ooVoo

ooVoo is a rapidly growing service for making Internet audio and video calls. You can call your friends and family members in over 50 countries around the world, participate in 3-way video conferencing to discuss the important questions, exchange files and instant messages in this new alternative messenger.

Nearly 40 million of Internet users have heard of or used Skype. The software allows to make cheap calls to landline and cellular phones. You can sign up for unlimited plans or you can buy credits that expire in case of inactivity of 90 days. Up until recently, Skype was practically the only solution, but now there is a better alternative - ooVoo. You can do anything with it that Skype does - see who is online/offline, exchange instant messages and files, audio chat, and put up video conferencing with up to 5 more people. The plans are comparable with or even cheaper than those of Skype and I did not read anywhere that the credits expire - so no need to worry to make that phone call at least once in 3 months so you won't lose your credit.

If you do not want to install the client, you can always use its web version. All you will need to do is to send the link to your web-conference session to your friends. Many people will be required to download a Java plugin to use it.

We are all used to living voice mails, but how about video mails? You can do that with ooVoo - just record a message to your offline friend and send it. She will get it when she comes online or he will see it on his mobile phone as ooVoo can be accessed on your mobile as well.

The limitations of this services are quite annoying. High-Definition (480p) video calls are 10 cents a minute, unless you get a monthly subscription. To add a 4th person to your video chat will cost you 10 cents/minute. Video offline messages are limited to 1 minute for free and 10 minutes with a subscription plan. Desktop sharing is 33 cents for each participant... and so on.

Overall, this is a great alternative to Skype - and it probably means Skype will be dropping its prices due to competition!