Internet telephony--or at least voice-based communication over the Internet--has been around for a few years now, but I always avoided it, more out of laziness than anything. Well, I have to say, I tried out Skype's Internet telephony service for the first time today and I'm a convert--and not just because I'm weary of Verizon Wireless's extortionate rates (I also hate the idea of paying for incoming calls, especially when they're wrong numbers or people I don't want to talk to, like telemarketers).
If you have a microphone (which most PCs have built in) and a set of speakers or headphones, the Skype application is a free download. It takes little time to set up an account and all calls to other Skype subscribers are free--even overseas (after all, "overseas" has little meaning on the Internet). (There is also a for-pay service that lets you use Skype to talk to proper phone numbers.) Skype also has a chat feature, which means that you can talk and IM at the same time--which is only marginally more complex than walking and chewing gum at the same time. The sound quality is excellent; certainly better than the average cellphone.
Now to find a Bluetooth headset...
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