Voice over IP

(VoIP) services are growing in popularity lately, though none as much as Skype. The

free Skype application for iPhone

allows you to access the Skype service from virtually anywhere. The app lets you

call Skype contacts

, have

instant message conversations

or even call phone numbers with ease.

All the news that's fit to Google for this week. In this episode: Google Voice is dead, long live Google Voice. Storing your music in the cloud and finally, Android outdoing everyone. Andrew talks up the possibility of a new Google Voice with actual VOIP, no land line required. Next, an XDA Developer regular finds hints of cloud-based storage for your music, right from your Android phone and finally, Android overtakes all other smartphone OSs and even makes inroads with the feature phone set.

Samson has made its name, in large part, thanks to its excellent studio and portable microphones. The Samson Go Mic portable condenser mic clips to a laptop screen and offers quality infinitely superior to a cheap-o headset or your laptop's own internal mic. It's pricey relative to other computer mics, sure. However, it's inexpensive when compared with full on studio mics. If you're an audio podcaster, if you make a lot of VoIP calls on your computer, if you need to be mobile, the Samson Go Mic is a great bet.

Cheryl Porier recently realized that she has yet to share her love for Skype with Miss Download viewers. To remedy this, she chats with A. Alfred Ayache, AKA Notorious Webmaster Web Applications Architect of Tucows and butterscotch.com via Skype to demonstrate its video chat abilities.

Windows Live Messenger

, formerly known as

MSN Messenger

, is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, whether they're around the corner or all around the world. You can

send and receive free instant messages

, even play a game together while chatting, share files,

voice and video chat

and so much more. Doc Callahan explains in this 10-part series on Windows Live Messenger

Over the years Messenger from Microsoft has evolved from MSN to Windows Messenger and finally into Windows Live Messenger; a program that really lets you do it all. You can access your Windows Live Hotmail account, share folders and files, chat with family and friends, make phone calls, send SMS messages and much more.

Skype has been a great way to make voice calls from PC to PC for quite some time. You can even call landlines and long distance. This new version of Skype for Windows, however, adds expanded video, top-drawer sound and lots more.

You've heard of Skype, software for the PC, Mac and other platforms that allows you to make free PC to PC calls and cheap PC to cell phone. New on the CES 2009 show floor was a brand new Skype with full-screen video calls and other improvements. Also, Skype announced a new version for Google's Android mobile phone environment.

Ever wish your all-in-one computer did EVERYTHING? The Lenovo A600 is getting close! It's got a wireless remote that also acts as a 3D mouse, can be a voice over IP (VoIP) handset for wireless chatting and even plays the role of a decidedly Nintendo Wii-like controller with the included games.

Andy and Sean give you the scoop on voice over IP using gadgets and a few flying eggs.

If you've got friends or family living outside of the country, you know that long distance bills can quickly pile up with the calls. Fortunately there are many ways to

communicate online for free

, such as Skype.

Skype allows you to make phone calls for free over your computer

. Skype is also a free download and in this series we'll tell you where to get it and how to use it.

Windows Live Messenger, formerly known as MSN Messenger, is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, whether they're around the corner or all around the world. You can send and receive free instant messages, even play a game together while chatting, share files, voice and video chat and so much more. Doc Callahan explains in this 10-part series on Windows Live Messenger