Good in a pinch, but better options are out there!
April 05, 2021
Good in a pinch, but better options are out there!
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Skype
Skype has been one of the many software options that our organization has utilized in the midst of pandemic closures and limited attendance. Skype (as well as Zoom and Google Meets) have been used by various departments within our organization to stay connected with members of our congregation, facilitate remote meetings, and (at a time) was used to deliver our weekly service presentation when in-person attendance was not permitted for our facility. Skype has helped support our organization to continue our weekly operation in a limited capacity.
Pros
- Accessible — Easy to use and navigate the user interface, even for individuals uncomfortable with technology.
- Compatibility — Skype can be downloaded across nearly all device types, including (but not limited to) Mac, Windows, Android, iOS... even the Xbox One gaming system.
- Microsoft Ecosystem — If you are part of an organization already utilizing other Microsoft products (e.g. Office 365, Teams, etc) Skype is part of the Microsoft line of products and will integrate easily into an existing Microsoft-based workflow.
Cons
- Microsoft Ecosystem — While this might be a positive for some people, many organizations are not a fan of the Microsoft ecosystem. For organizations that utilize other systems, such as Google Workplace, Skype might not be the best fit.
- Lack of Breakout Rooms (or similar functionality) — For meetings that require the ability to break away into subgroups, Skype currently does not offer an equivalent to Zoom's breakout room functionality.
- Technical issues — (in our experience) Skype video tends to freeze mid-call more frequently than in other competitor's software. Audio will continue to be heard from from "frozen" participants, but until the affected individual leaves and re-enters the meeting, screen will remain frozen for the duration of the call.
- + Provided an option for remote communications — without Skype (or alternative) our weekly church attendance (approx. 200 / wk) would have dropped to 0, without any effective method to communicate with our congregation in a group setting.
- Zoom and Google Hangouts Meet
When compared to alternative video conferencing and meeting software options, Skype is effective in the sense that it is easy to use for individuals uncomfortable with technology or unfamiliar with video meeting to jump into and use immediately with minimal confusion or issue. Skype also provides superior video and audio quality in a side-by-side comparison to Zoom, the most popular software for virtual conferencing and meetings.
Where Skype excels in simplicity and A/V quality, however, it lacks in features and functionality when compared to its competitors in the industry. Zoom and Google Meet (formerly Hangouts) provide additional tools and features not yet available in Skype at this time. The most glaring omissions in terms of functionality are breakout rooms and proficient annotation/whiteboard tools. In addition, Skype continues to struggle with maintaining video at high-resolution settings when limited bandwidth is an issue. This often results in video feeds freezing mid-meeting and not automatically resolving unless the participant leaves and re-enters the meeting.
Where Skype excels in simplicity and A/V quality, however, it lacks in features and functionality when compared to its competitors in the industry. Zoom and Google Meet (formerly Hangouts) provide additional tools and features not yet available in Skype at this time. The most glaring omissions in terms of functionality are breakout rooms and proficient annotation/whiteboard tools. In addition, Skype continues to struggle with maintaining video at high-resolution settings when limited bandwidth is an issue. This often results in video feeds freezing mid-meeting and not automatically resolving unless the participant leaves and re-enters the meeting.
Do you think Skype delivers good value for the price?
Yes
Are you happy with Skype's feature set?
No
Did Skype live up to sales and marketing promises?
No
Did implementation of Skype go as expected?
No
Would you buy Skype again?
No
Comments
Please log in to join the conversation