If you have broadband/high-speed internet connection at home, a microphone, and ever need to make long distance phone calls (both within U.S. or international), you may want to consider trying Skype.

It’s a simple program that let you make phone calls using the computer over the internet at a very low rate, or even free! A call from U.S. to Hong Kong is only $0.021 per minute! It’s rates that you only get with those phone cards from Chinatown, and Skype doesn’t charge any additional fee like those phone cards do!

It’s even better if you want to call Canada or within the U.S., it’s FREE until the end of the year! Perfect for the holidays that are coming up! You won’t have to waste your minutes or wait until after 9 pm to call.

All Skype-to-Phone calls have the same sound quality as regular phones, but not for Skype-to-Skype calls! The sound is comparable to FM radio quality!

One time I had my friend from Hong Kong put his mic by his radio’s speakers & it was like I was there in his room!

All it takes is for both sides to have Skype installed. Skype-to-Skype calls are FREE, doesn’t matter where you or the other person is in the world!

Plus, Skype-to-Skype calls are not limited to 2 people. Regular phones can do 3-way, Skype can do 4-way. Skype also does video calls. Good-quality video, unlike Yahoo! Messenger’s choppy video. Of course, you’ll need a decent camera to get good quality in the first place.

When you just want to do regular online text chat, you can do a group chat with up to 100 people at the same time.

If you are familiar with normal chat programs like AIM, MSN, Yahoo!Messenger, ICQ, etc., you would know how to use this.

I wish they pay me to say all this, but seriously, this is one of those rare things that I highly recommend to people (besides getting a Mac).

p.s. Great for those of you who have kids but your parents live far away!