Windows 8.1: The Missing Manual

Skype

In 2011, Microsoft bought Skype, the popular chat, audio chat, and video chat program. (The price: $8.5 billion. But who’s counting?)

In 2013, Skype officially became a standard TileWorld app. (Its predecessor, an app called Messenger, went to the great CompUSA in the sky.)

In any case, Skype is a game-changer. It’s the app millions of middle-aged parents use to call their kids studying abroad…new parents use to show their newborn babies to the new grandparents…and long-distance couples use to videochat. The best part: All of this voice and video calling is free.

Getting going requires a bit of setup. When you first open the app, you may be asked if it’s OK for Skype to use your computer’s camera and microphone. Since it’s sort of tough to have an audio and video chat without audio and video, you should say yes.

Phase 1: Sign In

If you have an existing Skype name and password, choose “I have a Skype account.” You’ll enter your Skype name and password—and you’ll merge your old Skype account with your new Microsoft account, so that your old Skype address book, and even Windows Messenger address book (and Skype calling credit) come over to your new Windows 8 account.

If this is your first Skype experience, choose “I’m new to Skype”; agree to the legalese; and arrive at the main Skype screen, which looks something like Figure 4-43.

Figure 4-43. Here’s the Skype home screen—shown, just ...