I’m preparing to listen to an open forum with Jack Canfield. It’s called “Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Class.

I’m going to dial-in using Skype. Because of timezone differences, I’ll be up at 1am to listen. I want to record the call for future listening, while driving for example.

Thus began my search for ways to record a Skype call.

I started with the built-in Sound recorder of Windows XP (Start > Programs > Accessories > Entertainment > Sound Recorder). Limitation: 1 minute recording. Have to click it again and again if I were to record a 1 hour call.

One of my search results was a YouTube video from a … 13 year old kid who calls himself KidGuru (www.adrianstech.com). (How to Record a Skype Call – by Kidguru on YouTube) Although I didn’t find my answer there, it was interesting finding such a young man who knows so much about technology. He is indeed a guru. Very eloquent, highly technical and very intelligent. Spent some time viewing some of his Videos. Galing!

Still through search, I found a good reference through Digital Inspiration. (How to Record Skype Conversations: Tools, Resources, Tips – by Digital Inspiration) . His list of resources is useful. But it’s easy for me to narrow-down to my needs: I’m looking for the FREE solution. The only one I found on Digital Inspiration’s list was PrettyMay

PrettyMay

I went and downloaded PrettyMay. (PrettyMay Call Recorder for Skype) I run the application, it rebooted Skype automatically. It looks rather easy and seamless recording calls on skype through PrettyMay. But I was stuck with “Searching for Skype”. You see, PrettyMay gets access to Skype and that’s how it’s able to record seamlessly with Skype. Unfortunately, I have a corporate version of Skype and some functions are disabled. i won’t be able to use PrettyMay. Sayang, it looks very cool pa naman. And I think it would have removed any ambient noise around my laptop’s mic.

Audacity

Search goes on. And I find it in my laptop afterall! Audacity! I used audacity many months back when i dabbled with some podcasts. I tried recording on a skype call on my laptop using audacity. IT works for me! It’s not crisp and clear. Audacity picks up the crickets chirping outside my window. But hey, the voice is clear. This will do well for me for now.

Resources:

• How to Record Skype Conversations: Tools, Resources, Tips – by Digital Inspiration
• PrettyMay Call Recorder for Skype
• How to Record a Skype Call – by Kidguru on YouTube
  
• Audacity

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getting ready to ask jack

I picked up an old new clipping about while clearing out our home during the holidays. It’s about “Vocal (more than just VOIP) – a service by Pacific Internet. The print advertisement says …

Expand your business and have the power to call anywhere in the world. Plus … have business presence in 400 cities in 39 countries worldwide. have a virtual office in Singapore, Tokyo and New York, or in any major city you choose. With our vocal World Numbers, your customers, suppliers and even your relatives abroad can call your Singapore, Tokyo and New York “local numbers,” while you take their calls right here in the Philippines – at no additional cost!

Hmmm…. this could come in handy when I grow into a global company .

Contact Vocal:

• Hotline: 918-5200
• Cebu: 032-2542542 or 032-4158003
• Toll free hotlines: 1-800-1-888-1866 (PLDT)
• 1-800-3-888-8888 (Digitel)
• www.callvocal.com

The callvocal.com url, when I visited it today, displays the Pacific Internet corporate website, though. Looks like Pacific Internet is the Philippine partner of an International carrier-grade VoIP service by Pacnet.

Whew! I found a clipping of the launch. I wonder why I haven’t been hearing much about Vocal. Pacific Internet doesn’t seem to be very vocal about the service.

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bokal

At least that’s what my mom looked like when she made a Skype telebabad call to her old classmate in the US.We used an Airborne Access WiFi hotspot at Filling Station in John Hay, Baguio (P100/hour pre-paid card). We dialed the US number via Skype. It was a free Skype call and I didn’t need any SkypOut credits. Cool huh? I figured out a way to get a US IP address – it’s a secret.

The next day, we used the Airborne Access hotspot at Figaro in SM. It was my dad’s turn to call his classmate in the US.

That was my little telebabad phone call treat for my cool parents in cool Baguio, right after bagyong Milenyo.

(Read J Angelo’s tip on using Skype + iPig to call the US/Canada for FREE!)

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simutin ang weekend!

My Google Talk has been gathering dust. I haven’t been using it for quite some time.

A few nights ago, I had a short chat with good ole’ friend Chris (http://chrislagman.com/blog/) via Google Talk. Chris has a DSL connection at home, I have Smart WiFi. Our VOIP call had good audio quality, crisp and clear audio both ways. No discernable delays in the audio. Sweet.

While I was on Google Talk, I decided to try out the SMS via Google Talk trick.

simply add a new contact on your Googletalk client, using the format 6391xxxxxxxx@chikkatalk.com.

It works. I sent messages from my Google Talk account to my cellphone.

One question was whether we can reply from cellphone to Google Talk. I tried. Didn’t work.

Another question was whether we can send unlimited txts via Googletalk (similar to sending unlimited SMS via Chikka). Answer: Nope.
After sending my first 5 messages, Google Talk couldn’t send the subsequent ones anymore. Then I got a Chikka “anti-spam” message on my cellphone saying I need to reply to receive subsequent messages.

I tried the work-around for anti-spam (remove buddy, then re-add buddy to Google Talk). It didn’t work. I guess the trick works only for the real Chikka client.

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Nano nano…

Here’s a way for jetsetters to phone home while travelling: G-webcall.com

It’s a service of Globe that let’s Globe post-paid subscribers place Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calls from their computer to any TM or Globe phone anywhere in the world.

For travellers using Globe post-paid, they’ll need to:

• Download software, install in computer
• register for the G-Webcall service via Globe cellphone
• place calls from computer to Globe/TM cellphones anywhere in the world
• place calls to other G-Webcall users for FREE

Rates are P7.50 per minute which is charged to the caller’s post-paid account. This is a lot cheaper than making an IDD call from a Globe phone while roaming … around the globe. When roaming, IDD calls can cost as much as P65 to P85 per minute (if I recall correctly) depending on the location.

Can’t help but compare this to Skype. Skype calls to the Philippines (landline, cellphone) cost around USD 0.25 (around Php13) per minute.

So, this G-Webcall thing is not a bad deal for Globe users/families.

• Limitations: Service is only for Globe post-paid subscribers. They can place calls only to Globe/TM phones.
• Advantages: Ease of payment – through the regular Globe post-paid cellphone bill
• Ideal for: Jetsetters with a computer abroad, calling family in the Philippines

The interesting thing here is how a telco is embracing VOIP to complement its regular voice calls services. Not bad.
Here’s how OFW’s can use G-Webcall.com: Call the Philippines via G-Webcall.com VOIP
Visit G-Webcall.com for details.
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no phone home

I registered on Text Link Ads many months ago. But I didn’t find out the details. So it was a bit late when I activated my ad code. And, a few days later, I have my first text-link-ad: Digium!

Kewl! Keep ‘em coming, TLA!

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At least that’s how it sounded like.
Had a brief talk with Kates the other day via Google Talk or GTalk.

It was the first time for both of us. I called Kates and he sounded like he was talking inside a can and had a bad case of Laryngitis.

We tried the call a second time. I asked Kates to dial me. He still sounded like Darth Vader. Kates later figured that maybe his mic wasn’t working well. He heard me loud and clear, though. So I ended up talking and kates ended up typing. That was how our entire conversation went.

Kates said his Skype voice calls were clearer than Google Talk. I wouldn’t know, I couldn’t compare yet.

Darth Vader in Indonesia

It was the same when I spoke to my brother in Indonesia via Google Talk. He was accessing his Internet via WiFi at a restaurant. He sounded like Darth Vader too!

Hmmmm… is this a trend? Am I a Jedi? My brother could hear me loud and clear too. I could hear him and all the Darth Vader noise. It was so bad, I had to put my headset on low volume.

I’m sure my headset isn’t the problem. I wonder what could be. I guess I’m just unlucky, my first two calls were people who didn’t have good microphones.

Hermps ….

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jedi

I tried out Yahoo Voice with my friend, Eloy. I via Smart WiFi, she via dial-up.

When I dialled her on Yahoo Voice, I could hear the ringing sound. But she wasn’t picking up. She didn’t know how to.

After many rings, the Voice call was diverted to a voice message. I left a voice message. I wonder how long that message will be stored on the Internet.

Later, Eloy figured out how to retrieve the voice messages. All in all, I left three messages. She was delighted, it was her first time to hear Voice over Yahoo.

We never got our voice call over internet. Turned out she had speakers but didn’t have a mic. We’ll try Yahoo Voice another time.

Tomorrow: Google Talk with Darth Vader

- Ka edong