Skype is down! [at the moment] What’s a global girl to do? If you rely on Skype the way we do at The Next Web you’re probably feeling a bit uncommunicative right now. At least you’re not alone. To the 560 million registered Skype users, here are a few great Skype alternatives to keep you connected.
iChat
If you have a Mac, iChat is a great option. Included with Mac OS X, iChat is an instant messaging application that works with your AIM or MobileMe account that makes it easy to stay in touch with friends and family using text and video. The service offers excellent voice quality, razor-sharp videoconferencing with three others or audioconferencing with nine. It’s also less of a bandwidth hog than Skype.
ooVoo
To use ooVoo, all you need is broadband internet access and a computer with a webcam and microphone. The service is free for video chats with up to 6 people at once. ooVoo easily imports your contacts from your IM services, social networks and email address book. It allows you to record and send video messages and audio and video calls. You can chat in full screen mode and text, chat and share files instantly while on a call. Even if the people you want to call don’t have ooVoo, you can have a free browser-based online vchat with them by sending a “Web Video Call link”.
Google Voice
Google Voice calling in Gmail launched back in August, as a free service to make calls to the U.S. and Canada. It’s a dead simple way to make calls during the work day. It’s better than Skype to make local calls because first it’s free and second, your number will show up as your Google Voice number instead of a randomly generated number (like 000000000) from Skype. (Skype still has the international advantage as texts and calls to international numbers fail on Google Voice.) As a holiday gift from Google the service will remain free for all of 2011. Google Voice also recently became available on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Check out our review of the Google Voice iPhone app here.
Even Santa has a Google Voice number. Check out this video on how to get your own Google Voice number here.
Tinychat
Tinychat provides a dead simple, free to use, video chat rooms. Users can share up to twelve broadcasts simultaneously with text, video and audio chat anywhere in the world. The service works as a browser-based video chat room where you can broadcast from your camera and microphone to anyone who joins your chat room, and there’s no need to install anything.
Facetime
Facetime for Mac is not just for the iPhone 4 and iPod touch anymore. Now you can make video calls to iPhone 4, the new iPod touch, or another Mac right from your Mac over WiFi. Facetime delivers a massive video-calling experience, literally, the window frame and controls fade away so you can enjoy your conversation with a lifesize head. The app also offers picture-in-picture view like Skype, so you can see how you look to the person you’re calling. To find out how to use it on your iPhone 3Gs, read here.
wow, I think you guys missed one of the biggest IM clients which has even had video/voice functions years before Skype came along…. Windows Messenger, or Live Messenger as it is today..
Can’t understand why people always ignore this great IM. And nowdays it is even better, with Facebook integrated really nicely, a new web-based app for mobiles, iPhone/Android app and so on….
And hey, doesn’t everyone have a messenger account laying around somewhere, if it might be dusty for some ;)
@Mikko Lauhakari oh does it have voice/video?
@Mikko Lauhakari if it does it should definitely be up there, you’re right
@Mikko Lauhakari Hey you’re right… I’ve had a habit of just avoiding all things Microsoft for years now – didn’t even think of it. But does it let a person reach a land line? Skype and Google do and is main reason I use them, not really caring about the video aspect at all, just a replacement for traditional phones!
@Cheryl Binstock nooo =( no landlines.. that I know of.. Honestly, have hardly ever used it for video =P just good old regular chatting!
But it’s so often forgotten, which is a shame cuz it really is a good IM…
And heeyy, now that we’re on the subject of gold old IM’s… What about ICQ! Now there’s a dusty username/number ;) But it too has video I think =P Though I doubt it does landlines…..
what about facebook messaging? the “gmail killer,” remember? kidding aside, it is pretty easy to use and works across multiple devices. just a thought…
@Jeff Cormier but there’s no video feature?
@Courtney Boyd Myers oh, wasn’t sure we were limited to only services with video. nevermind then. as a video chat disliker, i will allow those who do to post comments as i am ill-equipped to speak on this subject. :)
@Jeff Cormier @Courtney Boyd Myers well voice is enough – does it have voice?
@Zee @Jeff Cormier @Courtney Boyd Myers I’m sure Facebook is working hard on their video/voice chat features. They can be the serious social app once they get that ball rolling. And of course with old rumors of a Facebook phone, I’m sure it’s in the works.
@Zee @Courtney Boyd Myers sheesh. no. talk about a grilling. :) try this though. works well. used it in a pinch. http://www.tokbox.com/
@Jeff Cormier @Courtney Boyd Myers oh i knew you’d think i was being sarcastic :) i honestly wasn’t :) And TokBox, yes! That’s the one i was thinking
@Zee @Courtney Boyd Myers grand. TokBox is pretty simple method that works well. not much of a voice or video person, voice sounds like Kermit the Frog, face resembles Rocky Dennis from “Mask,” so text it is for yours truly. :)
@Jeff Cormier @Zee @Courtney Boyd Myers I think Digsby uses TokBox, for video too…
i’ve got a few that need to be on this list: Fring, which just added a “fring-out” feature that lets you call land-lines if i’m not mistaken, Viber which is now out & provides free unlimited 100% VOIP calls. Tango is another alternative that is a video call app. these last 2 are app to app, but so is Vonage Facebook that was on this list, so i figured they are in the same ballfield. :)
Also noticed you left out Windows Live Messenger. Very good video capabilities yet no mention. My guess is that was intentional as well.
Hey,
Your alternatives are not all the best, or you are just missing some :)
I did a quick search on Google.com and found out about http://www.FaceFlow.com on first page, I looked at it and it’s pretty darn interesting video video calls and even free group video chatting.
Hey, Your alternatives are not all the best, or you are just missing some :) I did a quick search on Google.com and found out about http://www.FaceFlow.com on first page, I looked at it and it’s pretty darn interesting for video calls and group video chatting, for free. No download required either, it uses flash player.
The main problem is that there is no good integration between these products. Why aren’t they using some standard so one person can use Skype and the other Google Talk and still talk to each other ? There are few standards in the industry but most softphone vendors insists on using proprietary technoloy. A good example on products that works purely with standards and are not related to any specific vendor are the products of SoliCall (http://www.solicall.com). For example, SoliCall Pro works with ALL softphones to improve audio quality and record the calls.
Line2 is the best alternative for Apple iOS devices. It offers a real phone number with features like call waiting and conferencing and unlimited SMS texting.
Another way to replace skype is by using a site called http://www.camupchat.com . It has has better video quality, you can view and hear up to 4 users, make private rooms, lock your webcam, and send private messages. I am not affiliated with the website but I have been there a few times. My wife and I used the site to open Christmas presents with my father who lives in main. It was pretty cool.
+1 for http://www.faceflow.com … their video call / group video call features are dead simple and great… You can simply share an URL to a friend to start a video call.
Oh, and by the way, please change your text, OOvOO is NOT free for video chat with up to 6 people. OOvOO is bad :) …
Check out LuciTalk-MP at http://www.lucivid.com which provides 10-way multi-user and HD point-to-point video chat.
http://www.icanhazchat.com is a -great- website for private or group conversations with friends. It can support up to 15 cams in a room :) I’ve been using it for nearly a year to keep in touch with friends!
for gods sake where is the +1 button on this page.
This ooVoo alternative sounds exactly like Skype. You can practically do what you can do in Skype.
Google Voice sounds pretty good, though. It will be very useful to people who need to call abroad often. <a href=”http://www.cheapestinternationalcalls.com/call/pakistan”>International calls</a> are pretty expensive nowadays, so this new feature of Gmail is more than welcome.