Using Skype on Xbox One to Stay Connected

Do you use Skype to stay connected with your family and friends? How about getting the family together as a group to chat? No, not by passing the laptop around to each family member. Instead use the digital family method and sit on the couch and using Skype on Xbox One to connect with family. I received the Xbox One to use for a few weeks to test out Skype.

Connecting With Your Kids Using Skype on Xbox One

In the photo above, my daughter is at a friend’s house and my husband and I are chatting with her. She is 9 and prefers to see our faces, even if she is only a few houses away. If she spends the night, she has to Skype with us before she goes to sleep. Your family doesn’t have to be far away to Skype. It is comforting to young kids when they want to be away from you, but want be sure you are close. When my husband and I travel, we Skype with the kids (or each other) so we still feel connected.

Watching TV From A Distance

You can watch TV with someone who is far away if you both have Skype. Here is an example of a Skype chat next to a football game. (photo from Skype press)

If you are watching TV and a friend calls, you receive an alert and can answer without leaving your TV show. If you choose to show your video, the Kinect camera will capture your live video in 1080p (if you have a fast broadband connection.)

Skype With A Group

If one of you has Skype Premium, you can stay connected with a larger group of friends or family. (Skype recommends up to 5 in the group chat.) I envision celebrating Grandma’s 90th Birthday, by getting several families together via Skype.

Yes, being in person is best, but it isn’t always possible. With Skype on the Xbox One and your TV, you have the next best thing.

Gaming Together With Skype

My oldest son uses his Xbox to play video games with his cousin who lives 3 hours from us. They talk to each other, but with the Xbox One and Skype while in a game, they would be able to see each other too. Now that is just like playing together in the same room.

Watching Movies Together Miles Apart

Imagine watching a movie with a friend who is 2000 miles away. You don’t have to sit and hold a phone up during the 2-hour movie. Using Skype with the Xbox One makes it feel real and natural. You sit on your couch doing what you do, and chat and see the other person. It’s as if they were sitting on the chair across the room.

Those are all the ways I see my digital family using Skype on Xbox One. After using the Xbox One with Skype I see how this will transform how we use our family rooms and televisions.

How would your family use Skype?

Disclosure: I received the Xbox One to test out Skype for a few weeks. All opinions are my own.