| Overview
If you've heard about Skype--and who hasn't with all the recent
media attention devoted to internet telephone services--chances are
you've been mighty tempted to try it out. Skype Hacks tells
you what all the Skype hype is about, explains the basics, and
shows you more than 100 clever tips and tricks for tweaking and
tuning Skype to make it do just what you want and more.
Millions of people (48 million and counting, in fact) have opted
for Skype, which uses peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to turn any PC,
Mac, or Pocket PC into a telephone. Skype offers free calls between
computers and extremely cheap calls to "old-fashioned" phone
numbers (landlines and mobile phones). The sound quality is
excellent, and end-to-end encryption means the connection is
private and secure. But if you really know what you're doing, Skype can accomplish a
whole lot more than that. Software developer and author Andrew
Sheppard recently converted his entire house to Skype and uses it
for all his personal and business calls, even when he's traveling.
In Skype Hacks, he shows you how to do things with the
technology that even the engineers at Skype probably never
intended. Skype Hacks shows you how to: Get started with Skype Figure out how much money you're saving and maximize your
savings Cut the ties to your old phone company Optimize your Skype configuration Integrate Skype with desktop tools like Microsoft Office and
your web browser Set up a Skype-based call center
The book offers ideas for creating and organizing a contacts
list, using Skype to transfer files, taking advantage of chat and
voicemail capabilities, turning a PDA into a mobile phone, and
automating Skype for even greater efficiency. So whether you'd
simply like to give Skype a trial run, you want new Skype ring
tones and fun on-hold music, or you're considering wiring your home
with Skype to get rid of "regular" phone service altogether,
Skype Hacks is your ideal guide.
Editorial ReviewsProduct DescriptionIf you've heard about Skype--and who hasn't with all the recent media attention devoted to internet telephone services--chances are you've been mighty tempted to try it out. Skype Hacks tells you what all the Skype hype is about, explains the basics, and shows you more than 100 clever tips and tricks for tweaking and tuning Skype to make it do just what you want and more. Millions of people (48 million and counting, in fact) have opted for Skype, which uses peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to turn any PC, Mac, or Pocket PC into a telephone. Skype offers free calls between computers and extremely cheap calls to "old-fashioned" phone numbers (landlines and mobile phones). The sound quality is excellent, and end-to-end encryption means the connection is private and secure. But if you really know what you're doing, Skype can accomplish a whole lot more than that. Software developer and author Andrew Sheppard recently converted his entire house to Skype and uses it for all his personal and business calls, even when he's traveling. In Skype Hacks, he shows you how to do things with the technology that even the engineers at Skype probably never intended. Skype Hacks shows you how to: - Get started with Skype
- Figure out how much money you're saving and maximize your savings
- Cut the ties to your old phone company
- Optimize your Skype configuration
- Integrate Skype with desktop tools like Microsoft Office and your web browser
- Set up a Skype-based call center
The book offers ideas for creating and organizing a contacts list, using Skype to transfer files, taking advantage of chat and voicemail capabilities, turning a PDA into a mobile phone, and automating Skype for even greater efficiency. So whether you'd simply like to give Skype a trial run, you want new Skype ring tones and fun on-hold music, or you're considering wiring your home with Skype to get rid of "regular" phone service altogether, Skype Hacks is your ideal guide. |
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Reader Reviews From Amazon (Ranked by 'Helpfulness') Average Customer Rating: based on 7 reviews. Save your money for more SkypeOut minutes, 2006-09-05 Reviewer rating: A generally well-written book, but offers few nifty insights to save more money or get more service. Look, download Skype and start using it; if you want to go beyond what's obvious from simple use, google will have what few insights are out there; no book will offer a wealth of tips because Skype isn't that kind of produce/service. Secret commands or "hacks" just don't exist for Skype.
And why does the author put that bizzare tip on how to physically cut your phone lines??
The one thing I really wanted to have more info on--how to integrate Skype long distance into your existing home phones with Skype's products under Shop->Accessories--the book barely mentioned as Option 1 of several. Very little help. | VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!, 2006-08-19 Reviewer rating: Are you a novice or a hardcore Skyper who wants to play with Skype's innards? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Andrew Sheppard, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that shows you how to save money by using Skype; and, how to remove boundaries imposed by having lived within the confines of your regular phone system for so long, a system that has been in stasis for decades--dumb, lifeless, and unmoving.
Sheppard, begins by explaining what Skype is and how it works, and introduces Skype's main features. Then, the author focuses on the economics of Skype and the ways of figuring potential savings. Next, he focuses on Skype configuration, by showing you how to improve performance, and customize Skype to meet your individual needs. The author then shows you how to improve and enhance your communication while on the move. He continues by showing you the fun and playful side of Skype. Then, the author shows you how to hack around with Skype's other major features; namely, instant messaging or chat, and voicemail. Next, he shows you how to have the visibility you require within the Skype community, and how you can be secure against some of the more common risks encountered by Skype users. The author continues by showing you how to deal with Skype limitations. Then, the author gives you a glimpse of Skype add-on products and tools that are currently available, and a sense of what is yet to come. Finally, he introduces you to the Skype API and how you can extend Skype's functionality and automate repetitive tasks using scripting methods: VBScript on Windows, Python on Linux, and AppleScript on Mac OS X.
This most excellent book aims to liberate your imagination and show, in a practical hands-on way, how Skype can do amazing new things--sometimes things that even its creators never envisioned. More importantly, this book shows you how to make Skype work for you. | A range of new possibilities for those tired of the confusion of internet telephony options, 2006-06-04 Reviewer rating: Andrew Sheppard's Skype Hacks: Tips & Tools For Cheap, Fun, Innovative Phone Service tells how to make the Internet telephony Skype application work well. Haven't heard of Skype? It brings a range of new possibilities for those tired of the confusion of internet telephony options, and Skype Hacks covers all the basics; from how to set up a Skype server and put shortcuts on the computer to avoiding Skype problems and spammers. The program may be newer but the idea of money-saving internet telephony just went up a notch with the ease Skype Hacks Offers. | Download the program, get this book, enjoy quality VOIP at home, 2006-04-20 Reviewer rating: Skype is one of the most popular VOIP applications for the individual user and small office on the market today. If you have already installed it or are considering installing it then you will want this book so you can configure it to work the way you want it to work and head off any problems before they occur. The first thing I have to say about Skype is that it is so user friendly that many of the hacks in this book are unnecessary. It is easy enough to figure out how to make conference calls, transfer calls, forward calls and do various other common tasks. On the other hand, there are a lot of useful tips including how to claim your money back if something goes wrong, avoiding additional mobile phone charges, building a Skype server, working with routers, using Skype at work, working with privacy issues, and add-on products. Because Skype is a peer-to-peer network service it is very important to understand the privacy and security issues and the author does a great job of both explaining them as well as how to work with them. Skype Hacks is highly recommended for advanced computer users or anyone responsible for administering Skype in a business environment. | The first book you should get after downloading Skype..., 2006-01-31 Reviewer rating: Given that I have a number of international colleagues, you'd think that Skype would be a must-have piece of software for me. But I downloaded it during the initial beta and it never really gained traction on my radar screen. All that may now change after reading Skype Hacks - Tips & Tools for Cheap, Fun, Innovative Phone Service by Andrew Sheppard.
Contents: Start Using Skype; Save Money with Skype; Configure Skype; Tweak and Tune Skype; Skype at Work; Mobile Skype; Skype Fun and Play; Skype Chat and Voicemail; Security and Privacy; Quirks, Gotchas, and Workarounds; Skype Add-Ons and Tools; Automate Skype; Index
Skype has become the path of least resistance for people starting to explore Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, because its easy and free. When I first downloaded Skype during the beta period, it seemed like an interesting concept. But I found that most of the people I'd want to talk with weren't on Skype. Now it's changed, and I think I'll be running Skype on a regular basis. Skype Hacks takes a pretty comprehensive tour through the software and covers 100 "hacks" (tips and tricks) you can do to get the most out of the software. For some, the first couple of chapters will be more than enough... how to get started on Skype, how to set the software up, and how you can use Skype to replace your regular phone (or at least reduce your monthly bills). But if you're already past that point, the rest of the chapters will allow you to venture into areas you may not have known about. For instance, the Automate Skype chapter shows a number of scripts you can use to interact with Skype programmatically. Great if you want to have an agent send you a chat message when something is completed. Or take the Skype Add-Ons chapter... There's a website called skyperunner.com that allows you to send a chat message to a Skype user without having to be logged on to the service. Great if you want to send a message to someone in an asynchronous fashion. And using Skype to practice your foreign language skills with willing Skype users around the world was something that never occurred to me...
So, if you've downloaded Skype and used the basic functionality, great. A copy of this book will take you to the next step and open up some interesting possibilities... |
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