Polly's Pop-up

Just in case anyone has noticed that annoying pop-up that has been appearing over the past couple of weeks you can now celebrate the fact that it has been officially removed! Yee-ha!

Unfortunately this occurred because of a lack of time and an over-abundence of enthusiasm on my part. Normally I check and double check any links or HTML/Java Script (weird computer language) that I include in either my page template or the individual posts; rather obviously I neglected to do so in relation to the stupid pop-up; which didn't expand or do anything much anyway.

However, I have re-installed all kinds of stuff and deleted other bits and peices and hopefully things will run smoothly from this point onwards. To the right hand side of this post; in the sidebar I have installed graphic ad for Skype. Read on to find out way I have sold my soul in this way; you might even decide to do the same...

Ever since the incident with the cat and the speaker wire I have been struggling to listen to internet radio and podcasts using the Plantronics headset & boom; purchased for use with Skype. - computer telephone system, which has revolutionised my phone bill. As the boy's father lives in England the cost of long Sunday evening catch-up calls was prohibitively expensive; now they can chat, play games together, draw silly pictures and generally have fun together - free of charge!!

The only requirements for this system are obviously the software to run it; which is available here on my blog as a free download; broadband internet connection and some kind of microphone. I purchased mine from the Skype site directly at the time of the initial download for the exhorbitant cost of something like £12.99 + p&p.

Since then I have gone on to purchase SkypeCredit; which is essentially the same as a ready to go account. The maximum amount of credit which can be purchased at any time is £10.00; which allows you to call regular terrestrial phones from your computer at a fraction of the cost of using your landlines.

Way back in January, being ever so slightly cynical I subscribed to a two hour conference call; using Skype-Out, to the west coast of the USA. It actually exceeded its allotted time by thirty-three minutes but the total cost was less than £2.50! I guess you could say that I am impressed by the whole thing; so much so that I decided to share it with all my friends out there in Blogland.

For anyone who makes regular calls to international numbers I would highly recommend this software, especially when the set up costs are so low. It takes next to no time to download and install; roughly five minutes. The hardware, ie a Skype USB phone or headset & boom can be bought at your local computer shop if you don't have the patience to wait for the postman to deliver a package from Skype! You can also pick up a webcam if you fancy doing video conferencing; but that's a whole different area...

Check it out and see what you think; I was cynical at first but now I am sold. The company is owned by the same crowd who own E-Bay and PayPal, so there are numerous possibilities there; many of which I have yet to explore...

Polly Peirce

Purveyor of the Finest Irish Hand-made Greeting Cards & Wedding Stationary

Ps. If you do find yourself tempted by what I have introduced you to please use the links on this blog to subscribe; as I'm hoping to go to Austria with the Scouts in August and every penny from this will be going towards the cost. Leader's have to pay for themselves!