by Gail Kouame – guest blogger<\/p>\n
Some of you may remember Alison\u2019s Thanksgiving post about technologies for which we are thankful. I chose Skype<\/a> <\/span>as my gratitude-inducing resource. Why? Well, read on\u2026<\/p>\n Skype is a free piece of software you can download so that you can communicate with people around the world easily (and maybe even have some fun at the same time). Many of the features in Skype are free, especially those that include other Skype users.<\/p>\n Once you set up a profile in Skype, you can start searching their global user directory for other Skype users \u2013 you can search by name, email address, location, or other criteria. You can also use the Send Contacts feature to acquire and share contacts. Part of the \u201cfun factor\u201d is that you can personalize your profile and add a photo, or an avatar, or other image that you choose.<\/p>\n Once you have established a list of contacts, you can start taking advantage of the various features and tools in Skype. The feature I use most is the Instant Messaging\/Chat. It is a great alternative to email when you just want to ask quick questions as opposed to trying to use email to have a \u201cback and forth\u201d online discussion. You can also have group chats, if you want to include others in the conversation. You can even send and receive documents using Skype. These are both great ways to avoid bogging down email inboxes!<\/p>\n