2nd Emergent Technology

I was so excited to do this emergent technology since I finally got wireless internet at my house a few weeks ago!! I used Skype, which I was not able to do before because I do not have a webcam on my home computer. Now, I get to use my laptop at home that has a webcam on it. I asked one of my friends if they had Skype and they responded, "What is that?" For people who have never heard of Skype like some of my friends, it allows you to do free video calling, call people for free, and free instant messaging. It is mostly known for its video calling. Video chat can be used in so many ways. I know teachers who have used it to help students after school, and to access other resources, or guest speakers. It can be used to speak to friends who have moved, or are on vacation, or just out of town. I have only used it a few times. I video called my boyfriend and a friend from school. I hope to video call my neighbor who just moved into Japan! It is so much better to see a face and hear a voice at the same time! Skype was a little confusing at first, but with help I understand it a little better. To begin with, I had to find friends, I did this by clicking on the directory and searching their names. Then my friends called me and a screen popped up, so I did not know what to do. You can click accept or decline, then you have to turn on the video. I did not know this at first and was so confused. After this, Skype is quite simple. You can call friends or accept their calls. I have not used regular calling or instant messaging yet, but I plan to in the future. I believe Skype is user-friendly and can be used for several different types of situations like business or just talking to friends. I would suggest skyping with friends before using this in a business setting. Then you can learn more about it and explore it more. Overall, I thought using Skype was a good technological experience and I recommend it to others.