Skype and Windows Messenger

Microsoft's aquisition of Skype in October 2011 meant that Microsoft have been running two services along side each other which largely do the same thing: Skype and Messenger. Looking forward to April 2013 they will be merging these services into one brand, Skype. Skype have become a household name for video calling over the internet in much the same way that people refer to vacuum cleaners as a Hoover.

This was achieved by offering free video calling through an easy to use app which is available on  multiple platforms. A Mac user can call a Windows user and then the Windows user can phone another friend who's out and about with their smartphone.

Microsoft are encouraging you to merge your contacts into one Skype service. They are emailing customers with the following:

Starting April 8th, we will begin upgrading customers from Messenger to Skype. The process will take a few weeks to complete. April 8th is the first day you may be required to upgrade. This is a bit later than the March 15th date we previously mentioned to some of you as we wanted to give you more time to make the transition.

Having tried out the merging process I can report that it was surprisingly easy. Just download the latest version of Skype for your operating system. Log in using your Microsoft (MSN) account. Choose 'I already have a Skype account' and sign in with that account. Click 'Merge Accounts' and you are done.

All of your existing Messenger contacts are in a separate list and you can instant message them from within Skype itself. By linking your Facebook account too you can use Skype to contact Facebook friends using Facebook Messenger. Facebook is also cross-platform so they can be in a web browser on the Facebook website or using the various Facebook Messenger apps for iPhone, Android etc.

With the new version of Skype comes a slightly darker shade of blue for the logo which is simplified to reduce the 3D effect which it previously had. The simple bold logo fits more with Microsofts branding in Windows 8 and it's services such as Outlook.com.

Google+ Hangout's

Video calling has been around for a long time. Microsoft's MSN Messenger supported video calling from a long time ago, although during Messenger's hay day a lot of people still ran off dial-up internet connections. Skype has been around for many years, and even had the backing of internet auction giant eBay for a time. It has a large user base of people video calling across towns and even continents. The trouble for Skype is that people only seem to use their free video calling service, and aren't so keen to VoIP a call from their computer to a real phone, at real cost. Other video messaging services have their own users too, however most of these platforms focus on either one to one conversations, or small groups of around four participants.

Google+ is different and allows a load of people to join a 'hangout' (video call). They can then share there own webcam stream to everyone, share their screen, work on Google Doc's together. Even group watch a YouTube video. All the while sharing text with one another. A Google+ hangout is almost like being sat around the same table/computer monitor as your fellow participants.

There are video's demonstrated Google+ Hangout's in the Read More section.