Java-based client spreads Skype far and wide
Why should smartphone and 3 Skypephone users have all the fun? Skype has finally released a client written for mobile Java, enabling the ubiquitous VoIP pipe to be used on a wide, wide variety of phones (Skype says they've tested it on about 50, but it's likely to work on far more than that). Though it's naturally scaled down a bit to fit in its tiny target footprint, the client still manages to pack in support for Skype-to-Skype and SkypeOut calls, chat, group chat, and your buddy list -- pretty much everything you need to make it functional. If you're going to have a go at it, just make sure you're on a sufficiently generous data plan, k?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: Turns out the data plan doesn't have to be that generous. Straight from Skype: "Tom has 20 Skype contacts and signs in twice a day for a total of 90 minutes. He IMs for about 25 minutes each day and makes 20 minutes of Skype calls. Tom would use just under 1 MB of data in one month." Thanks, everyone!
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: Turns out the data plan doesn't have to be that generous. Straight from Skype: "Tom has 20 Skype contacts and signs in twice a day for a total of 90 minutes. He IMs for about 25 minutes each day and makes 20 minutes of Skype calls. Tom would use just under 1 MB of data in one month." Thanks, everyone!














Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Solnyshok @ Apr 28th 2008 3:21AM
You do not need a generous data plan, because it uses voice minutes for voice calls. Dunno about chat though. That is most probably going over data connection.
Phil @ Apr 28th 2008 4:55PM
Not sure how you figure it's using voice minutes for voice calls...
Lunkwill @ Apr 28th 2008 7:22AM
By testing it for example. If you try to call a skype contact it will call a regular local phone number.
packetsniffer @ Apr 28th 2008 8:28AM
What? There's no way this is using your phone's minutes to make the call.
Fernando @ Apr 28th 2008 9:03AM
@packetsniffer in case the reply system breaks
It IS using your minutes, epic fail from skype in my opinion
JP @ Apr 28th 2008 3:29AM
Personally without [proper] voice calls this application seems completely half baked to me (although I think it looks great, especially for a Java app).
Something like Fring can do Skype over data though.
Fernando @ Apr 28th 2008 9:01AM
lol Skype rickrolled us!
Solnyshok @ Apr 28th 2008 9:31AM
use Fring (Symbian S60, UIQ, WindowsMobile) or Truphone (Symbian only) if you want to make real Skype cals over WiFi and 3G data connection.
Steveo @ Apr 28th 2008 5:22PM
Yip, stupidest software release EVER.
Receive Skype calls and it uses your contracted 'free' minutes.
Make Skype calls and it uses your contracted minutes too!
Madness. It defeats the whole point of Skype haha