Skype for iPad: A great way to stay in touch for remote workers
A good way to stay in touch is through video calls, and Skype on the iPad has become my preferred method for doing so. When you think iPad, Skype is not the first app that comes to mind but perhaps it should be.
I video chat with colleagues and friends regularly most work days to keep in touch with the real world. I have done so using just about every method available, but until I settled on Skype on the iPad I found most falling short.
I like Facetime on iOS but many of my contacts don't use it, which is a killer for that method for video calls. Almost everybody I know uses Skype, so that's the best thing for me to use.
The current version of Skype works flawlessly on the iPad, and I find it a great way to make these regular video calls. For those times when IM is more appropriate Skype handles that. If my colleague doesn't want to turn on his/her video camera, Skype does voice calls, too.
I have been using Skype exclusively for IM, audio, and video calls for a few weeks, and it has yet to fail me. The audio quality on the iPad is superb, and Skype uses the iPad's front camera beautifully for video calls.
Using the iPad for these calls lets me have the conversation even while sitting at my desktop system. I can use Skype without interrupting other work, and no one is the wiser. I have yet for anybody to guess I was on the iPad, and all are surprised when I tell them. The call quality is simply terrific, with no headset required.
Staying in touch is important for remote workers, and Skype is the standard in the business world. Instead of cranking up Skype on your PC or Mac, give it a try on the iPad and you'll see why it is my preferred method for business conversations.
Special thanks to Stefan Etienne of Laptopmemo for permission to use the screen image of a recent Skype call.