http://www.gerrykruyer.com Social Media, Internet & E-mail: Topic 7 Skype This lesson is an introduction to Skype. Introduction to Skype Of all of the Internet tools available today, Skype is probably the one that you can easily make use of at least once a week and is very popular. Skype is an internet based telephone service that allows users to make phone calls to anyone in the world for free provided the person you are calling also has Skype and they are also connected to the internet. Skype does allow you to make calls to land-line and mobile phone numbers but there is a cost involved with that. Additional Skype features include video conferencing, instant messaging (chat) and file transfer. Skype is a great way to stay in touch with family, friends, and colleagues anywhere around the world! Skype uses what is known as a proprietary Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service and is now owned and operated by Microsoft. For you technically minded people VoIP converts analog voice signals into digital data packets and supports real-time, two-way transmission of conversations using Internet Protocol (IP). The Skype calls to landline telephones and mobile phones are charged via a debit-based user account system and so to make these types of charged calls you will a linked debit card or a linked PayPal account. I recommend you use a PayPal linked account. In order to make full use of Skype, you will need an internet connection and a computer with a microphone and web camera. Nowadays all new laptops and desktop monitors come with a built-in camera and an internal microphone. If your computer is lacking either of these, they can be reasonably purchased (webcams for less than $50 and headsets with earphones and a microphone for less than $30.) Even if your computer has an internal microphone, you may wish to purchase a headset for privacy purposes. Noise cancelling microphones are especially good to use with Skype but they are expensive! Skype is an easy-to-use application that is free to download. By August 2013 Skype had over 300 million users and is popular not only for its free Skype to Skype phone and video calls but, as broadband is now the way by which most 1 st world countries connect to the internet, Skype has also become extremely popular for its additional features including file transfer and videoconferencing. Skype was launched in 29 August 2003 and created by Estonians Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn. After going through a few takeovers over (including ebay in 2005) it was taken over by Microsoft in 2011. Watch this video for an introduction to Skype: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmaeaeyh7zm C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 1
To Download Skype 1. Go to: http://www.skype.com/en/ 2. Click on downloads at the top or middle of the webpage: 3. Select your device: 4. Click on Get Skype: 5. Once the file has downloaded, click on the Run button and follow the instruction prompts to finish installing Skype on your computer. You will get to the window shown on the right. Make sure the language is English and then click the: I agree - next button. 6. Don t bother with installing the Skype Click to Call. If this is ticked then untick it. I just find it annoying but you can leave it ticked if you like. 7. Continue. C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 2
8. Untick Make Bing my search engine. 9. Untick Make MSN my homepage. 10. Continue. 11. Once Skype is installed, you will see this icon on your Windows 8 or Windows 10 desktop:. Doubleclick on the icon to launch the Skype program. (If you do not see a desktop icon, click on the start menu and search for Skype or look in your applications folder). 12. Next you need to register for Skype, click on Create an Account: C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 3
The window shown to the right opens up: 13. You can sign-up using your Microsoft or Facebook account details: 14. Otherwise enter your preferred first and last names: 15. You will need to enter an e-mail address twice, make sure you enter your e-mail address correctly and that you choose an email address that you can access while you are signing up. I suggest that you use your outlook.com e-mail address because Skype is owned by Microsoft. 16. Fill out the Profile Information section but you do not have to tell Skype everything. I would not tell them your age. City = Melbourne Language = English (British) 17. If you want you can add your mobile phone number where Country code = Australia 61 18. You intend to use Skype for: Mostly personal conservations. 19. Choose a Skype name. Skype will offer suggestions and you can choose one of these if you like. 20. Choose a Skype password. 21. In the following section do what I did: 22. After you have filled out all of your form, click:. C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 4
23. Now that Skype is installed and you have created an account, sign in using your Skype Name (username) and Password that you selected when you created your account. 24. You may see the dialog window shown on the right. Choose Yes and tick: Do not ask again. 25. You will then be prompted to check the sound and video quality of your computer as shown on the right. Click on Continue. 26. Follow the steps on your screen. Test your speaker sound. Test your microphone by seeing if your voice is picked up. Make sure Automatically adjust microphone settings is ticked. Test your video camera. Can you see yourself? 27. You will also be prompted to add a profile photo, so that others can easily identify you on Skype and can see that they have the right person i.e. you and not someone else with exactly the same name as you! Follow the instructions provided by Skype after clicking on Continue. C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 5
28. Either take a picture or add one from your Pictures folder: (I set up a fictitious Skype account using the name Clyde Thornbury and using a photograph of Bert.) 29. After this you are ready to: Start using Skype. Finding People Using Skype Before you can place a voice or video call, you will need to add people to your contacts. Follow these steps: 1. Either: a. Click on Contacts Add a Contact Search Skype Directory b. Click to the right of the magnifying glass to search Skype: The easiest way to locate another Skype user is to search using their Skype Name or e-mail address, as these are unique. If you do not know their Skype Name or e-mail address then try their actual name. There might be a few people with exactly the same name as the name you are looking for so it would be good to know where they live and then you would choose the one in that city. There are a variety of other ways to locate Skype users. Of course you could always just ask the person if they are someone you see regularly but if not, you could do a Skype search for them. 2. Type in either a Skype username if you know someone, or their actual name. Hopefully they have joined Skype. (You can search for me if you like.) 3. Click on the button. C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 6
4. If the person you are trying to contact is a Skype user then eventually their name and image will pop up. Remember their might be a few people with the same name so make sure that you are clicking on the right person. I did a search for Gerry Kruyer. There I am: 5. Click on that person s name. 6. Once you have found the correct contact, click on the Add to Contacts button: 7. Type in a more personalised message than the one Skype fills in and then click on the Send button: 8. Your contact will then receive a message that you would like to connect with them. They can either approve or ignore you. C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 7
9. Once the contact has approved your request, they will appear in your contacts list and you can call them for free via Skype. You will see the screen on the right until they have approved you: In the meantime you can always call their landline or mobile number if you know this person, but be aware that this costs money. Approving Contacts If someone is trying to be a contact with you then, when you open Skype, you will see meaning that you have one recent contact. in your taskbar 1. Click on the Recent list heading for a list of the people you have contacted recently as well as your pending contact requests: I see someone called Clyde Thornbury wants to make contact with me. 2. Hmmm Should I approve this person??? I can see that this person says he is from Melbourne. Normally I wouldn t because I have never heard of Clyde Thornbury (and his image looks like my dog Bert! What is going on here?) Seeing this is a special Show and Tell case I better approve this contact 3. To do this I click on the person s name in my Pending contact requests list and then click on the Accept button: Clyde Thornbury is now in my Contacts list. So if Clyde Thornbury is online and has Skype running when I am online and also have Skype running then we can live chat. C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 8
Next I will log onto Skype again as Clyde Thornbury and have a look at his contact list: Notice that I am in Clyde Thornbury s contact list. Making a Video Call Using Skype Before you try to video call someone, check to make sure that they are Online: If the circle below their image looks like this:, then they are Online and ready to chat! If the circle below their image looks like this: are currently Offline., then they have recently been Online but If the circle below their image looks like this then they are Away from home. If the circle below their image looks like this then they do not want to be disturbed. To place a video call, click on your contact in your Contacts list, and then click on. To place a telephone call, click on your contact in your Contacts list, and then click on. Here is how it will look to the person you are calling: Question 1/ Explain what the three buttons shown on the right do? Once they answer, you will see and hear them! It should look something like this (the larger image will be of the person you are talking to, and you can see how you look to them by checking the smaller picture in the lower right): BTW: I was using two computers at once to get this screen shot on one I was logged onto Skype as Clyde Thornbury and the other as me. Question 2/ Is the larger or the smaller image Clyde s computer? C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 9
Hover your mouse over the bottom of your computer screen, and a number of buttons will appear. Here is what they do: Show Contacts Turn off your Video Mute your Mic Send a File End Call Call Quality Info Show IM Once you have made a couple of video calls, you will quickly get the hang of it. Important Tip: If you are experiencing any technical issues, check your microphone and web cam (make sure they are firmly plugged in) and also your internet connection. If connection problems continue, you can turn off the video as this uses the most bandwidth (or internet connection speed) and just talk via Skype. You could also end your current call and call the person back; just like phones, sometimes you get a bad connection! Keep in mind that, when you are logged into Skype, if you list yourself as Online, others will assume you are available and ready to chat. You can change your status by following these steps: Step 1/ Click on Skype at the top-left of the Skype window Step 2/ Online Status Step 3/ Choose from: Using Skype on Desktop, Laptop, ipad, Mobile You can use Skype on more than just on your computer. Skype is available for mobile phones, ipads and other tablets. Visit the play store/app store on your device to download the Skype app. Sign in using your Skype Name and Password. In addition to video calls, you can also use Skype to call landline phones and mobile phones but this does cost you money. (You are better off using your home phone especially if you get free local calls as part of your phone company s contract.) You will need to have a linked debit card or PayPal account. If you want to use this feature with Skype then I recommend you have a PayPal linked account. PayPal is easy to set up, it is really safe to use, was founded by Peter Thiel and Max Levchin in December 1998 under the name Confinity operating out of Silicon Valley. PayPal quickly shot up to 1 million users after just 15 months but later sold to ebay and is now a publically listed company. PayPal currently has about 165 million users. PayPal can also be used to buy online book, clothing, music and any other online purchases. C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 10
Skype also allows you to: Send text (SMS) messages Transfer Files Conference Call (Group Video Call) And more If you are curious about any of these additional features, let me know and I will show you how they work in a possible follow up Social Media course. Question 3/ Question 4/ Question 5/ Question 6/ Question 7/ How do you find family, friends or work colleagues on Skype? Can you send text like messages with Skype? Can you transfer files including image files using Skype? Can you save any Skype video? Did you like this lesson on Skype? Give details and please be honest. I hope you enjoyed this SPAN course and have learnt new skills from each of the eight lessons in this Level 2 Social Media, Internet and E-mail course. Please check the SPAN and PNH websites before the start of each new term for any other SPAN courses that may interest you in the future. My website will also keep you informed of any upcoming ICT related courses that I am running either at SPAN, Preston Neighbourhood House or elsewhere. Remember that subsidised course fees are available to students who are ACFE (Adult, Community and Further Education) eligible. This brings the cost for any of my eight week SPAN courses, which include all class notes, down to $32.00 at SPAN and $51 at PNH. Both way I consider this to be fantastic value and I don t think you could find similar hands-on courses with a qualified trainer anywhere else in Australia at this price. Contact SPAN or PNH to discuss whether you are eligible to receive ACFE funding. There is also a 5% discount for people that sign up 10 working days prior to the start date of any course. Hope to see you all soon; Gerry C:\Users\Kruyer\Documents\SPAN\social-media\learning-tasks\level-2\task7\SM7.docx Page 11