Each year I host a virtual work-at-home expo that includes interviews with experts on home business and other work-at-home related topics. Until recently I was having to lug out an old laptop (because I can’t my new one to do what I need it to do) and hook up my phone to its recorder through my little Radio Shack device. Using Windows Movie Maker to capture the recording, I’d then need to convert it from WMV to MP3, transfer it to my new machine and edit. Then I discovered Skype and Pamela for Skype.
Skype allows me to call via my computer to anyone anywhere. Its free to other Skype users and just a few cents a minutes to call landlines. Normally I’d still use my phone (with unliminted calling) but with Pamela, I can cut down on the actions required to get my recording ready for upload. Pamela records the Skype call and automatically saves it as an MP3. All I need to do once the call is over is edit and upload. No converting or transferring. No extra devises…just my headset and computer.
Pamela features include:
Skype Call Recording
Skype Video Recording
Skype Chat Recording
Skype Call Transfer
Rich Mood Editor
Answering Machine
VideoMail
Mega Emotion Sounds
Auto Chat Reply
Birthday Reminders
Email Forwarding
Contact Personalization
Auto Start Applications
Skype Publishing
And more.
Pamela has a free version with a time limit of 15 minutes of recording and a few other limitations. It also has standard, professional and business versions for a fee. I opted for the Professional version which has a 30 day trial and is $29.95 if you want to keep it. It includes unlimited recording and all the other features such as blogging and podcasting.
One of our favorite activities on Christmas Eve is to watch NORAD’s tracking of Santa on his worldwide trip. NORAD has been tracking Santa for over 50 years.
“The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations “hotline.” The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.”
As of this writing, he’s in Japan. By the time he gets to Nova Scotia, its time for my kids to get to bed because we know that Santa won’t come if the they are awake. Visit NoradSanta.org to watch Santa’s trip by video and/or Google Earth, learn about Santa and NORAD, and find fund activities.
Here’s a clip of Santa’s departure this morning.
Phone service has changed a lot over the last few years. Unlimited long-distance calling for one fee made a huge impact on my business. I went from paying over $100 a month just in long distance to one low fee ($25). But now things have gotten even better. I can call anyone, anywhere in the world for free using Skype.
Skype has been around for awhile, but I hadn’t really seen the value in it. No one I knew had Skype so it didn’t seem worth it to figure it out. But recently I’ve noticed more and more podcasters and small business owners had Skype so I wanted to learn the advantages.
The biggest advantage is that its free. Its free to download and its free to call others who also have Skype. For the business crowd, Skype offers conference and video calls, mobile Skype and instant messaging. Through Skype applications you can have a virtual receptionist and even record your calls (which is great for podcasts!).
But Skype isn’t limited to internet calling. You can call landlines and cell phone for a fee. The cost is extremely affordable using Skype Credit in a pay-as-you go manner or through a subscription. SkypeOut calls are about 2.1 cents per minute or for $3.00 a month you can have unlimited calls throughout the United Stats and Canada ($10 worldwide). For about $60 a year you can get a SkypeIn number whereby people can call you from landlines or cell phones.
Skype is very easy to use. In fact, the program walks you through a test call to make sure its working correctly.
I’m not sure Skype will replace other services the way cell phones are replacing landlines, but there’s no doubt that there is a place for Internet calling especially when its so affordable.
