In an effort to accelerate user acquisition, specifically in the US and Canada, Skype has decided to make Skypeout free in those regions (instead of $.02 per minute, the price until today). For those not familiar, “Skypeout” is a term referring to all Skype calls that eventually reach a regular phone – mobile or landline – and not another computer.

This is the first serious attempt at making “real life regular calls” absolutely free of charge. While Skypeout is basically perceived as a “computer to phone” voice call, various features and plugins make it possible for users to squeeze the system for much more. For example, Skype conferencing makes it possible to conference two “regular phone numbers”, including your own, and facilitate a phone to phone conversation, just like a regular call you are used to making, only for free. Remote Skype extensions such as SoonR, Eqo and Iskoot release users of the burden of sitting in front of their computer as well. And these are just two “cheats” I was able to quickly come up with.

Free minutes, everyone. User centric? Maybe. I don’t like it though. Om Malik thinks it’s a good thing. I find it scary. (more…)