TechBytes: Holiday Help

Skype and Google have some free services for the holidays.

By
by RONNIE REISS and LLOYD de VRIES
December 19, 2011, 6:58 AM ET
1 min read

Dec. 19, 2011 — -- In today's TechBytes: Skype has a gift for holiday travelers.

Starting Wednesday, the company will offer free Wi-Fi in more than 50 airports across the country.

Users will be able to use the Internet for an hour, including making calls on Skype.

The free service is available for a week.

Obsolete Gadgets

The Los Angeles Times has a list of gadgets that are now obsolete, as technology marches on.

Among them:

  • The Flip video camera. Smartphones record video, too, now.
  • The portable DVD player, replaced by tablets.
  • And the personal digital assistant, another victim of the smartphone.

    • Yes, Google, There Is a Santa

    If you need help convincing your child that Santa exists, Google might be able to help.

    The company is offering free voicemail messages from St. Nick to anyone living in the United States.

    Parents can customize the messages with the child's name, nickname and favorite things.