I am surprised that there are no new reviews of recent date. I have been using Skype since about 2003 or so, before EBay bought it from the originators and obviously before Microsoft bought it from Ebay.
There have been improvements in the useful categories of speed, accessibility, and general usefulness. However, there have been some negative changes in system and online screens. The constant updating may be useful for newbies but it is annoying for those of us who have used Skype for over 10 years. Little changes (always without notification to users) make simple adjustments difficult since they seem to never be where they used to be onscreen.
As examples, the listing of contacts based upon "most recent usage" is both good and bad. Good when looking for a recent contact; bad when looking for a contact that had not been used in a long time. Those of us with many contacts can't find old contacts easily. And a choice of HOW to sort contacts (various ways, like alphabetically for instance) has been eliminated. And a way to edit contacts' name information (useful to aid in identifying them) has also been eliminated.
In general, this is a great product BUT the tech programmers seem to make small changes that suit themselves and mostly do what (I have been in the programming business longer than most of them are alive) THEY think THEY would want. Remember that EVERY USER is an individual and most do not do things YOUR way.
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? Yes
- Posted Sep 28, 2018 for v8.31.0.92
I have been using Skype since the 2.X days, way back then it was a newer entrant on the market. It offered IM services combined with VOIP, and that was unique enough to gather the support of coworkers, friends, family, and more. It became the client of choice, and there isn't much I regret more.
Skype hit a sweet spot in the 3.X generation. Though there were certainly bugs, it worked. It had customizable UI components, the VOIP had improved, its footprint on the CPU was reduced.
However, 4.x onwards marked a significant change: features were removed, redone, and reworked. The Skype tech-supporters were notorious jerks even when the program worked, so trying to report any of these new problems was greeted with a stream of 'are you sure you're connected to the internet?' hogwash.
Since, this program has been 'improved' into the ground. It constantly sucks CPU when idle, it crashes when closing AND opening, it fails to send messages (sometimes for days at a time), and the chat UI went from simple to ugly. The devsupport team was never great, now their product has caught up.
If it wasn't such an inconvenience to move my Skype contacts to a competitor, I would have dumped this steaming pile when it automatically updated to 4.X.
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? No
- Posted Apr 10, 2015 for v7.3
I have used Skype for many years and was nearly always happy. It did occasionally not work perfectly but it was free and even when the service arrived so that we could call private numbers I added my credit card number and it took 10 every time the amount of credit was low. This was only perhaps once in three months.
Then Microsoft became involved and as could be expected they wanted to make money and the result was more fiddling, less service and charges increased. I am stopping this Skype software as soon as my money has been used up and I hope that it is possible since I KNOW about the telekons how they make it DIFFICULT to STOP any lucrative source which they have. There are other VOIP providers and several have been recommended but since getting an email last week warning me that Skype would be closing all use of the version which I have (Version 6.15 (334)) I have been forced to check for reviews and found this at the top of the Google list. I see many critical answers but none very recent.
It is important for consumers to CHECK the reviews (by ordinary people who are not paid to write nice things!) before they start a service. Hence I found this site and immediately logged in to write my own comments. If we would ALL demand good service then companies like Microsoft who deliver goods which are just barely satisfactory would be put out of business. Get yourself a life and do some research first before you buy crap and when you are tricked then tell the world about it!
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? No
- Posted Sep 08, 2014 for v6.20
We used Skype for years and appreciated that it was the 'original'. So when it came time to find an international calling service to keep in contact with our family member overseas, Skype was the natural choice. Unfortunately, the service failed miserably.
First, you must purchase a subscription...seems like it makes sense, except that you must use your minutes each month or lose them. Unless you know exactly how long you're going to talk, you're better off finding a plan that charges by the actual minutes used.
However, more importantly that this, it simply did not really work. Our first call went through and the quality was decent. However, we were never able to make any calls to the same number after that. When I tried to reach customer service, I discovered that you had to go through about 5 layers of FAQs before you could finally choose to either live chat with a rep or send an email. The 1st rep said we had tried to call when the line was busy; we accepted that explanation and tried again...no luck. This time, we had a back up plan and used another service - Bingo, no problem connecting! Guess it wasn't busy after all, just crappy service from Skype.
The kicker is that we were unable to get a refund for the unused minutes (even though we could never actually use them because the calls wouldn't go through) because that's their "policy". Buyer beware...wasted money, unreliable service and no recourse if you aren't satisfied except to cancel service!
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? No
- Posted Oct 17, 2013 for v6.9
I loved Skype a few years ago. In fact I wouldn't even be participating in this review had I not been browsing online for something new to replace skype.
Back in the day it seemed like I always got very good audio and video resolution and it was a program that stayed in the background unless you wanted it to seen. I am afraid like most all good things after it becomes noticed it is starting to get bogged down and intrusive.
With Microsoft involved it can only get worse. I don't need ultra safe security that bogs everything down. I need simple, clear video communication. If someone wants to listen in while I'm video calling my wife and kids overseas be my guest but you need to get a life.
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? Yes
- Posted Feb 17, 2013 for v6.2.60
I'd been using Skype as a free service for years, but couldn't understand why the company so proudly touted its value. My calls were abysmal in quality, despite consistent high speed Internet access (Verizon FIOS or Comcast cable); the interface difference for Mac & PC were counterintuitive--lacking the polish we've come to expect from the ubiquitous user friendly apps pervading the market space, and free services like Google Voice offered an easier to use product with comparable (still poor, alas) voice quality.
But last year I bit the bullet and invested in Skype Premium, thinking for the money I'd get a substantially better product--especially call quality. I couldn't have been more wrong. Most of the time the call quality is so poor that the other person snappishly orders me to call them on another line. The conference call (with or without video) function is so terrible that whenever I've tried to use it I've had to cancel the meeting and have everyone come into the office anyway. Embarrassing when the other parties are clients.
I wanted to use Skype for a small business, but the product is so unprofessional, so laughably inept it is just a liability for us and we don't use it anymore. And yet I keep getting updates from Skype to continueextend my paid service with them. Although Google Voice exhibits similar voice quality issues, they're a free service. Until the Internet-VOIP infrastructure is widely reliable, we'll stick to the more expensive, functional options.
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? No
- Posted Jun 27, 2012 for v5.10
Videoconferencing is great. I'm happy with the overall communications.
Skype's client software is poorly designed. It lacks a suitable workflow, and is clunky. It lacks polish and finesse.
In spite of several updates to the v5.x branch, the interface hasn't become any better. In fact, it went from being just annoying and unfriendly, to abusive and lacking etiquette. For example, Skype always wants to open its windows on start, rather than keeping to the systray, thus causing the user to have to manually hide the window.
The best interface I've used is in Trillian Astra IM. It demonstrates a greater level of polish and improved workflow. The skinning is great - my favorite is the Avion Pro 5 skin.
The newest beta of Trillian v5.1 build 8 has native Skype support, with texting and voice calling working. Video calling and sound event support should come soon hopefully.
Skype needs to wipe out their current interface, and start over from scratch. This early-2000's interface style they insist on using doesn't cut it by today's standards. Out with the boring, and in with something that's modern, hip, and fun to use.
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? No
- Posted Sep 01, 2011 for v5.5.0.115
Skype is a good IM client but some things are done very stupidly.
I'm used to the Windows Live Messenger interface or way of doing things and the default is to have the chat and buddy list all in one window. Usually I'm chatting with only one person so why do I need to see the buddy list while I chat? At least there is an option have the chat window break off of the buddy list.
I'm not too fond of any sort of skinning so it's a good thing Skype has the option to use the Windows theme you are using. Automatic updates are a pain. I like my programs to alert me only when there is an update and I can install when I want but Skype installs updates for me. There is no way to change this setting and I remember Skype having this ability with previous versions. When I first install Skype I tell it to only install the IM client and not install Skype Toolbars. When the automatic update happens, it installs Skype with its default options and there is the toolbar I didn't want. Now I need to uninstall the toolbars which thankfully is a separate installation.
Overall this is OK for the novice user but for me I would like to have options.
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? Yes
- Posted Jun 04, 2011 for v5.3.0.111
I've been trying to use SKYPE for a few months now. Initially, I had paid for skype out and was not credited for it. It is, however, impossible to obtain a response from "support".
Since I needed the service (only VOIP service available in my area) and didn't want to wait any longer for a response from support, I paid for it again.
After a few people responded in odd ways to my calls, I called myself on my cell phone, my home phone and my office phone. The sound quality on each message is VERY poor, with dropped sound, echo and inexplicably, every "s" sounds like "sh" - I don't have a lisp.
Once again, back to "support", the only access to which is online submission of a problem.
In my experience, I get better support from free software than I do from this service, which in the end was quite a bit more expensive than advertised (having paid for it twice).
Review details
- Interface
- Features
- Ease of use
- Value
- Recommend to a friend? No
- Posted Mar 28, 2007 for v3.1.0.147
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