Thursday, January 31, 2008

What’s your Skype handle?

Choosing a Skype Name that represents your personality, a character trait, or physical trait recalls the “handle” craze in the 1970s, when Citizen Band, or CB, radio became popular. CB radio owners picked unique names, known as “handles,” to identify themselves to other CB radio operators.
CB radio was a free radio frequency set up by the Federal Communication Commission in 1947. CB radio is limited to a ten-mile radius — big enough for plenty of conversation on a highway filled with truckers. As with Skype, CB radio operators loved the fact that the calls were free. We wouldn’t be surprised if many of those passionate radio hams decide to use their old handles with this new version of the “people’s phone system,” Skype.
Your Skype “handle” is an opportunity to invent your own branding. What you decide to call yourself should also be influenced by whether you plan to use your Skype Name for business, personal, or both purposes. In considering your Skype Name and how you fill out the whole Skype profile, strive for balance between formality and self-expression.

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