skype or ???

So, My newest job has me moving every 8 months for two years; maybe internationally. I'm looking at some kind of video chat thing so I can show my newborn to may parents every week. This would help out my mom so she could see her grand baby grow up and still be able to talk to us. So GRM, what is your experience with different services? Any good free ones? I see Google has a video chat service now as well.

I use Skype to talk family in Ontario all the time. Even my 80-year-old grandmother used to be on there before she passed away. Can't argue with free. They also have good rates for making actual phone calls (like 4ct/minute to a cell phone in Indonesia), but I think the caller still has to be at a computer.

J

I use Skype ALL the time for both US and international calls. One of my customers in Trinidad has Skype video. Very good video quality, and still free. I don't know what, if any, set up costs are. Frankly, I really don't want my clients to see me in my robe at noon! I think it's very interesting that the voice quality of Skype to Skype calls is superior to dial up, ofter by a bunch.

I used skype for video chat while in Iraq, Internet wasn't good enough for both at the same time. I really loved it, I'll be using it again in Afghanistan if we have internet.

GOOD LUCK while you are there, and don't forget to keep us advised on how you are doing. Looking forward to your communications. Will you be in the line of fire?

Used skype for years to keep in touch with my littlest guy. It's an awesome age we live in that I can read him a book from across an ocean and point out pictures and words to him.

thanks.

Google's voice and video chat built into Gmail works pretty darn good. Both it and Skype in a direct computer to computer connection have much better sound than any land or cell phone I've ever used. That being said, I tried to talk my parents through setting up Goog V&V over the phone and they just couldn't get it to work. So maybe Skype gets the nod for easier installation. Also, all webcams are not created equal. Shop around and try to test them out in a store before you buy.

Semi unrelated, I recently bought $10 worth of Skype bucks to get the "Skype-To-Go" service. It is outstanding. In the US, I can make a call to a local number on my cell phone, hit 1 and then a speed dial digit, and be instantly connected internationally w/o an extra connection fee at $0.021 a minute. After two months of travel in Australia I still have more than half of that left. Here in AUS I can just make a new dial-in number for any city I travel to and then make a local call for free that then tunnels to wherever I want to talk.

Apparently they'll be releasing a new client for Blackberries this month so you won't even have to use minutes to make calls, it would work through your data connection. I could see a time soon where you won't need ANY voice cell service, just a strong data connection. Cool stuff!

I use VSee to chat with my fiance in MN, it's completely free and works well. We also use Google Chat's video, but it doesn't like lower bandwidth as well.

I have no idea what ill be doing or where I'll be at, nor would I be able to say anything specific. That being said I'll try to be on here as much as the mission and situation allow. Where would I be without my favorite place anywhere on the web.

[/threadjack]