So how are things in Big Horn, Grandma?
Back in the old days, you used to have to pick up the phone, call long distance, and
pay by the minute if you wanted to talk to Grandma in Wyoming.
I've got to go, Grandma.
You hang up.
No you hang up first!
Now, with Skype, you can call anyone in the world for free.
You can even talk to each other live over video.
All you need is a computer, and internet acess.
Hi, I'm Bronwen.
In this video, I'm going to show you how to set up your computer for Skype.
We'll also take a look at a couple different equipment options.
To get started, you'll need:
A computer or a laptop...
A high-speed internet connection, like cable or DSL…
Speakers and a microphone, or a separate headset…
And, finally, a webcam if you want to make video calls.
You might find these features already built into your computer.
It depends on the type of computer you have (for example, a laptop, PC, or Mac), and how
old it is.
Let's take a closer look.
Like most new laptops, this one has everything you need to make calls on Skype.
Some of the features might be hard to find at first, because they're designed to blend
in.
For example, we have a pair of speakers hidden under here… and this tiny little pinhole
is actually a powerful microphone.
This laptop also has a built-in webcam.
To find out if yours has one, look for a small dot above your screen or computer monitor.
It may have a lens cover like this one; or it may be flat, which will make it harder
to see.
If you don't have these features built into your computer, don't worry.
Now I'm going to show you how to attach a separate webcam, and a separate headset.
Many people on Skype prefer to use a separate headset when making calls, because you can
hear each other more clearly that way.
They’re also fairly inexpensive.
This headset attaches to your computer via USB.
So all you have to do is plug it in - and you can use it with Skype.
You should find at least two USB ports on your computer, wherever the internal components
are housed.
In this example, they're on the tower.
Now I'm going to set up my webcam.
It also attaches via USB, so I'm just going to plug it into the second port.
See how it works?
Place the webcam on top of the monitor, and make sure it's secure.
You'll also want to install any software that came with the webcam, if you haven't done
that already.
That about covers it.
Remember: you need a computer with internet access; speakers and a microphone, or a separate
headset; and a webcam if you want to make video calls.
Once your computer is set up, you can download Skype, create an account - and call anyone,
anywhere in the world, for free.