Communicate with Relatives

We have two web sites built around Rver's and Rving, a weekly newsletter geared toward computer tips and general computer information. This requires us to spend lots of hours searching the web, for content for the web sites, the newsletter, articles that I write, not to mention answering the everyday Email questions we receive. I also try and visit forums when I can to try and keep up with what is going on with other Rver's and their interests. The hot topics lately have been Satellite Internet, Wi-Fi, Cellphone Internet and in the last newsletter, I made mention of connecting to the Internet with a Wireless Aircard.

All of those topics are important to us travelers for communication purposes and rightfully so. However I rarely here mention of using a resource that is available on most all computers. Bobbi and I have been using this communication tool for years. Over the years I have not had one question regarding this tool, nor have I ever seen it a topic of discussion on any forum.

If you purchase a microphone or headset that plugs into your computer and you have speakers connected to your computer, all you need is a free piece of software and you can talk free to most anywhere in the world. This means that you don't have to keep track of minutes used or how much it is going to cost. When Bobbi and I started using this, there were only phonelines available and the quality of the voice tramsmission left a lot to be desired. Now with the high connection speeds, most of the time it is as clear as talking on the phone and sometimes clearer. Also with a high speed connection you can use a PC camera and if the person you are talking with also has a PC camera, you can see each other. This works great for seeing those grandkids when you are away for long periods of time. Those of you who have Windows XP, already have Windows Messenger, so you don't need any other software to do this. If you have an older version of windows, you can download MSN Messenger, or AOL Messenger (AIM). You do not have to have AOL service to use the AIM. The person or persons you want to talk to must also have the same messenger. One of my favorites and the one that I use is  Skype