Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Giveaway & Review: Skype Headset and Subscription Voucher! (Closed!)

Ever wished you could save money on your phone bill? Are you looking for a way to cut your cell phone bill? Check out Skype, a whole new way to communicate! With Skype you can talk, chat and video call anywhere in the world for free* through your internet connection!

You can also send a text message directly from Skype; forward a call to your cell phone; or set up an online number that friends and family can use to make a local call from their old-fashioned phone to your Skype, wherever in the world you are.

I first witnessed someone using Skype while DH and I were on our honeymoon. Here were were in Costa Rica, in a reasonably remote area, and a woman sitting next to us on the beach dialed up her father in Canada and started chatting away through a headset that is hooked into her computer. Say what?! At our resort pay phones were hard to come by, but there was wireless and computer access points all over. Though at the time I didn't quite understand it, I was intrigued by the idea.

Needless to say, I was really excited when Skype contacted me and offered to let me try out one of their headsets and webcams! Though it took me a few minutes to set up and get going, the program was pretty straight forward. The calls sound just as good if not better than if I was calling from my cell phone! I also was able to receive a call from a friend in Denmark and I was blown away by how good the connection was! DH and I are so impressed, we are seriously contemplating buying a regular Skype phone to use as a home phone. We figure that we can lower our cell phone plans and use Skype whenever we're home!

The headset was small and convenient and no bigger than a typical pair of ear buds. At first this made me slightly skeptical that something so small could act as both a microphone and a receiver, but I was pleasantly surprised!

The webcam is about the size of a bluetooth piece and can either clip onto your computer or sit on a stand on your work station. My nephew was over visiting during one of my calls and he enjoyed dancing around and waving to the camera. This would be a wonderful way to stay in touch with someone overseas, and for me personally, for my husband and I to keep in touch with his parents in Florida. It's very nice to be able to add the visual element to the call! Overall, I was very impressed with Skype - and I'm looking forward to talking with more family and friends with it! Don't want to always be on camera? The program has a 'hide' feature as well as a few fun video distortions. Oh and p.s., check out my 'wee mee' avatar at right! ;)

Want to enter to win a Skype headset & subscription voucher? (Open to U.S. Residents only)
1. Leave a comment with your:
* name,
* email/blog contact
* Tell me what interests you most about Skype! (and/or who you might call!)

Want more chances to win? For extra entries you may:
1. Go to the Skype web site and tell me one thing you have learned.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email or feedburner (top right hand corner of this site) (=2 entries if you are a new subscriber!)
3. Link to this giveaway from your blog or website (= 2 extra entries!)
4. Add my button to your blog or web site (see right side bar)
5. Twitter about it! (Feel free to copy/paste: Frugal and Fabulous is giving away a Skype Headset and Voucher! Go here to enter: http://tinyurl.com/afrcao )

(Please leave a comment for each additional entry!)

You have until Thursday, June 4, 2009 at 7pm EST to enter!

(*Calls are free from one Skype account to another and it's free to join!) And to call any number in the U.S. & Canada., it's only $2.95 a month with unlimited calls! View more subscription options here!

***The only thing that Skype can't do is make emergency calls - so it's not something you'd want to totally replace your phone with.

65 gave me some sugar:

Shelly said...

Shelly
roxanne600 at aol dot com.
http://www.adventuresofabreastfeedingmother.com

I love the idea of clarity and the low prices!

I also subscribe to your blog.

maya said...

I went the website, I'm not sure what I learned :)! We use skype a little already, so I tried to learn about moblie phone use but don't understand it! WE have used it to call(and see) my husband's sister when she was in living in France and also to call friends in Brazil.

maya said...

I subscribe by email

Unknown said...

I love skype! I use the free version online to call my parents who live in Ukraine. We have also thought about using it instead of our home phone. One of the things I like the most about it is that you can do conference calls so easily.

Bethany Morford
morfordmail@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I have your button.

Anonymous said...

nathanielcswife@yahoo.com

I would love this. My family is long distance & they have skype but we do not. It would be great to be able to talk to them for cheaper. :)

Also, I am already subscribed by email, but I am not sure if that counts...

Thanks!

Ryan, Corrie, Max, and Jack said...

We actually already have Skype and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It has made life SO much easier for us! We love being able to chat easier with people and the clarity of the phone calls! I'm looking forward to the call forwarding feature when we have a cell phone! And yes, even though we have Skype, we don't have a working headset and we can always use vouchers!

Corrie
mrandmrsryankolbe @ gmail.com

Queen said...

you know you don't need to buy a phone for skype, right? we have several friends that use it (and only it) as their phone, the $2.95/month plan. just the headset works fine. it was great while our friends were in africa for the peace corps, we could still talk :)

Lisa said...

I'd love to try this!

Lisa
lisamcbride@gmail.com
http://revivingthefwords.blogspot.com

I'm also a subscriber.

Anonymous said...

I can use it while in Africa

michelle
luckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net

Anonymous said...

Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary telephone and can't be used for emergency calling.

michelle
luckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net

Anonymous said...

Email subscriber

michelle
luckydolls123[at]verizon[dot]net

Craft Tea Lady said...

I have used skype and Yahoo for free computer to computer calling in the past, but for some reason we don't any more. I guess that has to do w/ the mic not working. Hmmm... you have me thinking now.

I love the idea because for the past 3.5 months my man is living away (due to relocation and work) and the internet is the only way we can communicate often (due to bad cell service).

Thanks for the chance.

CraftTeaLady AT yahoo DOT com
www.xanga.com/crafttealady

Unknown said...

Amy p
amsbolda@hotmail.com
www.tjandamypugmire.blogspot.com

I can see my family in Utah who i never get to see. my dad would love to see his grandaughter.

Unknown said...

I subscribe by email. amsbolda@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

I have your button. amsbolda@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

http://twitter.com/1amypugmire/status/1941674679. amsbolda@hotmail.com

G said...

Brandy at bayjenn(at)verizon(dot)com http://brandysbargains.blogspot.com

I would love to win this! I have family all over the US, and it would be great to lower my phone bill!

G said...

I have your button!

one6ylady said...

* Donna H.
* one6ylady(at)aol(dot)com
* My mother is from Canada and half my family still lives up there so it's very expensive for me to stay in touch with them. I'm also a military brat, so many of my friends and other family members live all over the USA and the world, so this would be a great way to keep in touch with them and not break the bank.

one6ylady said...

Adding friends and family to your contact list is simple – search, select, add.

Sounds so simple.

one6ylady said...

I subscribe via email and reader

one6ylady said...

I tweeted the giveaway here http://twitter.com/one6ylady/status/1944050782

ElizabethM said...

They have very good long distance rates! Excellent sound quality too!

Lauren said...

I love that my parents would be able to see my kids when we talked!
nscandurro(at)cox(dot)net

Lauren said...

I'm an email subscriber
nscandurro(at)cox(dot)net

Lauren said...

I learned that Skype can work on a PSP!
nscandurro(at)cox(dot)net

News Around The Blogs said...

Jess
Newsaroundtheblogs at live dot com
newsaroundtheblogs.blogspot.com

I would love my little one to chat with her grandparents so they don't miss out on how fast she's growing. I love that you can talk to anyone anywhere, and they have great prices

Lici said...

I blogged about you at
http://domoreforless.blogspot.com/2009/05/chekc-out-this-drawing-for-free-skype.html aliciagoolsby at yahoo dot com.

Lici said...

I would like to use skype to lower my bills and call whoever I want whenever! aliciagoolsby at yahoo dot com.

Cindy said...

Cindy
themommaven@gmail.com
http://themommaven.com
I would love to be able to use this to talk with family members around the US and missionary friends around the world.

Cindy said...

I tweeted http://twitter.com/MomMaven/status/1974599740

Cindy said...

I visited Skype's website and learned that skype does not support fax service or 911 service

Cindy said...

I am a new subscriber via google reader

Cindy said...

I am a new subscriber via google reader

valerie2350 said...

valerie

sweeps4bloggers at gmail dot com

i have friends who use skype - this would be lots of fun to talk to them!

valerie2350 said...

Great call quality
Get superior sound quality with a headset. Many models to choose from.

valerie2350 said...

subscribe

valerie2350 said...

1
http://sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com/2009/05/frugalfabulous-skype-giveaway-6409.html

valerie2350 said...

2
http://sweeps4bloggers.blogspot.com/2009/05/frugalfabulous-skype-giveaway-6409.html

valerie2350 said...

http://twitter.com/valerie2350/status/1977051585

wendy wallach said...

Hi, I am Wendy from www.madamerkf.blogspot.com

I am most interested in Skype because it is free and free is always good. I would call my friend Lisa in South Dakota.

madamerkf at aol dot com

Secret Burkheiser said...

I love the low prices. All of my family lives far away.

Thanks,
Secret

secretl@cox.net

colton said...

i like that you can call for cheep and it don't cost to talk to other that have skype

ecky said...

ecky
elkesten at yahoo dot com

i love the fact that it is cheap and so much fun! we use skype to call my mom and dad and they get to SEE their granddaughter! it is awesome. if i won i would give this to my sister so she could join in the fun!

andrew said...

My name is rebecca and I love the fact that grandparents can keep up to date with what their grandkids look like! My Father-in-law is deaf, so we can sign with Skype!

gitrecca at gmail dot com

rebecca said...

I learned that you can forward to other phones when you're off line!

gitrecca at gmail dot com

rebecca said...

I just added you to my google reader!

gitrecca at gmail dot com

rebecca said...

I am a new subscriber!

gitrecca at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I'd love to be able to use this with my mom!

savethemasses@hotmail.com

Darcy said...

Darcy
andthen at me dot com
I would love for my kids to use with their grandparents.

tina reynolds said...

it most interests me the thought have saving money and having more time to talk to the ones i love

Nelsby said...

Thanks so much for the generous giveaway...I would be SO thrilled to win! I love that you can set up an online phone number with Skype. I've heard of it and have really wanted to try it out for quite awhile.
sierranelsby (at) gmail (dot) com

Nelsby said...

On the Skype website, I learned that you do NOT need to sign a contract. They use Skype Credit for a pay-as-you-go option.
Thanks!
sierranelsby (at) gmail (dot) com

Nelsby said...

I am a new email subscriber.
Thanks!
sierranelsby (at) gmail (dot) com

Nelsby said...

#2...I am a new email subscriber.
Thanks!
sierranelsby (at) gmail (dot) com

Nelsby said...

I Tweeted about this giveaway: http://twitter.com/Nelsby/status/2021676387
Thanks!
sierranelsby (at) gmail (dot) com

Mir said...

Mir
eleventyteen[at]gmail.com

I have friends who are now living overseas and I'd love to be able to call them for less. (We'd talk on the phone more often!)

Mir said...

From the website, I learned that Skype works on cell phones and even PSP (which was a surprise to me).

Mir said...

I'm a new email subcriber. - Entry #1

Mir said...

I'm a new email subcriber. - Entry #2

Frances said...

What an excellent giveaway! Hubby and I could use it to talk to daughter and grandson in California. And our son and grandson, that though they haven't moved out of state, are still long distance.

I had been considering Skype. Thanks for the great review!

fperkins2000 at yahoo dot com

gloria said...

Thanks for the info. I have been considering Skype for a while. I did not know that it was so simple to use. What impressed me the most is the low cost and clarity.
I subscribe to your blog.
Gloria
gwrenn@juno.com

News Around The Blogs said...

Blogged 1

http://newsaroundtheblogs.blogspot.com/2009/06/skype-giveaway.html

News Around The Blogs said...

blogged 2

http://newsaroundtheblogs.blogspot.com/2009/06/skype-giveaway.html