GoToMeeting account
            2. 10.3.1.2. Conducting meetings
            3. 10.3.1.3. Participating in meetings
            4. 10.3.1.4. Taking over the GoToMeeting reins
          2. 10.3.2. "Unyting" Skype with visual communications
      3. 11. Spicing Things Up with Great Gadgets and Add-Ons
        1. 11.1. Giving Skype a Mobile Platform
          1. 11.1.1. Skyping from your thumbtop
          2. 11.1.2. Turning a handheld computer into a Skype phone
          3. 11.1.3. Skyping from your Wi-Fi phone: Netgear SPH 101 Wi-Fi
        2. 11.2. Replacing Your Bulky Computer Phone
          1. 11.2.1. Skyping around the house, and even in the yard
            1. 11.2.1.1. Installing the phone's drivers
            2. 11.2.1.2. Operating the phone: Details, details
          2. 11.2.2. Getting the best of both worlds: Your phones are one!
        3. 11.3. Getting Clearer Communications
          1. 11.3.1. Hearing better: Ready, headset, go!
          2. 11.3.2. Improving voice quality with a speakerphone
        4. 11.4. Adding Bluetooth for Wireless Connections
          1. 11.4.1. Look Ma, no wires
          2. 11.4.2. Follow the steps to Bluetooth liberation
          3. 11.4.3. Bluetooth "Mac"inations!
        5. 11.5. Expanding Your Options with Software Add-Ons
          1. 11.5.1. Your voice is my command! Getting your Macintosh computer to listen and obey
            1. 11.5.1.1. Activating your Mac's speech recognition
            2. 11.5.1.2. Adding Skype's speakable items
          2. 11.5.2. Recording your hits (or just a few memory joggers)
          3. 11.5.3. Podcasting your Skype personality to the world
          4. 11.5.4. Transcribing your Skype recordings
          5. 11.5.5. Video and animation add-ons
        6. 11.6. Guess Who's Calling? Customizing Caller ID
          1. 11.6.1. Know who's calling (and no peeking!)
          2. 11.6.2. Creating your own caller announcements without downloading a thing!
          3. 11.6.3. Finding codes with the long-distance widget
        7. 11.7. Shopping at the One-Stop Skype Shop
    10. IV. The Professional Skyper
      1. 12. "Skypifying" Your Business
        1. 12.1. Skype in Your Business
        2. 12.2. Meeting Core Business Needs with Skype
          1. 12.2.1. Sharing documents
          2. 12.2.2. Preserving privacy
          3. 12.2.3. Managing costs
          4. 12.2.4. Marketing
            1. 12.2.4.1. Hold a no-cost community gathering online
            2. 12.2.4.2. Stay connected with your customers and business associates
            3. 12.2.4.3. Have a global presence from your desktop
            4. 12.2.4.4. Maintain customer access at your fingertips with Skype
            5. 12.2.4.5. Support your customer base with Skype
            6. 12.2.4.6. Offer payment services
        3. 12.3. Mega Conferencing at Warp Speed
        4. 12.4. Staying One Step Ahead by Being One Click Away
        5. 12.5. Addressing IT Security Concerns
      2. 13. Exploring Skype Communities
        1. 13.1. Finding Your Perfect Skype Venue
          1. 13.1.1. Looking for love with a little help from Skype
        2. 13.2. Discovering Birds of a Feather Who Skype Together
          1. 13.2.1. Beboppin' with Bebo
          2. 13.2.2. Close encounters of the Skype kind
        3. 13.3. Joining Education Communities
          1. 13.3.1. In the Moodle for learning
          2. 13.3.2. Parlez-Vous Skype?
            1. 13.3.2.1. The Mixxer
            2. 13.3.2.2. xLingo
            3. 13.3.2.3. My Language Exchange
        4. 13.4. Skyping in All the Right Places
          1. 13.4.1. Forming communities around special interests
          2. 13.4.2. Skyping for a common cause
      3. 14. Skypecasting
        1. 14.1. Skypecasting: More than Just an Online Town Hall
          1. 14.1.1. Skypecasting of the people, for the people, by the people
          2. 14.1.2. Finding a Skypecast
          3. 14.1.3. Joining a Skypecast
        2. 14.2. Organizing a Skypecast in 5 Minutes or Less
          1. 14.2.1. Choosing a topic for your Skypecast
        3. 14.3. Getting the Word Out
          1. 14.3.1. Automatic directory listings
          2. 14.3.2. Placing a Skypecast Widget on a blog
          3. 14.3.3. Placing a link to your Skypecast on your Web site
          4. 14.3.4. Adding a Skypecast RSS feed
        4. 14.4. Moderating Your Skypecast
        5. 14.5. Making Your Skypecast Everlasting
          1. 14.5.1. Tools for preserving your Skypecast
            1. 14.5.1.1. Saving your audio by using hardware tools
            2. 14.5.1.2. Saving your audio by using an analog device
            3. 14.5.1.3. Saving your audio by using software tools
        6. 14.6. Transcribing Your Skypecast Recordings
          1. 14.6.1. Getting started with Transcriber
          2. 14.6.2. Familiarizing yourself with Transcriber's bells and whistles
        7. 14.7. Podcasting Your Skypecast
          1. 14.7.1. Creating a basic podcast on Windows or Mac
            1. 14.7.1.1. Using FeedBurner to create a podcast
            2. 14.7.1.2. Using iLife to create a podcast using a Mac
          2. 14.7.2. Submitting your podcast to iTunes
          3. 14.7.3. Podcasting your Skype personality to the world
    11. V. The Part of Tens
      1. 15. Ten Reasons Your Mom (and Other Family) Will Love Skype
        1. 15.1. Skype Is Free
        2. 15.2. Skype Is Easy
        3. 15.3. Relive Mom's Home Cooking from a Thousand Miles Away
        4. 15.4. No-Sweat Party Planning
        5. 15.5. No-Sweat Messaging
        6. 15.6. Keeping Track
        7. 15.7. Guilt-Free Interruptions
        8. 15.8. Guilt-Free Reminders
        9. 15.9. Stamp-Free Announcements
        10. 15.10. Keep in Touch and Stay in Sight
      2. 16. (Almost) Ten Ways to Promote Your Business Using Skype
        1. 16.1. Notify Your Customers of Important News
        2. 16.2. Use SkypeWeb Alerts to Get Customers
        3. 16.3. Make Your Business "Local" Anywhere
        4. 16.4. Conduct a Global Town Hall Meeting
        5. 16.5. Mentoring and Training
        6. 16.6. Skype on a Business Card
        7. 16.7. Large-Scale Online Conferencing
        8. 16.8. Promotionals and Giveaways
        9. 16.9. Improve Customer Service with Skype Call Transfer
      3. 17. Ten Ways to Use Skype at School
        1. 17.1. Connect to the World on a Teacher's Budget
        2. 17.2. Master a Foreign Language (Or Practice a Phrase)
        3. 17.3. Have School Beyond the Classroom Door
        4. 17.4. Provide Professional Development
        5. 17.5. Encourage Student Collaboration
        6. 17.6. Host Poetry Slams, Debates, and Book Clubs
        7. 17.7. Record a Group Thought Process
        8. 17.8. Use Skype as a Homework Helper
        9. 17.9. Conduct Read-Alouds
        10. 17.10. Support Special-Needs Students
    12. A. Skype Multilanguage Support
      1. A.1. Changing Skype to Your Language of Choice
    13. B. Skype Tips and Tricks Guide
      1. B.1. Troubleshooting Skype

    Product information

    • Title: Skype® for Dummies®
    • Author(s): Loren Abdulezer, Susan Abdulezer, Howard Dammond, Niklas Zennstrom
    • Release date: January 2007
    • Publisher(s): For Dummies
    • ISBN: 9780470048917