Video conferencing and the Screenshare features make Skype popular with the corporate market. Video chat is available on higher bandwidth connections and makes keeping up with distant family/friends much more interactive. Voice chat comes with conference calling, secure file transfer and a highly secure end to end encryption. You can then search for other users in the Skype directory or call them directly using their Skype name.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed Skype, you will need to create a user profile and unique Skype name. Facebook integrations are starting to creep into the newest versions of Skype too. Microsoft's influence can be seen with the integration of Microsoft Live accounts and the ability to sync those contacts into Skype.

Video conferencing is free for up to 10 participants and is also much easier now with the simple call window where you add/remove participants and avoid the distractions of other contacts and conversations that are minimized into the corner of the interface. Renaming contacts means you no longer need to search by skype name. Skype's new contacts list can be integrated with your Mac address book, making searching for contacts much easier.

New & Mac FeaturesThe UI has been refined to improve compatibility with OS X Mavericks and minor audio bugs have also been addressed on the Mac platform. There have been some criticisms over the programs bandwidth usage and security vulnerabilities. The call quality (depending on your internet signal) and additional features like conversation history, conference calling and secure file transfer are excellent. Skype uses P2P technology to connect users on a multitude of platforms including desktop, mobile and tablet. Users can also call landlines and mobiles at competitive rates using Skype credit, premium accounts and subscriptions. It allows users to text, video and voice call over the internet. Skype is the most popular free voice-over IP and instant messaging service globally.

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