June 2009

Some recent Skype stories in the news:

Gear

• The new Nokia N97, which will soon have a Skype client built-in, is among the new smartphones reviewed in the UK's Times.
• The USO (which provides on-site support for American soldiers abroad) will be installing the IPEVO S0-10 Desktop Phone for Skype in 18 of its service centers to make it easier for soldiers to call home.

Business

• Use Skype to work remotely, says Gina Trapani of Lifehacker on her Harvard Business blog. One commenter explains how he Skypes into his work computer all day to converse with coworkers.
• A handbag company is using Skype to show its wares to prospective customers.
• Preparation for job interviews and career coaching is being offered over Skype.
• First-time entrepreneurs shouldn't forget Skype to keep costs low.

Entertainment

• Michelle Pfeiffer keeps in touch with her family using Skype.
• A Baldwin brother uses Skype before departing from I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.
• A theater group used Skype to collaborate on its latest play and hold its first read-through.

Health

• An Iraqi father and daughter being treated in the US keep in touch with family in Iraq through Skype.
• A cancer patient is able to attend his high school graduation through Skype.

Education

• A Durham University (in the UK) visiting professor from Australia isn't actually leaving Australia--she'll be using online tools including Skype to collaborate with Durham professors.
• Skype is among the tools recommended for teachers for collaborative projects.
• Two classes of middle schoolers compete in a reading challenge over Skype.
• A soldier uses Skype to answer a class's questions.

Family

• The new CEO of Best Buy watched a basketball game 'with' his sons over Skype while on a business trip.
• One American soldier uses Skype to keep in touch with family from Iraq; another got to see his newborn twins for the first time through Skype, and another his daughter's graduation.
• No more empty nest loneliness for parents who keep in close contact with their college-aged children through Skype. Here's a similar story from the student's perspective, and another similar story with some good tips.
• A weekly Skype call keeps far away grandparents in the loop.

Photo by Zebra Pares

It's June -- that time of year when weddings seem to occur every weekend. We've seen family members attending distant weddings via Skype before -- but actually getting married over Skype? Recently in Owatonna, Minnesota, USA and Iraq, a bride and groom really did tie the knot over the internet through Skype.

It's a really sweet story -- the couple, Breana Michel and David Luedtke, had first met eight years ago and had been together on and off until 2004. They then rekindled their relationship through Facebook in the past year, shortly before David shipped off to Iraq with the Marines. The couple decided they didn't want to wait until David was back, so after sorting out the paperwork they were married last month at Michel's father's house before a pastor, with Luedtke appearing on screen.

Said Michel: "We viewed it as an opportunity more than anything. We were like, 'Oh my God, we can do it over Skype? Let's do it!' We didn't want to wait. It's been seven years."

Was this the first Skype wedding? Weddings over the internet and by proxy are hardly a new idea. Howard over on the US blog previously noticed this wedding (in Brazil) between two people based in China and France, and another bride in Colorado recently married her fiance while he was abroad serving in Iraq.

I think it's great that Skype could bring so much joy to these couples. Has Skype allowed you to connect with someone in a way you didn't expect? Tell us about it in the comments.