33 responses to “Using technology to support social interaction: The case for Skype”

1. 

   John Gorbandt January 19th, 2010 at 08:48

   I personally have Skype on my computer and love it. I obtained it so that I could still interact with friends back home once I arrived at Purdue. I think that her idea to use it as a viewing party is pretty neat. The website is also a very good idea. Almost all of the women in my family watch soaps.

2. 

   Loïc Mazet January 19th, 2010 at 09:57

   As an international student, I’m using Skype to speak with my parents, my girlfriend and my friends. I think this idea of using Skype even for watching a soap with some friend is great. She could go further and create the same kind of web site for the men.

3. 

   Matt Kompara January 19th, 2010 at 10:19

   Ever since Skype or other real time video feed soctware have been used, there has been the opportunity to market their uses for a unique application such as job interviews or watching soap operas. Really these services require minimal additional features. It would not be difficult for the the user to achieve the same results with a free download of a basic program.

4. 

   Shawn Gearhart January 19th, 2010 at 10:54

   I agree with everyone that the concept of Skype is great. It offers another avenue to connect with others. I personally have used it to regularly keep in touch with a friend in Korea. Best part of it all is the free Skype to Skype service. I can defiantly see the huge benefit that international students gain from it.

5. 

   Dan Wyss January 19th, 2010 at 11:31

   This is a great idea. It is more than just another social networking type of idea. It shows the multiple uses that are available when using Skype.

6. 

   Misha' Gray January 19th, 2010 at 12:07

   I do not have Skype right now, yes I know I am a social “lame” as some would call. However, after reading how good Skype has been, I may have to join the bandwagon

7. 

   Jacob Higbee January 19th, 2010 at 12:12

   My friends and I do a similar thing when watching TV shows when we aren’t together. Using Skype allows us to interact and talk about whats going on without being together. The idea of using it in business is great and can generate many more social aspects with virtually no cost.

8. 

   Damon Ward January 19th, 2010 at 12:25

   I have never personally used skype. I’ve never really had the need or want to do so. However, I think it would be naive to say that I will never use skype or a similar application. Soon there will be reasons for myself and many others who have never “skyped” to use such applications almost daily. This is definitely a market that has an enormous amount of potential.

9. 

   Anthony Sikorski January 19th, 2010 at 13:28

   I am also someone who has never used Skype. I have used other programs that are similar to Skype and have found them to be very useful. I believe there is a huge market of people who have never used or heard of Skype that would be interested. I can see this being the future of communication or something similar to Skype.

10. 

    Andrew Barr January 19th, 2010 at 13:32

    Soaps? Aww not my thing. The idea of people getting together and discussing common interests is not a new idea, but she made a group geared towards her interest and people bit the bait. This just shows how we each have something to build on when generating new ideas to make money. Almost everyone has a hobby or is passionate about something. Jessica just took what she was interested in, targeted people who were also interested, and found a way to make money off it.

11. 

    Ravi Mody January 19th, 2010 at 13:58

    Soaps also are not my thing and if by chance I did watch an episode and wanted to comment about it to someone I would not know of anyone to do so with. This is a great website because I think fewer people are watching soaps these days so a website where you can go to discuss an episode with other fanatics like yourself is a great idea.

    I am on the other hand a big fan of skype. It is honestly changing the world. I remember watching a movie about a rich guy who I thought was so cool because he had a video phone, but now skype is just that and available to anyone! For FREE! It really is awesome and even my father who can’t seem to work the few buttons on the television remote uses skype.

12. 

    Alexandra Graves January 19th, 2010 at 14:14

    I have two sisters this semester that are studying abroad. Everyone in my sorority house has set up their own skype accounts so that we can talk with them on a daily basis. It’s a lot of fun and they plan on taking their computers to some different places in hopes to show us all the exciting things. I, personally, have only used skype once. I talked to a girl in Ohio about a boy she likes, she’s 11 so because I was dating her brother I had to keep all secret. He didn’t like that. But I do plan on using skype a lot this semester and I have enjoyed using it before.

13. 

    Douglas Booth January 19th, 2010 at 14:19

    I actually used this thought-process this spring when I graduated from high school. My grandmother had a stroke and we set up the video feed so she could watch it…the tech worked well and I think it is smart to extend the use of the programs we are blessed to have.

14. 

    David Hyman January 19th, 2010 at 14:26

    I believe Skype is such a fun and exciting thing to do with your friends. It is a great tool to talk to friends and family that are a far distance away, or even friends that are one block a way. This is better than a lot of other communication tools because it is as close as face to face contact as you can get, and with it being live, conversation seems so much easier and quicker!

15. 

    Kyle Rose January 19th, 2010 at 16:27

    I have heard of Skype, and I have friends who have used it to keep in touch with their families. However, I myself have never seen the need to use it. I currently live close enough to my family that I can just drive home whenever I need to, and if my friends want to watch the game together, we live close enough to do so. I realize that some aren’t so lucky, namely international students. I can see how they would find Skype useful. Until I move away further from my family and friends, I will have no use for Skype, however, I can see how it may become more and more important in the future when I move away from the people I care about.

16. 

    Kelly Plantz January 19th, 2010 at 16:44

    I personally do not use skype. However, I do use ichat which I love because I can chat with my friends and family who also own Macs. I think using a program, skype or another similar to it is convenient and cheap to communicate with people. I know friends who use it to communicate with loved ones who are over seas fighting. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to not be able to see someone however skype and ichat make it possible.

17. 

    Joseph Mecca January 19th, 2010 at 16:58

    Skype is great. I spend most of my summer in Italy, and it’s not always easy to talk to the family for cheap. Pay as you go phones cost me up around .70 euro/ minute. With Skype, calling my mom’s cell phone is only 2 cents (US dollars)/ minute.

18. 

    Amanda Edmondson January 19th, 2010 at 17:28

    I love this idea! 411 on Soaps is like the new version of a book club-except way more accessible because it’s on the internet. The website is humorous and eye catching. Even though I do not watch many soaps, I got a chuckle out of the content. I’m surprised we haven’t seen anything like this from the avid Twilight fans.

    As for Skype, what a lovely FREE invention. I will be using Skype a lot next year to keep in contact with friends and family because I will most likely be attending FIT in New York. Skype is great competition for phone companies. I wonder what AT&T, for example, will come up with in order to compete with Skype’s free service. It will definately be interesting to see what actions others take to catch up to Skype.

19. 

    Jaideep SIngh January 19th, 2010 at 17:37

    Im been using Skype for a long time now and its amazing how much it has evolved. Now you can share your computer screen, which is awesome. I hope the Skype guys open up the platform more so we can see more innovations like 411onSoaps.com

20. 

    Michael Tym January 19th, 2010 at 17:40

    I am probably a daily user of skype. I skype my buddy over in Spain who is a Marine and other friends from home that I don’t get to see alot. Ill also use it to talk to people who live right by me though, so this is a very useful program and it’s amazing that you can use it practically for free! I think it’s really cool that someone can take a program that everyone is already using for certain reasons, and add yet another reason to get it like watching soaps with other people. Really cool.

21. 

    Kyle Egbert January 19th, 2010 at 18:35

    I love skype. I use it to talk with my long distance girl friend while at school. I would love to see skype move into dedicated phones which could replace landlines in places like my parent’s home.

22. 

    Jeff Olen January 19th, 2010 at 19:14

    I personally have skype on my computer and I absolutely love it. My parents and I use it all the time just to talk and be able to see each other. It gives a strong sense of connection which is what I really like. The idea that she has is great. Since all of her friends are really into soaps this idea allows them all to watch them together and to enjoy the company of one another through a fantastic online experience. Another reason that skype is great is because if your from a different country, it allows students, workers, or family members from foreign areas to connect with no strings attached.

23. 

    Michael Evans January 19th, 2010 at 20:34

    I heard about Skype from a friend a month ago, and its the easiest way to stay in contact other than texting. My family and friends all have it, so I use it daily. It’s reliable so long as there’s not much else taking up bandwith. Overall, its dependable, incredibly easy to use (if my parents can figure it out, anyone can), and best of all, its completely free! This is one innovation I’ve really grown to love.

24. 

    Colby Beacham January 19th, 2010 at 20:41

    As others have mentioned Skype is a very widely used program throughout the world because of its ease of use and the fact that for the most part it is absolutely free to speak to other users of the program. These model will be interesting to follow as smartphones become more dominant. Their online capabilities along with skype seem to be a killer to the traditional minutes approach taken by all carriers. Using skype you will no longer need a voice plan as your unlimited data plan will work just as well to place calls.

25. 

    Stephanie Mellady January 19th, 2010 at 21:16

    I think Skype has become so popular because it is so user-friendly. Even my mom knows how to use it. I see it as being an integral part of the next decade and it being used in all sorts of businesses along with being a social tool. What I want to know is why Skype hasn’t teamed up with facebook to make facebook have a live video chat option. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened in the near future or if facebook makes their own version of Skype chatting.

26. 

    Casey Piquette January 19th, 2010 at 21:41

    I like how Skype can be used not only socially, but also professionally. I work for an international internship organization called AIESEC, and we use Skype to screen applicants for the positions we have in the US.

    Even when I worked abroad this summer in Latvia, my interview was all done on Skype. It is really cool that you can talk to someone halfway across the world for no money.

27. 

    Steve Maniago January 19th, 2010 at 22:46

    I agree with just about everyone in saying that Skype is an excellent tool for contacting people all around the world. I personally use it to talk to my friends from other colleges around Indiana. I think Skype could continue to grow and prosper in many new and innovative ways.

28. 

    Angeline Tran January 19th, 2010 at 23:06

    I have yet to use Skype. Instead i use gchat or iphone to communicate. I went to the website. It’s a unique idea, but the website is incredibly ugly.

29. 

    Molly Longest January 19th, 2010 at 23:10

    I think utilizing a popular networking system to create this site and company is a great idea. I also like that she turned a social gathering between her friends into something that now everyone around the world can access. Great idea!

30. 

    Andrew R. Huff January 20th, 2010 at 21:07

    I’ve found that Skype and technologies like it have many uses beyond simple personal communication. In the work place I have found Skype and other forms of instant messaging software extremely useful when communicating with co-workers. By today’s standards e-mail is a relatively slow form of communication especially when you need an answer immediately; instant messaging provides a great solution.

    Internet communication has evolved past simple voice and text. Modern technologies allow groups of individuals to collaborate remotely on a single document(file, project, etc) while video chatting.

    This technology has been extended to many markets. Advisors Insight (www.advisorsinsight.com) for example offers a web collaboration tool specifically developed for financial advisors. Their software gives finacial advisors the tools to advise their clients remotely without loosing any of the clarity of a face-to-face meeting.

31. 

    Josh Graves January 21st, 2010 at 01:47

    i have yet to use skype, but it seems like its a great idea. i think this qualifies as an entrepreneurial idea than the “south butt” jacket guy. this is a completely new concept that has the potential of exploding on the American public like an atomic bomb.

32. 

    Meiqi Zhao January 23rd, 2010 at 23:10

    The first time I know skype is when I came to study here. It is very cheap to call my family by skype. In China, we also have a similar software called QQ. The biggest difference is people can not use QQ to make a phone call. That’s why I choose to use skype in USA. I think entrepreneurs can combine any functions to increase their product competition force. That is why skpye is more popular than QQ.

33. 

    Blake Bronowicki January 24th, 2010 at 16:45

    First off, I think Skype is a great application to have over the computer. It provies the oppertunity to see the person you are talking to using a webcam. I have personally used Skype numerous times and for college students, it is a great way to keep in touch with friends even though it can get hard. You get everything you want with voice and also the idea of seeing the person you are talking to makes it that much more special to use it. I believe Skype was a great invention and I am glad that it is free of cost. It is a great way to communicate with people and I strongly recommend using it because it is free and it can also keep you in touch with the people that mean the most to you.