Newsletter Archives

• Replacing Skype

  Posted on April 28, 2025 at 02:43 CDT by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  In late February, Microsoft announced that Skype would be retired on May 5, 2025. What can you use instead? It’s a lot more complicated than Microsoft makes out.

  Originally developed by Skype Technologies and released in 2003, Skype went through several owners before being acquired in 2011 by Microsoft. Among other things, Redmond replaced Windows Live Messenger (aka MSN Messenger) with Skype and created a new tier, Skype for Business.

  The seemingly firm date is only partially true. If you’re using Skype as a stand-alone, you’ve got just over a month left. Microsoft 365 users have a bit more time for making phone calls — until March 2026.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.17.0, 2025-04-28).

  Microsoft 365 Facetime, Google Voice, Newsletters, Rebtel, Signal, Skype, Teams, Viber, Vonage, WhatsApp, Yolla, Zoom, Zoom Phone

• Making the most of Signal on Windows

  Posted on March 25, 2024 at 02:43 CDT by Mary Branscombe • Comment in the Forums

  PRIVACY

  

  By Mary Branscombe

  Signal is much more than just a phone app: you no longer have to give anyone your phone number, and you may not even need a smartphone for it.

  Last week, I looked at why you would want to pick Signal for secure messaging with real privacy and full end-to-end encryption — on your PC rather than just on your phone.

  In fact, besides giving you the same secure messages and group chats on your desktop as on your phone, Signal for Windows also gives you some extra features you won’t find in the smartphone app.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.13.0, 2024-03-25).

  Privacy Newsletters, Signal, Signal for Windows, SMS, tips, WhatsApp

• Secure messaging on Windows with Signal

  Posted on March 18, 2024 at 02:45 CDT by Mary Branscombe • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 21.11 • 2024-03-18

  PRIVACY

  

  By Mary Branscombe

  Signal is a smartphone secure-messaging app that also works in Windows. Here’s why you want it, and how to get started.

  Sometimes you need to send a message that you can be certain will stay private. Perhaps a friend urgently needs a place to stay while you’re out of town, and you must give them your alarm code (and maybe tell the neighbor who has your spare key how to recognize them).

  Or perhaps you want to discuss a medical condition, or something that’s perfectly legal but might still get you into trouble at work, such as whistleblowing or staging a protest.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (21.12.0, 2024-03-18).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Privacy Instagram, Mastodon, Newsletters, RCS, Signal, SMS, Twitter, WhatsApp, X