There are a myriad of video chat clients available for both the Mac and PC, but none boast the same audio and video quality as Skype.  Don’t believe us?  Compare for yourself with iChat and you’ll see what we’re talking about.  Skype uses something called P2P technology, which allows them to achieve not only higher quality audio and video, but less interruptions and lag in service.  If you don’t know, P2p tech uses a tiny bit of bandwidth from anyone running the app to make calls.  But the bandwidth used is so minute, anyone running the Skype app is nonethewiser.

However, there is a problem: finding your friends on Skype.  Traditionally speaking you had to know their login name or email address to locate them.  Alternatively, you could enter their full name, but that’s assuming they’ve registered it correctly and made themselves available.  But you can forget about all those hurdles, because Skype is now Facebook integrated.  That means you can connect the Skype app with your Facebook account and see all your friends that are available on Skype.

Once you downloaded, installed the app and connected it to your Facebook account, you’ll be able to chat directly with friends on Facebook from the Skype app.  You can also see your Facebook wall, update your status, like or comment on a friend’s status and of course call their mobile or landlines phones, provided they’re listed on Facebook.

To begin using these features head here and download Skype 5.4, which mind you is in Beta, so expect some changes in the near future and perhaps some minor bugs.

*This post is sponsored by Skype – see our sponsored post policy

Whether you need a good microphone for podcasting or just to get the most out of your Skype calls, I don’t think you’ll find a better balance of sound quality, good looks, portability, and value than the Samson Meteor Mic. Modeled after the classic studio microphones of long ago, the Meteor Mic keeps its features simple and built-in, making the use of this product extremely intuitive and quick to set up in a way that not only works, but works perfectly.

The Meteor Mic plugs in to your computer using a mini-USB to USB cable that is fairly long, and is ready to go immediately. Without even needing to be set up in any kind of recording software, I plugged a pair of headphones into the jack on the microphone and could hear myself clearly right away, adjusting the sound with the volume knob to see exactly how much background noise there was, and finding the best angle and spacing to keep myself sounding just right.

Of course, when it came time to actually record the Meteor Mic was already ready to go, and I couldn’t help but notice a huge leap in quality from my previous $30 microphone. Chalk that up to being able to make my adjustments on the fly rather than through a series of test recordings if you like, but the 25mm diaphragm condenser and 44.1/48 Khz resolution probably aren’t hurting either. Just seeing the Samson sitting on my desk as I talk into it makes me feel more confident that I sound as good as possible while speaking.

I have to do my best not to just be enamored by the style and functionality of the Meteor Mic, but when it comes to trying to say anything negative I feel like I’m just nitpicking. Hitting the mute button on the mic off and on gives off a distinctive “thunk” sound in the audio, something that a small wired remote could solve. I wasn’t able to make use of the screw attachment to connect the Samson to my mic stand due to a size difference. These kinds of things really didn’t make an impact in any of the uses I or most people had for the microphone, and so I don’t feel that they really detract from the overall experience. Sure, I couldn’t use my stand, but the microphone comes with its own. If I didn’t want to make a sound as I muted myself, any piece of software can accomplish the same thing easily.

If you’re thinking of recording anything in the near future or using voice chat functions with your desktop, laptop, or tablet, the Samson Meteor Mic belongs in your arsenal. Being as portable as it is, the Meteor blew me away in terms of how much it improved the audio quality of every one of the applications I use a microphone with. Other people notice it as well, whether they’re just hearing the results or actually see it’s distinctive look standing next to my keyboard. It’s thick and all metal, save the rubber feet on the bottom of the folding legs, so don’t worry about it getting banged up when you transport it. In fact, don’t worry about anything where the Samson Meteor Mic is concerned, it’s more than able to handle the job.

Editor’s Rating

5 out of 5 stars

Perfect

Bottom Line: The Samson Meteor Mic may not be the best choice for a nationally-syndicated radio show, and finding the right position to use it in to improve your recording quality from pretty dang good to perfect may take some time, but make no mistake: the Meteor Mic is going to fit virtually every need an amateur will need. For its price, finding a better-looking mic with the same level of performance is most likely impossible. Highly recommended.

Pros:

• Flexible legs create built-in mic stand, or microphone can be screwed onto an existing stand
• On-mic volume/muting knob and headphone jack for latency-free monitoring ensure that you sound professional and clear at all times
• Sleek yet compact design and travel pouch make the Meteor Mic extremely portable without making the slightest concession in sound quality

Cons:

• Volume/mute knob is located on the front of the mic, which can cause some sounds to pop up when adjusting, or become inaccessible if pointing the mic upward using the legs, some kind of remote would make this feature that much better
• Bottom screw to attach to booms or stands didn’t fit my stand, so do some research if that’s something you absolutely need
• USB connection on back means that the mic can’t be folded up with the cables attached, make sure to keep the cable in the travel pouch with the microphone

The Samson Meteor Mic is available from Amazon for $67.01.

MagicJack ate Skype’s lunch.  But now Skype is fighting back with a new piece of hardware that allows you to make calls from your home phone using the Skype service.  It’s called FREETALK Connect•Me.

FREETALK Connect•Me is a small box that sits between your phone and your home’s router.  Simple as that.  We’ll not quite, but for those who aren’t tech savvy, it boils down to that.

You connect your home phone using a standard telephone cord, while the Skype box plugs into your router using a standard Ethernet cord.  The initial setup process requires a computer, so yes, you’ll still need one of those to use the FREETALK Connect•Me.  But once it’s setup you should be good to go, though if you need to obtain additional Skype credits Internet access will be required.

The FREETALK Connect•Me conveniently sports a built-in AC plug that can be swapped out with a variety of attachments to accomodate the international jet setter.  It reminds us of Apple’s Airport Express, only instead of streaming music you can make phone calls.

Much like the normal Skype service found on your computer, Skype to Skype calls are free, while telephone calls to a landline or mobile phone will cost you.  If you order the box now, which cost $39.99, Skype will include 60 minutes of Skype credit.

Newegg has some new savings on offer for this Logitech C310 High Definition Webcam!

Give your computer some new capabilities at a super low price! This Super Compact webcam gives you the abilities to voice+video chat anywhere on the web. Thanks to the built-in microphone and 720p HD Video capture resolution you will be all set for Skype the second you plug it in. It mounts cleanly on your monitor or stands easily on your deck thanks to the folding stand setup. It includes very easy to use video calling software which will immediately bring you to the world of video chat. Other technologies include RightLight 2 which automatically adjusts video settings in low light conditions for clearer viewing and RightSound for clear audio reception.

Their coupon cuts it to $28.99.  The $9 coupon is EMCKBKA58

Users of Skype for the iPhone will be joyous to hear that they can now receive background Skype calls while using iOS 4 on the iPhone 4 and 3GS. A notification will pop up, which you can then answr while continuing to use other apps. Excellent. Best of all, they won’t be charging for using the feature over 3G. You can download it from the App Store right now.

Read

Verizon did it and now it would seem that AT&T is following suit.  You can now make calls over 3G using Skype’s iPhone application.  But there is a catch.  The calls over 3G are free until August, after which they’ll tack on a small monthly fee.  It’s not clear if Skype or AT&T will be collecting this fee or how this new feature sits with the brass at the carrier.

This means that you don’t have to use your Anytime minutes to call abroad if you’re in the middle of no where.  Heck, you don’t have to use any of your minutes if you pay $3 a month for unlimited Skype US calls.  And just think, when iPhone 4.0 arrives, which will allow background processes, you could very well make and take 100% of your calls on Skype.  For those of you that are heavy talkers and pay for the extra minutes, this could mean a massive savings.

Update: The ‘fee’ roll out has now been delayed until the end of 2010.  Looks like they want more people hooked before they start charging.

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It’s $259.99 – $70 mail-in-rebate + $1.99 S&H = $191.98!

This deal ends 5/10

Sometimes, I think about video chatting and just how futuristic it really is. A person can be a thousands of miles away, and yet you’re looking and talking right at them (though they’re a little more pixelated than in real life.) Now, Panasonic’s new TT-CC10W Skype webcam wants to make that experience even better. The device sits atop Panasonic’s Viera HDTV and operates at 720p resolution with active noise cancellation audio. It’s like they’re actually in the room! Okay, maybe not, but it will still look really good. Be warned: the camera is only compatible with select Viera model TVs, so don’t buy this thing expecting it work on your laptop.

The TT-CC10W is available June 11th for around $194.

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Hello Nelly!  Verizon Wireless is opening up their data network to VoIP calls.  Okay, that’s a bit of an overstatement.  VZW has formed a strategic relationship with Skype and will now let users call any where in the world using their Skype account while connected to 3G (read: not WiFi).  Initially Skype will be available on the following VZW handsets: BlackBerry Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Curve 8330, Curve 8530, 8830 World Edition and Tour 9630 smartphones, as well as DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS by HTC and Motorola DEVOUR.  Well folks, it looks like were hitting the point where ‘any time minutes’ will begin to cease to exist.  What date Skype will roll out on Verizon has yet to be announced, but I’d probably expect it to happen sometime by the end of February or early March.

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Amazon has the TRENDnet TVP-SP2 VoIP USB Speakerphone for $47.99 – $38 instant savings + $5.99 S&H = $15.98 shipped! This speakerphone works directly with Skype, has a 3.5mm headphone jack, built-in mic and a USB port.

There’s certainly no shortage of Skype phone accessories and adding to the long and lustrous list is the Skype Travel Mouse.  Yup, it doubles as a VoIP phone and you can peep whose calling via the built-in LCD screen before you pickup.  To make a call just slide out the keypad, dial and press the mouse to your face or use the speaker phone function.  In case you’re wondering it has an 800 dpi optical sensor and appears to be Windows only compatible.  Yours for $34.69.

[via RFJ]

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It wasn’t too long ago that iPevo launched their latest Skype handset, the SO-10W.   I managed to get my hands on one and give it a once over.  It’s a straight forward Skype only phone that enables you to make and receive both Skype and Skype Out calls.  It features a 2-inch LCD and a set of relatively large buttons to navigate the exact same menus found in the Skype PC application.

The iPevo SO-10W can be connected to your network via Ethernet or WiFi.  WiFi is not built directly to the phone, so iPevo has included a small, but somewhat cumbersome wireless dongle.  The wireless dongle plugs into the handset via USB and draws its power from the phone, which is powered by an AC plug.  Setting up the wireless dongle proved to be the most challenging aspect of the device.  First, you’ll need to plug the dongle into the handset to be able access the appropriate menus. Simple enough, but that’s where the simplicity ends.  Since the iPevo lacks a QWERTY keyboard, punching in any security information can be a timely process.  Fortunately, you’ll only need to do it once since the phone will remember it.  After entering in all the necessary network info I found myself tapping my foot.  In other words, the SO-10W isn’t exactly expeditious when it comes to connecting to a wireless network.  In fact, the SO-10W seem to take minutes, not seconds as one would expect, to join the network. Furthermore, it actually took me a few attempts to join my home’s network before the SO-10W would accept it.  Fortunately, everything following that was as simple as logging into my Skype account and dialing as normal.

The phone features 3 speed dials buttons, a speakerphone and the usual set of buttons and features you’d expect to find on a corded phone of this type. As previously mentioned it includes a 2-inch LCD that is very bright and easy to read – no complaints there.  The handset is derived from previous iPevo VoIP devices and is actually a bit too light weight for my liking – something with some more heft would have been preferred – and is a tad on the slim side for pressing your ear to your shoulder.  Nonetheless, these are all subjective observations and some my appreciate the iPevo’s sleek minimalist design.

Unlike some other VoIP handsets I’ve used, the iPevo’s buttons are very responsive (the center green button was a little wobbley, though) and I experienced no delays when accessing the phone’s Skype menus or contact list.  And they’ve done the uncoordinated a favor and made the answer and end call buttons large and unmissable.

The speaker phone on the iPevo SO-10W is very loud and crisp, although this resulted in callers complaining that they could hear themselves.  The handset on the other hand is a bit too loud and even at the lowest volume was slightly ear blistering, but nothing one couldn’t tolerate although it would have been nice to have the option of less volume.

During my few weeks of use I’ve only had the phone freeze on me once, which required me to unplug its power.  Unfortunately, and surprisingly, I had to manual locate my home’s network and select it in order to get back online – I would have expected it to rejoin the network automatically.

The SO-10W is a nice little corded Skype only phone .  I vastly enjoyed its ease of use with the exception of setting up the wireless connection, and would have much preferred WiFi built-in since the dongle just takes up more counter space.  Given its lack of feature set and simplicity the iPevo is probably best suited for the old school (e.g. my Mom) looking to go new school.

Pros:

• Bright and easy to read screen
• Large and responsive buttons
• Loud speakerphone with quality sound

Cons:

• Wireless isn’t the device’s fortey
• Handset volume too loud
• No camera for video confrerencing

Out with the old, in with the new. Today iPevo launched their Skype friendly phone.  It’s not exactly a revolution in communication, but since the SO-10W meshes new tech with an old form factor it might just appeal to the baby boomer crowd, such as my Mom.  It’s got built-in WiFi so no need to string an Ethernet cord across the kitchen and although there is a 2.4-inch tilting LCD screen, it lacks a camera for video chats.  It’s yours for $169.99.

[iPevo via Coated]

Skype for the iPhone hit the App store last week and it has become a massive success with over 1 million downloads since its launch.  As expected, the Skype service, which traditionally makes calls over a data connection from a computer, has been restricted on the iPhone so that consumers can’t make VoIP calls over AT&T’s 3G network.  Clearly, from a business logic this makes sense since consumers pay a monthly data fee with their iPhone service and if allowed could make unlimited calls with no restrictions on minutes, which in turn would heavily tax the carrier and contradict their business model.

But would it really?  At this point carriers, at least from my understanding make most of their money off data plans and text messages, with the latter being a God send since each message requires so little data usage it’s practically free for them to transmit and that means massive profits.  But one consumer group, Free Press, isn’t happy about the current Skype calling restriction on the iPhone and has requested that the Federal Communications Commission to investigate if Apple and AT&T are contradicting federal guidelines by preventing VoIP application from accessing the carrier’s 3G network.  Until an answer has been provided Skype iPhone users will be restricted to making calls over WiFi, which is free to all AT&T iPhone customers for free at hundred of Starbucks locations.

[WSJ]

Without a moment of hesitation and as promised, Skype released their iPhone app to the iTunes store at 12am EST March 30th, 2009.  As mentioned yesterday, this version, 1.01, includes Skype-to-Skype and VoIP calls, and instant messaging.  It’s free to download.  Enjoy!

Update: I rang my girlfriend.  Her first response: ‘I’m echoing’.  But within a few seconds the app, or Skype seemed to remedy itself and the audio was cell phone quality.  I attempted one other call and couldn’t connect, but didn’t reattempt.

[iTunes]

‘Take a deep breath’ because Skype, which has long existed on computers and via other iPhone apps, will officially launch its iPhone app tomorrow.  Skype users will be able to make VoIP calls over WiFi only, while cellular Skype calls will be reserved to earlier iPhone apps and hacks.  To keep things clean and neat the Skype iPhone app will utilize your iPhone’s phonebook eliminating the need for importing and deduplicating.  IM will be available while voicemail, SMS, video conferencing and conference calling are void from the first iteration.

I’ll be testing out the app when it hits tomorrow.  When I checked out Fring’s Skype abilities I ended up with a 1 second delay during voice calls, but I’m assuming Skype has worked through those types of hiccups.

[PCWorld]