January 2009

At IBM Lotusphere 2009, we’re previewing a new tie-up between Skype and IBM. Over the coming months, we’ll be integrating Skype into IBM’s new cloud services, LotusLive, making it quicker and easier for LotusLive users to collaborate online.

If you’re a LotusLive user, you’ll be able to use Skype to make voice and video calls to your contacts by clicking their Skype names or phone numbers in LotusLive. Possible future features include the ability to import your Skype contacts into LotusLive to make getting in touch even easier.

This click-to-call functionality won’t just make life easier – it’ll help you save money. Don’t forget that all Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls are free, and calls to landlines and mobiles are at Skype’s low rates. You can buy and manage Skype Credit for your business using the Skype for Business Control Panel.

If you’re not already a LotusLive user, you can join the LotusLive Engage Beta on the LotusLive site – and for more about Lousphere 2009, check out Andy Donaldson’s excellent blog post.

Get a feel for how Mark McKinney, Vice President of LuraTech makes the world smaller using Skype in his business environment by listening to his podcast interview on Takes On Tech.

He enlightens us on the following subjects:

• Avoid jetlag using conferencing on Skype
• If he does have to travel, he can keep in touch with his girlfriend via video calling
• He likes to hold interviews via Skype. If the applicant needs to download Skype and has trouble, that's got to be a sure sign they're not right for the job
• Multi-task in meetings via IM
• Board meetings across the globe, with file transfer to help get the point across

He offers some great examples of the range of Skype features on offer - it's well worth a listen.