♠ Posted by Unknown in Power Tool
HOW TO USE AND WHAT’S SKYPE ?
Skype, a free software program that allows anyone to talk to anyone else in the world over the Internet for free, is easy to install and use. Folks around the world are using Skype daily to keep in touch with friends and family with sound that’s clearer than a cell phone or even a land line.So It is completely free for you to communicate Skype-to-Skype; this includes video calls, calls and instant messaging. You can also call to landlines although you will have to credit your account as this is not free, however call rate are low and international calls are particularly good value.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED ?
You need just four things to start Skyping : Internet access,Microphone (voice calling),Webcam (video calling) and Speakers. Most laptops or tablets, as well as some
desktop computers, come with internal microphones.
DOWNLOADING SKYPE:
Installing Skype and creating your Skype username takes only a few minutes:
1. Go to the Skype Download page OR click the button below for DOWNLOAD.
Get Skype for Windows desktop
Installing Skype and creating your Skype username takes only a few minutes:
1. Go to the Skype Download page OR click the button below for DOWNLOAD.
Get Skype for Windows desktop
2. Follow directions for downloading Skype onto your machine.
Exact directions may vary by operating system.
3. Once installed open Skype and you’ll see a start-up screen.
4. Click on Don’t have a Skype Name?
4. Click on Don’t have a Skype Name?
Here’s how you do it:
Follow the directions to create a new Skype account and username
then click Sign In
Remember first impressions count! Choose your username carefully.
Choose a username that makes it easier for others to find you and conveys the right
impression of who you are.
Setting up your Skype Profile
Before adding contacts to your Skype account it is important to set up your Profile.
The more relevant the information you include in your Profile the easier it will be for others to ensure they’re connecting
with the right person.
To change your Profile you need to:
1. Click on the Profile tab or select Skype > Profile >
Edit Your Profile from the menu bar.
2. Change Your Picture by clicking on Choose picture from file or select Skype > Profile > Change Your
Picture from the menu bar
It’s harder to locate the correct contact
without a profile picture and you’re less
likely to added as contact if you’re using the
default avatar.
3. Add your Country/Region, State/Province, City, Time, website (if applicable), gender and language by clicking
on each field or using the drop down menu.
4. Complete your About Me information.
5. You can check how others will see your profile information
by clicking on the Public profile and Contacts only
buttons at the top of your Profile page.
Public Profile is what people see when they search for your Skype contact details.
Contacts Only are what people who have been added to your Skype account can see.
Updating your Privacy Options:
Your privacy settings control who can contact you via Skype, how long your IM history is kept and is used to manage
blocked users. It’s worth adjusting these before getting started using Skype.
By default, only the people on your Contact list are able to:
• See your profile picture • Application share their screen.
• Video talk with you.
• Send IM’s.
While anyone on Skype who searches for you can add you as a contact or call you. To change your privacy settings select Skype > Privacy in the menu bar. What privacy options you choose is entirely up to you!
By default, only the people on your Contact list are able to:
• See your profile picture • Application share their screen.
• Video talk with you.
• Send IM’s.
While anyone on Skype who searches for you can add you as a contact or call you. To change your privacy settings select Skype > Privacy in the menu bar. What privacy options you choose is entirely up to you!
Configuring your Audio and Video settings:
It’s best to make sure your audio and video is set up properly before using Skype to make calls.
Once your Skype equipment is connected to your computer all you need to do
is configure your Audio settings by going to Call > Audio Settings in the menu
bar.
Now just select your Microphone and Speakers from the drop down options.
Repeat the same process to set up your web cam using the Video Settings options.
Testing your Audio, Sound and Video quality is as simple as:
1. Click on Echo / Sound Test Service
However, if you want to minimize unwanted calls from anyone you might want to change it to “Allow calls from ….
people in my Contact list only”
2. Click on Call.
3. Now follow the instructions to test your set up using Skype’s
automatic sound test service.
4. If you don’t hear any sound you’ll need to check your set up.
5. Alternatively, you can click Check Settings to the right of Call.
Adding People To Your Skype Account:
To contact people you will need to add their username to your Skype account.
The easiest way of finding someone’s Skype username is to contact them to ask:
1. If you could add them to your Skype account
1. If you could add them to your Skype account
2. For their username
However, you can easily search for friends’ Skype account using their email address or name.
However, you can easily search for friends’ Skype account using their email address or name.
You add people to your account by:
1. Select Contacts > Add a Contact in the menu bar or click on Add Contact.
2. Enter their full name, email address or Skype name.
3. If the Skype account of the person you wish to add is displayed, click Add below
the contact.
Clicking on their Avatar displays all their profile information
If more than one Skype account matches your search, click on view to check
out all matches found.
4. Before the contact can be added, you must send a contact request to that person. Enter some text to introduce
yourself and click Send request.
5. The contact will be added to your contact list, but will
appear offline until they accept your request.
6. Once the person agrees to your request, they will be
added to your Contact list. You can then make free calls
and video calls to that person, and send instant messages
and files to each other.
7. Occasionally they won’t receive your notification to add to
their contact list – in this situation just ask them to also
add your username to their account.
Using your Skype account.
Skype Status:
Best part of Skype is you can tell when another user is online and what their status is so you know if they are available. Some one’s Skype status is showing Available or Away from keyboard are normally near their computer. However, it good etiquette to send a person a short Instant message and waiting to see if they reply rather than calling them as it might not be convenient, you might be interrupting their work flow or they may not have their audio configured. Once you’ve engaged in a IM conversation then you can nicely ask them if they mind or if it is convenient to use voice.Changing your Status is as simple as:
1. Click on drop down menu next to your status.
2. Select your new Status.
2. Select your new Status.
Sending or Receiving an Instant Message Sending an Instant message is as easy as:
1. Find the person or group you want to message from your contact list.2. Their username will load in the main window and you just click inside the conversation box.
3. Now type your short message and click the blue Send message button, or press Enter on your keyboard. If someone IMs you, your Recent tab will turn orange and will show a number to to indicate how many new IM you have received. You’ll also see an orange dot against the person’s name in your contact list who has sent the IM.
To check newly received IM:
1. Click the Recent tab. You’ll see a list of contacts who have recently contacted you using IM.2. Unread messages are indicated by the person’s name shown in bold with a number next to their name.
3. Click on the person’s name to open up the main window and view the conversation.
4. Type your reply inside the conversation box and click the blue Send message button, or just press Enter on your keyboard.
Other useful things you can do in an instant message include:
1. Add more people to the conversation to create a group IM• Click on Add People
• Choose their names from the Contact list and click Select
• Now click Add
2. Use emoticons or add small pictures to show how you are feeling
3. Send documents, photos or videos
Calling someone who’s on Skype Remember it good etiquette to send a person a short Instant message and waiting to see if they reply before calling them as it might not be convenient, you might be interrupting their work flow or they may not have their audio configured. Once you’ve engaged in a IM conversation then you can nicely ask them if they mind or if it is convenient to use voice.
Calling someone who’s on Skype is as easily as:
1. Click the Contacts button at the top of Skype.2. In the list, find the person you want to call. Click on them. (Anyone with one of these beside them is on Skype so it's free to call. Anyone with one of these means it's a phone or mobile number which means you will have to have money in your account to call them).
3. You will see their details in the main window. Click the green Call button . You should hear ringing. If you don't hear the other person or they can't hear you, click the call quality icon at the top of your call window. To hang up, click the red End call button .
Useful things you can do on a call:
• Mute – click this icon to mute your microphone so the other person can't hear you.• Hold – click on this icon to put the call on hold.
Make a video call:
To make a video call make sure you've got a webcam plugged in; click the green Video call button to make it a video call.Useful things you can do on a video call:
• Resize the screen – click and drag the corner of the video screen to make it bigger or smaller.• Move it around – click and drag the video of yourself around your screen.
• Instant message (IM) at the same time – click the Show messages link at the top of the video to instant message while you're on the call.
Send a file:
1. Click on Conversation → Send → File…2. Choose the file you want to send.
Tip: To send more than one file hold down Ctrl as you select them.
Screen sharing:
To share your screen, simply call a contact and in the conversations window click Share → Share Your Screen in the IM toolbar. You can select if you want to share your full screen or just a part of it. The person you are sharing your screen with can see your screen in full screen mode. You can continue talking via Skype whilst you share your screen.If you are having any problems with Skype visit https://support.skype.com where you can access more tips and ask questions.