The easy way to make calls, record interviews (and detect lies) with Skype

Recording telephone interviews was always a tricky (and, if international, costly) business. But Skype changed all that.

The combination of free computer-to-computer calling and low-cost software to record conversations with both sound and video opened up powerful new ways for journalists and bloggers to connect with their communities.

Skype doesn’t only connect computers, of course. You can make cheap phone calls to landlines, chat, hold conference calls and – with a click of the ‘share screen’ button, turn Skype into a great presentation and collaboration platform. And now the connection is just as likely to be made on a mobile as by computer.

For the past couple of years, I’ve used eCamm’s Call Recorder (Mac only) to record Skype interviews and found it a reliable, easy-to-use tool for the money (currently just under $20). Video calls can be recorded picture-in-picture, split screen or remote video only. And the resulting Quicktime movie can become an MP3 ready for editing and upload in seconds.

But Call Recorder isn’t the only option for recording Skype calls. And Skype isn’t the only way of connecting the world for free. Google, Yahoo, Jajah and ooVoo, among others, are strong contenders in both the cheap telecoms and imaginative brand name stakes.

While looking for an update on cheap international calling, I came across two outstanding posts by the venerable Robin Good, which I really do recommend to you (as well as Robin’s blog).

The first appears under the keyword-stuffed bonanza of a headline: ‘Call the world for free: Low cost international phone calls from your computer to any mobile or landline’. Excellent comparison of some of the best services out there.

The second – How to record Skype calls: A mini guide – does just what it says on the tin. Free or paid-for … take your pick.

You can even buy an app that records your interview AND acts as a lie detector. To quote the creators: “With the use of KishKish Lie Detector you can monitor in real-time the stress level of the person you talked with. This allows you to gage the level of stress and modify your questions in real time.”

Who said I’m making it up?

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