Skype

Today's modern applications and high speed Internet connections allow us to communicate with people all over the world instantly and free of charge, something that few thought to be possible fifteen or twenty years ago. One of the market's lead voice over IP applications (VoIP) is Skype. It enables users to communicate in various ways, over any distance. You can exchange short text messages or use a microphone and webcam to talk and see your friends. What's more, the application is capable of sending SMS messages to mobile phones and it also allows you to make PC-to-phone calls.

Skype's Mac OS X version looks completely different from its Windows counterpart. Its user interface has a cleaner layout, which makes it much easier to find, import and manage contacts. You can access a home page with news and other contacts, your imported contacts, conversations with favorite contacts and more, by selecting these categories in a column, on the left side of the window. Contacts are displayed as large thumbnails of their avatars, together with options for calling them, adding them to the favorites list and more.

If you make a video call, your partner's webcam feed will be displayed on the entire interface, which can be set to full screen mode. Also, if you minimize the interface, the feed will remain visible in a small box, so you will always see your friend's face. While talking with a friend, you can mute your microphone if you need to, exchange files or share your screen. What's more, the application allows you to invite other people to a conversation.

Unlike traditional instant messengers, Skype allows you to sign in with various accounts, like Microsoft and Xbox Live accounts and even with a Facebook account. What's more, if you sign in with an existing account, the software can search for contacts in your address book, to help you find your friends much faster. Finding a friend in the Skype database is quite easy. All you have to do is type in a person's name and click a button. The application will display the contact's Skype name immediately, along with his or her current location, so you can make sure that it's the right person. It is also possible to set up a few filters, for country, language, age, gender and others, before searching for a contact.