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Editor’s note: The following review is part of Macworld’s GemFest 2013. Every day (except Sunday) from mid-July until late September, the Macworld staff will use the Mac Gems blog to briefly cover a standout free or low-cost program. You can view a list of this year’s apps, updated daily, on our handy GemFest page, and you can visit the Mac Gems homepage for past Mac Gems reviews.
A Microsoft acquisition and several user-interface faux pas haven’t stopped Skype for Mac 6.7 from continuing to be the go-to personal communication app for many OS X users.
And why not? With a history on Apple’s desktop operating system that goes back nearly a decade, and a reputation for working well even under the most adverse conditions, Skype allows you to make cheap calls to traditional phone lines, and free ones—including one-on-one video and desktop sharing—to other Skype users.
A few premium features have also started to creep into Skype’s functionality. In addition to paying a flat fee for unlimited calls to plain-old telephone lines, for example, you will also have to fork over a few bucks every month if you want to host video conferences with up to ten participants.
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