Skype Substitutes
Oovoo, Ekiga, GoogleTalk, Jitsi and Goober Messenger are just five substitutes or alternatives you can use to talk face to face with someone digitally. Skype has been a popular choice, but each of these others has something to offer, and may supply you with a solution where Skype does not. GoogleTalk can integrate your Gmail contact list; Ekiga works well in Linux operating systems; Jitsi provides great encryption; Oovoo allows you to video chat through your browser; and Goober integrates Twitter and Facebook right in its contact list interface.
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Oovoo
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Oovoo's main selling point is its ability to provide a browser interface for at least one side of a video chat. Most other software requires both participants to have registered an account, downloaded and installed the software. Oovoo only requires the call initiator to have done so. He or she can then send a Web link (URL) to the recipient, who only has to follow it to begin the video chat. You can also embed a "Video Chat Room" into a website so several friends can join in the fun.
Ekiga
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Ekiga has been Linux's alternative to Skype, before Skype provided a Linux version, and still today. Ekiga is a very complete software, offering a polished graphical user interface (GUI), calling to phones and other Ekiga accounts, call forwarding and voice mail, fullscreen video, HD-quality picture, instant messaging with smiley support and integration with any SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)-compliant VoIP provider you want.
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GoogleTalk
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GoogleTalk's big advantage is its integration of your Gmail contact list. At last count, according to CompetePulse, Gmail provides about 15 percent of the world's email. Those users will find it very convenient to tie their contact lists in with their chat and video chat. With Google's more recent Google Voice tool, they can even create a phone number associated with the same account to receive phone calls, too. Google is trying to provide an all-in-one solution to everyone's online communication needs.
Jitsi
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Jitsi -- once known as SIP Communicator -- aims to combine all your chat accounts into one interface, providing audio and video chat when possible. It provides installers for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, and although a simple application, it provides support for all the major chat platforms: SIP, Jabber/XMPP (and thus GoogleTalk), ICQ, MSN, Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, IRC, Bonjour and soon others like IAX.
Goober Messenger
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Goober's integration of Twitter and Facebook unifies your chat needs, allowing you to chat and even video chat with all your friends in one place. Goober lets you multi-chat with up to six friends in one window. You can even talk to any or all of the six friends with an audio and/or video option. Goober provides VoIP functions so anyone can call your Goober account from an external phone. You can use voice mail or call forwarding when you are away from your computer.
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