Insight

Our friends at personal finance blog, WalletPop, did a Skype video interview to demonstrate what not to do in a job interview with Skype users 360JobInterview. They have some great tips on what you should do in an interview as part of the full story (with video captured via a Skype video call).

Are you interviewing for jobs through Skype? We want to hear about it. Send an e-mail to skypestories@KaplowPR.com or post a comment about it below.

Also, when interviewing via Skype, here are a few simple tips to look your best and feel confident when you make a video call.

1. Smile and Focus
One of the easiest rules to remember when interacting with anyone face to face is simply to smile. Also the person with whom you are speaking deserves your full attention so make sure to stay focused and make direct eye contact showing that you are engaged in the conversation.

2. Choose your Colors Wisely
Certain colors like many shades of blue--royal, navy, sky--look great on video while others like reds and hot colors like magenta can be too bright. Patterns with small dots or stripes can be less attractive and more distracting than solids so think about wearing a color that is easy on the eye.

3. Lighting and Background Check
While you are the focus of the video call, remember to think about how your webcam is set up and consider what can be viewed in the background behind you. Are you sitting so that a blank kitchen wall is behind you or is there a cluttered book shelf or large paining behind you? Also, check to be sure you have proper lighting to eliminate shadows as well as avoid harsh lighting conditions that may not look good on screen.

Barbara Muir, the Canadian portrait artist, has been using Skype for quick draws.

She recently drew some people attending the International Consumer Electronics Show. She was in her Toronto studio. They were in in a dark meeting room in Las Vegas--showing that what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas.

In this video, she describes her techniques:

She explains at her blog, Barbara Paints:

"With a program called 'Capture,' on my Mac I can photograph the people I'm talking to on Skype. So when I talk to my son in Korea, I can take his picture as often as I want. And I have been. Some interesting drawings have resulted from the casual, intimacy of
the Skype visual image."

She enjoys unusual lighting and camera angles resulting from Skype sketching.

Check out her blog for more of her work.

Here are some more Skype sketches:

On the main blog, Peter Parkes today shares insights on the beginnings of Skype 4.0 for Windows. It's the first of a two-part post, with the second coming on Tuesday, describing "the way things work here at Skype, and giv(ing) an idea of what's to come."

He notes that " communication tools have remained largely unchanged since the mid-1990s. The vast majority of instant messaging software, for example, has always looked and behaved very similarly - and, until the release of Skype 4.0 for Windows, Skype was no exception.

One dramatic change in online communications is video. Skype introduced video calls in 2005.

Parkes noted: "Currently, over 25% of Skype calls include video, and with around 300,000 concurrent calls at peak times, that's a lot of video. So, rather than continuing to patch new features - including video - on to a design (and design metaphor) which was arguably already 10 years out of date, we decided to start from scratch.

"At that point, we set about asking ourselves serious questions about how to approach the development of the next big release of Skype for Windows."

Read more at the main blog.

Staci Pies is director of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Skype, where she works at the state and federal level to drive public policies that protect consumer access to innovative technologies.

Josh Silverman spent the day at the annual State of the Net Conference in Washington DC, where the hot topic of discussion was the state of the global economy, and the impending passage of President-elect Obama’s economic stimulus package.

This stimulus package currently includes proposals to bring broadband Internet service to the entire country. The FCC can play an important role in doing this by reforming the Federal Universal Service Fund, to support broadband connections in rural and low-income areas. This will benefit the entire country by creating significant economic and democratic opportunities for all US residents.

Today, anyone who is making or receiving landline phone calls using a phone network pays a portion of their phone bill into a fund that is used to subsidize the phone network in high cost and rural areas of the country.

At the moment, this fund subsidizes only narrowband networks, which are of limited value. Skype, as well as many other organizations which understand the value of broadband connections, believe that the Universal Service Fund should be used to provide everyone in the US with access to affordable, open and neutral broadband connections.

This will allow people across the US to take advantage of life-changing broadband services and applications, Skype included, of course.

At Skype, we believe that people should have the ability to use Skype over any broadband connection and on any broadband-enabled device. Given that the Universal Service Fund is funded by US taxpayers, Skype believes that service providers that receive money should be subject to two conditions:

Continue reading "The State of the Net - reforming the Universal Service Fund" »

At the journalism website, Poynter Online, Amy Gahran makes the case "Skype: Why Every Journo Should Use it."

She describes how she got stung with extra charges on her cell phone: "It was about $70 more than I expected -- because I'd exceeded my allotted minutes. Ouch. Then I realized I should have been using Skype more."

She provides the ins and outs of various Skype features and money-savings.

She notes that conversations on Skype can be recorded--an important consideration for journos. She recommends Call Recorder for Macs and Pamela for PCs.

Gahran said: "The bottom line: Skype is a useful courtesy option for journalists who work in a traditional newsroom. But for journalists who telecommute, travel to locations that offer broadband Internet access, or are self-employed, it can be a major money-saver. Even if you want to keep your landline, with Skype no long distance or international calling fees apply to calls you make. You don't need to use Skype for every call, but since journalists often can't control how many calls they'll need to make or receive, Skype can offer you more control over cell bills."

As a journo myself, I have used Skype for years.

Here's my take:

For no cost or low cost, I have extended my range of interview subjects around the world. I no longer limit myself to U.S. interviews. There's a whole world out there and talking to people outside the U.S. adds depth and texture to my stories.

Skype's money-savings have helped as well. I now make virtually all calls--local, and domestic and international long distance--on Skype. I dodge all those nasty AT&T toll bills to call downtown Chicago and faraway suburbs. But I also now routinely can make international calls without breaking the bank.

This has opened new markets for me. I no longer just work for American publications. If the pubs had to pay for international calls made on AT&T, they couldn't afford to hire me.

So journos, what are you waiting for? Check out Skype and talk to the world.

Skype has supported the idea of net neutrality

It also is opposed to unreasonable bandwidth caps and believes that unreasonable limits on the use of an internet connections are illegal.

Skype filed its "wireless Carterphone" petition to the Federal Communications Commission
in the US.

So Jonathan Christensen, Skype's general manager for Video and Audio, and Christopher Libertelli, who leads Skype's Government Relations team in the Americas, were encouraged by developments involving the Obama team's transition at the FCC,

Christensen wrote on the main blog:

"Chris and I were excited to hear the news that the FCC transition team includes two honest-to-goodness thought leaders, both of whom have a keen understanding of the innovation that is occurring at the edge of the network: Kevin Werbach, (from the University of Pennsylvania, Supernova and ex Release 2.0 fame) and Susan Crawford (from the University of Michigan, Yale and One Web Day). Both understand how government policy is made. Kevin has been running one of the best internet and public policy conferences in recent memory and Susan, in particular, is one of the clearest and passionate advocates for openness on the Internet.

Christensen added: "The transition to the presidency of Barack Obama can only be a good thing for mobile openness and net neutrality in the US, and we can certainly do better than settling for 'competition' between the likes of Verizon and AT&T. Instead, these folks understand that a 'multi-modal' innovation policy will empower consumers to choose not merely between AT&T and Verizon, but between hundreds of software applications on the internet such as Skype.

"Skype believes that government policy which allows any app to run on any device, and on any network is the right thing for everyone, not just Skype users. Chris and I are hopeful that we are moving from a bankrupt era of deregulation and broadband indifference among legislators in North America to an era where policy is being made by the digital natives. We have a sneaking suspicion that innovation policy changes may be just around the corner..."

Montreal resident Steve Felix uses his "the bridge" blog to "share his thoughts on the world of institutional real estate and other stuff."

In an Aug. 8 entry on other stuff, he describes how he had signed up for Skype years ago, but only the previous week had given it a spin with a call from his son in London.

He was impressed: "It was amazing how clear the connection was. Skyper-Skyper calls are free. If you use Skype to call a non-Skyper there's a charge but a friend of mine in London says that by using Skype their company saves 35% on their telephone bill. Not too shabby.

"Today I buy a good headset and start encouraging certain friends and business colleagues to sign up (P.S. Skype also has a camera feature and as my new MacBook Pro has a built-in camera it's easy for people to see me through the Skype connection). Now, if I choose to use that feature I better be sure that I've combed my hair first!"

So if you're thin king about saving money when you contact friends, family and business associates, why not follow Steve Felix's example?

E-mail is losing its relevance to teens and adults alike.

We reported on this phenomenon the other day.

Rachel Leibrock, of McClatchy Newspapers, provides some anecdotes, spinning off from the Skype/Harris Interactive survey and another study by Pew Internet & American Life Project.

"I use e-mail really sparingly," Peter Deng, 17, of Sacramento, told her.
She notes: "E-mail, he explains, is reserved for communicating with teachers or -- oh, the irony -- getting MySpace and Facebook notifications."

Jim Schraith, 50, still uses e-mail, but regularly augments it with other platforms.

"I use Skype for business communication (because) it's fairly immediate," he said..
"I'm still getting as much -- or more (e-mail)-- as I did two years ago, but a lot of the quick-communication e-mails have gone away, replaced by Skype or instant messaging."

When we last checked in on the Skype Nomad, our intrepid traveler was just setting off on her 33-day, 'round the world journey to test Skype mobility. She was in "perpetual motion"--always on the move, with no hotels.

On Friday, Rebecca Campbell, 26, a copywriter from London, landed in New York, where she planned to check out Times Square and take a double-decker bus tour around the Big Apple.

She came to New York after spending a couple days in California. She was in San Francisco, where she rolled out in an RV with a non-stop talking rapper named Joel who took her to Disneyland. You can read the Skype Nomad's blog for more details.

Continue reading "Skype Nomad's Excellent Adventure in the USA" »

The Washington Post's The Trail blog describes Barack Obama's "International Following."

Shailagh Murray notes: "The World Wants Obama Coalition of international and U.S. expatriate supporters has turned into a booming marketplace of campaign-related outreach -- mostly involving people who are not eligible to vote in the United States but who are transfixed by the Obama candidacy."

There are Facebook campaigns. After all the Man from Illinois has been a major presence with zillions of friends in Facebook. There are online photo albums.

And there are instructions on how to use Skype for get-out-the-vote campaigns back in the USA.

The instructions read, "Start by explaining who you are, and asking if they would be happy to talk, for example: 'Hi, I'm Justin from London, England, and I'm part of an international movement supporting Senator Obama. I can't vote in this election, but if you have a few minutes I'd love to talk to you about how a President Obama would improve America's standing in the world.'"

Meanwhile, we reported on Silicon Valley for Obama's use of Skype to reach out to voters.

Equal time statement: If anyone from the McCain and Clinton camps is using Skype, let us know. We'll rock the vote for them too.

The mantra at the Silicon Valley for Obama organization in Palo Alto, Calif., is: "Don't hide behind e-mail. Pick up the phone and call."

And Roger Hu, a memory chip designer, who helped start the group last August and is now an delegate for Barack Obama to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August, said Skype calls have become the backbone of the operation.

Continue reading "Putting Skype to work for Obama in Silicon Valley--and beyond" »

Skype’s Hollywood profile is on the rise again.

Here’s the latest from Tinseltown: Skype is on the A-list at the Cannes Film Festival, no less.

Not bad. Only last month, Skype had a supporting role in Nim’s Island, a Robinson Crusoe-style adventure on a remote South Pacific island.

Movie stars, directors and other Hollywood royalty that don’t make it to Cannes can make their video calling connection via Skype to the American Pavilion, the business and hospitality center for the press, filmmakers, stars and others attending the famed festival running from May 14 to May 25.

Titanic director James Cameron and cinematographer Vincent Pace, executive producer of this year’s Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour and other luminaries will be linked via Skype video calls into discussions hosted by the American Pavilion.

The American Pavilion will use Skype video calling in its “In Conversation” and “Industry In Focus” series, in which respected filmmakers and industry insiders offer audiences opinions and insights, in moderated panel discussions. The discussions happen nearly daily during the festival.

Continue reading "Skype to provide video calling link between Hollywood and Cannes Film Festival" »

A Federal Communications Commission hearing Thursday in Silicon Valley focused on these questions: Should the Internet be a closed entity controlled by the likes of the cable companies and phone companies? Or should it be controlled by the people who use it?

Skype has voted for the latter.

And Christopher Libertelli, senior director of government and regulatory affairs Skype, made the case in an op-ed appearing today in the San Jose Mercury News.

Continue reading "Skype speaks out on FCC hearing on 'net neutrality'" »

Music lessons generally are a local business.

But John Tuggle, a guitarist in Athens, Ga., has found a way take his classes to a national and international audience online. Skype has been a major player in Tuggle's business.

Search Engine Land tells Tuggle’s tale of building his business online.

Tuggle launched a blog, podcast,YouTube videos, digital downloads and live Skype lessons.

Gibson Guitars found Tuggle on YouTube and added him as a recommended instructor on their web site. He teaches more than 40 students.

Tuggle told Search Engine Land: “After I put up my first few YouTube videos, I immediately got e-mails for more lessons and Internet lessons. I never planned on doing Skype guitar lessons, but someone e-mailed me and wanted some as soon as possible, and I decided to create a service based around it. I'll be teaching the captain of a US Navy ship here shortly, and I've already taught to Portugal last week!"

Back in March 1958, pioneer rockers Bill Haley and his Comets released their album: Rockin' Around the World. WIth Skype as his roadie, Tuggle has taken his music and lessons 'round the world.

Is Skype in the sky a pie-in- the- sky idea?

Not necessarily.

Gogo, a new service being tested this year by American Airlines and Virgin Air, will feature broadband service at 30,000 feet.

At its website, Gogo describes how people will go online on transcontinental flights to check their e-mail, buy stuff, etc.

But nowhere does it mention the possibility of Skype audio or video calls. Huh?

Continue reading "Skype in the sky: Part II" »

A new service is coming that could have you online while you’re airborne.

It’s called Gogo. It’s a Wifi service that initially will make Internet access available this year for flights between the East and West Coasts on American Airlines and Virgin America.

I can see it now: Gogo users will be going online at 30,000 feet, checking e-mail, catching up on the news, playing games and buying shoes.

Gog's website doesn't address the possibilities of Internet calling. But an American Airlines announcement last year indicated Internet calling was on the no-fly list.

Still one can dream of placing Skype audio and video calls and IMing on board.

Note to Gogo: Don't forget those of us in the "flyover." And please consider Skype in the sky. We promise to be considerate of other passengers.

Skype blogmaster Villu Arak’s entry on the AT&T Picturephone brought back memories for me.

Back in 1964, I trekked with my family from Chicago to the World’s Fair in New York. As a sarcastic teen, not much captured my imagination. But the Picturephone did. It's one of the few things, along with General Electric's "Progressland," I remember seeing while out at the Meadowlands.

Continue reading "Back to the future: “Crossing a telephone with a TV set”" »

Everybody and his mother have a mobile device. Now the market appears to be moving toward providing them with Skype on their devices.

Jonathan Christensen, head of audio/visual at Skype in San Jose, CA., says the next leap forward for the mobile world will be “unfettered mobile IP access on open devices. There is now a chance this will happen.”

Christensen, whose team develops software for Skype calls and video calls, was the opening speaker Wednesday at the emerging Communications (eComm) show at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA.

He says that economic forces, including Federal Communciations Commission auctions of spectrum and flat mobile phone plans, “are pushing the market in this direction.”

He says this will mean people using Skype on mobile devices will be able to do “many of the cool things they can do on their computers with Skype now.” This includes video calling as well as sharing files, pictures, moods and presence, the ability to see if your network buddies are available or unavailable for your call.

“It’s happening now and Skype is excited to be innovating at the edge,” says Christensen.

Meanwhile, let’s contemplate our mobile future on Skype. Better put on our sunglasses. As the band Timbuk 3 said: “The Future’s So Bright Gotta Wear Shades."

Continue reading ""Unfettered mobile" Internet access will open bright new possibilities: Skype engineering leader" »

Recently, Skype Journal and VOIP-News have been discussing unwanted, frustrating, irritating and even embarrassing IMs and voicemails on Skype. People use these techniques to push porn, spam and other images and messages you wouldn’t want anyone in your home exposed to.

They are a pain. I can remember getting phone calls and even contact-list entries from people I didn’t know when I first signed on with Skype a couple years ago.

There is a simple solution to keeping these intruders out. Force Skype to only allow calls from people in your contact list.

Here's an example of how: Go to and click on “Tools” on your Skype toolbar. Scroll to and click on “Options...” Then select “Privacy” and finally click on “Only allow people in my Contact List to contact me.”

Continue reading "Avoiding stranger danger: Keeping unwanted callers and IMers out" »