So far, we are finding both the reception and picture VERY good.
Are we just being lucky, or is signal usually this good?

Hubby has internet cafe a 2 mins walk from apartment, cost him $2 (NZD) per hour, has Skype set up with headphones and web cam.

Finding it really good with little or no interference.

Skypes just fine here

I'm finding it a bit echoey and last night it was breaking up a bit but I'm still amazed that we can chat for free for as long as we like I guess if nothing else, this move has yanked me out of the dark ages.

If there are any computer nuts out there can someone tell me if there is a way to video chat between a mac and a pc? It seems so unfair that we both have cameras but can't use them!

For a couple of months we were having serious problems wt both Skype and MSN. Must have been more than 3 months and drove everyone nuts. Now suddenly its fine. Both of them working really well (fingers crossed). We are sure they were doing something to block it. At the same time Qtel put the overseas call rates down. Maybe they were testing the waters

We heard that they had serious complaints from the American base. WHo knows! Whatover happened it worked so we can use both perfectly at the mo. Lets hope it continues to be this way Inshallah....

Yes, we certainly need it to keep working perfectly for as long as eh?

Yep, a few ways :

Use iChat AV on the Mac, AOL Instant Messenger on the PC
Use Mercury Messenger on the Mac, MSN Messenger on the PC
Use iVisit on both machines
Wait until the Mac gets Skype 2 (hopefully not long now)

Do a bit of Googling and you'll probably find even more ways.

Greetings. I've just been told by a fellow Brit expat here that Skype is not possible on personal computers or laptops on either pay-as-you go dial up here or via mobile network cards. He said it was something to do with Q-tel blocking the facility as they would lose too much revenue on the phone call charges lost!

I then remarked about it being readily available at most Internet Cafe's in the city. He reckoned then it is because they are not a single person like you or I but an organisation or business.

Anybody can get Scype at their apartment etc?

Also, I pay QR5 per hour for Internet at the cafe a two minutes walk from my apartment. I know it is quite expensive as I have seen it at QR3 per hr at The Sofitel ... my question, is Scype indeed universally available throughout the city in most internet cafes?

Plus does anyone use internet cafes in the Sofitel? Are they high speed/good quality/scype available? I'm considering the trip to Sofitel to try them there or the internet cafe at the Jeddah Flyover roundabout as the cafe I use has naff equipment.

Is it universal that the computers at the cafe's have either a computer which the camera works/the microphone doesnt or the microphone works/camera doesn't? Or that the same computer the following night is found to be defective yet it worked perfectly the night before?

Its been brassing me off that I'm finding a computer with both up and running on about the fifth attempt at sitting down, logging into scype etc. Is this common place? Should I therefore stopping sounding like a whinging Brit and be grateful to be alive in this day and age and at least be able to make a free call via the net?

My OH has put skype onto his work laptop and we have been chatting with it via the broadband connection in our house. I've heard the rumour before about qtel not allowing skype but luckily it doesn't seem to be true.

Stop whinging Mr R. You manage ok talking to me and look as good as ever!!
Ok we get cut off from time to time. but otherwise, its FREE, apart from cost of internet use which is cheap anyway.
Its good, I am happy with it.

Well if you are happy!

Mind you ... you don't have to go through trial and error with all the computers in the internet cafe before hand to try to find one that works!

You just have to put your three layers on, switch the fire on, sip your bacardi and shiver a bit!

Only TWO layers tonight, ok VERY thick layers, one bar of the calor gas fire on here in rumpus, but no bacardi
Tea only.

Only two layers? Don't tell me the 8 months of cold weather is beginning to come to an end?

Actually I feel a little cold myself at the minute. The a/c unit in the office here at work is set a little too low. 21 degrees I think. Perhaps I should set it even lower to then know what you are going through when you sit on Scype. I think it would be around 2 degrees? Or is it now about 3 degrees? I would freeze my :scared: whatsits off then ... after the 40 degrees in the sun outside!