Skype group video calling becomes free • Hacker News Board

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#31

Post by hga » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:10 PM UTC

izzydata wrote: post #4

I feel like this was the only thing on the premium feature list that even mattered. Does skype even generate revenue?

There's Skype Numbers, as it's now called, you buy a phone number for $5/month (in the US) and where ever you are, if someone calls that number you can receive the call using Skype.

My mother and myself are not serious cell phone users, and we use We keep waiting for Microsoft to screw it up, but they amazingly haven't so far.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#32

Post by jaibot » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:13 PM UTC

shawabawa3 wrote: post #9

gum_ina_package wrote: post #7

Finally! I don't know anyone who likes G+ over Skype, but we all use it for the group video features.

funny, because I don't know anyone who likes skype over G+

Skype's Linux clients are always wonky. G+ has more ItJustWorks, and the contacts list is already built for me from years of using Google stuff.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#33

Post by frabcus » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:16 PM UTC

eitally wrote: post #29

ballpoint wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah everyone I know hates switching to G+ for group calls. We have to use Skype to guide people through the G+ interface and get them on a group call.

Why not just point them at http://g.co/hangouts ?

Where did you find that link? Or indeed, the page it points to? I've never seen either before.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#34

Post by frabcus » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:17 PM UTC

izzydata wrote: post #4

I feel like this was the only thing on the premium feature list that even mattered. Does skype even generate revenue?

As well as using it to call international numbers, I also use it for Wifi access at some airports.

No doubt I could do both more cheaply another way, but I do them both so rarely that Skype just already being there "and just working" is great. I pay at most £20 / year.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#35

Post by sinaa » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:17 PM UTC

Lockyy wrote: post #12

I wonder if this includes group screen share That and the group video are the only two reasons any of the people I know have Skype premium.

It does, according to the replies here by Skype http://blogs.skype.com/2014/04/28/skype-loves-bringing-group...

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#36

Post by gygygy » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:21 PM UTC

reledi wrote: post #30

gum_ina_package wrote: post #7

Finally! I don't know anyone who likes G+ over Skype, but we all use it for the group video features.

Every technical person I know prefers Google Hangouts over Skype.

Every "technical" person. I most times find myself using team-viewer to get G+ to work whenever I have a group chat with my school pals. G+ is great, but unfortunately I have found many non technical people I know have a hard time using it.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#37

Post by finkin1 » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:22 PM UTC

gum_ina_package wrote: post #7

Finally! I don't know anyone who likes G+ over Skype, but we all use it for the group video features.

I'm the CEO of a small remote-working startup with 5 employees. I pay $20/mo for Skype since some of people I meet with only use that and I need the group screen sharing feature. Whenever I have a Skype meeting, I'm nervous, because 50% of the time video or screen sharing won't work. Once I get them to switch to Hangouts there's no problems, ever.

Are you telling me that you experience the opposite? If so, that's very odd.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#38

Post by yen223 » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:22 PM UTC

gum_ina_package wrote: post #7

Finally! I don't know anyone who likes G+ over Skype, but we all use it for the group video features.

G+'s video quality was miles ahead of Skype's. Heck, even FaceTime's video quality was better.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#39

Post by kyrra » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:25 PM UTC

sremani wrote: post #24

shawabawa3 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

funny, because I don't know anyone who likes skype over G+

I prefer Skype over Google Video in that I can pick my call on my PC, laptop, phone or Xbox One. Imagine having a group call on Xbox One - TV, that would be a sweet conversation and I for one really appreciate this new feature.

Google Hangouts work on PCs, laptops, and phones. When I get a hangout call, it rings on all devices where I'm currently logged into hangouts.

TV is the only place Xbox wins today. Though google does have some TV toys right now (Google TV and Chromecast). They could probably look into adding a webcam to that with hangouts.

Re: Skype group video calling becomes free

#40

Post by coherentpony » Mon, Apr 28, 2014, 4:32 PM UTC

yen223 wrote: post #38

gum_ina_package wrote: post #7

Finally! I don't know anyone who likes G+ over Skype, but we all use it for the group video features.

G+'s video quality was miles ahead of Skype's. Heck, even FaceTime's video quality was better.

In my experience, FaceTime's quality has surpassed the others as of recent. Partly due to the new retina screen and HD iPhone camera.