14 Ways to Make Skype Rock

Oh, Skype. We have you to thank for transforming thousands, of not hundreds of thousands, otherwise millions of people into cheapskates. I say that lovingly, for I, too, dream of a day when I can forever free myself from the confines of a monthly cell phone plan and run into the loving, warm embrace of no-monthly-cost, Skype-based chatting

Okay, so like as not that's a bit overdramatic. Nevertheless it would be silly to think that Skype hasn't radically transformed the way a lot of people go about their daily lives. As a matter of fact, some people do in actual fact subsist on this service, and this service alone, for all of their phone-based needs. And many more people use Skype to conduct business; to make podcasts; to call loved ones from afar, as is the case with Maximum PC dream date winner Magali and her French family.

In short, Skype is kind of a big deal. You know it, I know it, now the one thing that you likely don't know off the top of your head is all the different ways you can maximize your VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)-chatting experience through the use of third-party Skype add-ons, software tweaks, and more! That's what we'll be covering in this comprehensive tips guide: Making Skype awesome.

It seems obvious, now we'll get the most important tip out of the way up-front: Do not ignore Skype. Don't ignore the client afterwards you've just plunked down your credit card for the service's Skype Credits. And don't ignore emails that Skype sends you.

Skype isn't that complicated to use-until further notice, not near as complicated as your average soundboard or, like as not, even the Windows volume controls themselves. Nevertheless, it's worth your during to test out your call and microphone volumes previously you blow someone's ears out with a cacophony of sound.

And a side bonus: If you have more than one pair of speakers attached to your computer for whatever reason, you can use the "Ringing" drop-down menu to select where incoming Skype rings should play.

The Advanced menu in your options panel

Hit up the "Advanced" menu in your options panel and select the "Hotkeys" submenu. Clicking on the appropriate box to turn said hotkeys on will allow you to however answer calls, ignore calls, and hang up-amongst other tasks-by mashing a configurable combination of keys on your keyboard.

If you're decently familiar with Skype, at that time surely you've heard of Pamela-a paid-for application that allows you to record your Skype calls as easy as things are to click a button. If you're an interviewer, or just plain devious, it's one of the best solutions we've found for transforming a chit-chat into an editable MP3.

But it costs money. So, barring that, check out MP3 Skype Recorder instead. As the name implies, this free app allows you to record Skype calls of any length-either automatically or manually-and output said conversations as compressed MP3 files. Take that, spending money.