Last month, John Durso wrote Microsoft Is Shutting Down Skype, which is happening on May 5th. Millions of us have used Skype over the years, but now we need to find an alternative and there are plenty to choose from. But they don’t all have the ease of use and standout features that the latest version of Skype has. I always found Skype to be very simple to use, with a logical layout and a comprehensive settings configuration.
In Skype settings, you can test your video and audio, and even change the video background. Furthermore, the settings are easy to find, which for me is very important in any program. I also like the fact that Skype is a standalone program that you can download for your desktop, rather than running it through a browser. There are no time limits, it’s absolutely free of charge, and you can call landlines by buying credit. In my opinion, Microsoft is making a big mistake by shutting it down.
Microsoft Teams
MS Teams is an uninspiring mish-mash that looks like it was created by committee and is thrown into Microsoft 365 Copilot – another name created by subcommittee. To say it’s bland would be an understatement, especially when compared to Skype, which it will be replacing. The settings window doesn’t even give you a video preview so that you can check your webcam works, for example. To do that, you have to start a chat with yourself, no less. There are backgrounds, but again, you can only set those during a chat. Its only saving graces are that it’s a standalone program and simply functional. Nil points, as they say in France!
Google Meet
Another dull, yet functional video conferencing app, this time from Google. It does what it says on the tin, but this time it’s not a standalone program, but through your browser. At least the settings page gives you a tiny, and I mean tiny, video preview, so that you can check your hardware. Yes, you can change backgrounds, use emojis, captions, and effects.
I would definitely choose Google Meet over Teams only because its layout is more user-friendly and interesting.
Zoom
Zoom went viral during the pandemic and I can see why. It’s a feature-rich, standalone program which is easy to use and pleasant to navigate around. However, there is a 40-minute time limit for the free version (waived during the pandemic), so you need to restart a meeting at the end of the clock.
It has all the bells and whistles, including backgrounds and a myriad of other options. But the Pro version is pricey.
If you regularly use video conferencing, perhaps this is for you. But if you’re a casual user, like me, free is always better.
Viber
Oh dear! I only downloaded Viber for this article, and some moments later, uninstalled it. Any program that hits me with an optional program which I have to decline to install before installing the main program is always a no-no for me.
After declining their kind offer, I was then met with a QR code indicating that I would then need to install Viber on my phone. Why?
That’s when I gave up on the procedure, headed over to Google Play and read the reviews, which were bloody awful, so I uninstalled the program forever.
Conclusion
To be honest, I don’t use video calling very much and prefer to talk to others as I would with a conventional telephone, except perhaps with members of my family when we want to see video of grandchildren and other important scenarios. For that, I use WhatsApp exclusively, mainly because everyone I know uses it. I would only use Teams, Meet, or Zoom if the instigator of the call insisted on it. As for calling landlines, for which I used Skype to call UK institutions, we will still be able to do that through Skype Dial Pad.
What will you be using?
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