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Skype Laughs At Google Voice With Videolicious Beta

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On the heels of Google unleashing Google Voice to the Gmail masses, it looks like Skype is ready to up the ante by announcing that it will be experimenting with a new video chat feature that will please Skypepoholics everywhere.

Today we’ve released an update to Skype for Windows. The second beta of Skype 5.0 brings a number of changes both outside and in – most importantly, you can now make group video calls with up to 10 people. It also welcomes in a fresh new look, as well as increased stability and better quality when making group video calls. (Skype Business Blog)

Note: Emphasis mine.

Although one can make a video call via Google Chat (which will probably be incorporated within Google Voice in the future), you can currently only chat with one person at a time.

While Skype’s group video chat feature isn’t free (there is a trial period before you have to pay), this feature will probably appeal to businesses and families who have employees or relatives spread all over the globe, respectively.

While group video chats will not appeal to everyone, it should help the nimble company maintain its lead against the Google Goliath (the latter who seems intent on declaring war against everyone).

Originally posted on September 2, 2010 @ 4:05 pm

Skype Now Available for All Nokia Smartphones

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Skype and Nokia’s partnership has been going for quite some time now. In fact, their plans of integrating Skype to Nokia devices has been discussed as early as February last year. Although Nokia devices were able to get a default Skype client it is only now that it is finally made available for majority of Nokia’s smartphones – specifically those running on Symbian ^1.

Skype for Symbian will let you to use Skype even while on the move, either through WiFi, GPRS, EDGE or 3G.  Skype for Symbian is now available for download at the Nokia Ovi Store and you can install it on your smartphone if it belongs to the following long list of Nokia devices that support it:

Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia X6, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia 5530 and the following non-touch devices: Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E90, Nokia E63, Nokia E66, Nokia E51, Nokia N96, Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8Gb, Nokia N85, Nokia N82, Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8 Gb, Nokia N79, Nokia N78, Nokia 6220 classic, Nokia 6210 Navigator, Nokia 5320.

If your current Nokia phone is any of those devices listed, then you can enjoy the following features of Skype on your device:

  • Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world
  • Save money on calls and texts (SMS) to phones abroad.
  • Send and receive instant messages to and from individuals or groups
  • Share pictures, videos and other files.
  • Receive calls to their existing online number
  • See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or IM
  • Easily import names and numbers from the phone’s address book

Of course before you go on a Skype holiday, make sure that you are subscribe to an unlimited data plan, since even though Skype-to-Skype call is free, you are still using up air time of your mobile carriers.

You may download Skype for Symbian by following this link.

Via The Skype Blog

Originally posted on March 3, 2010 @ 6:05 am

Verizon, Skype Team Up to Offer VoIP through 3G

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Verizon Wireless and Skype have just announced their partnership that will give U.S. customers more value for their bucks if they are existing Verizon data subscribers. While for those who are still not on Verizon, this could probably be a good come on get a Verizon mobile data plan.

The new service will bring Skype to Verizon Wireless phones sometime in March. With this new service, you will be able to call around the globe via VoIP through, while your friends can communicate with you via the same route as well. The new exclusive and easy-to-use Skype mobile service will be initially available on several Verizon Wireless phones including BlackBerry Storm 9530, Storm 2 9550, Curve 8330, Curve 8530, 8830 World Edition and Tour 9630. It will also be supported by Droid, Droid Eris and Motorola Devour.

Specifically, the service will let you:

  • make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any Skype user around the globe on America’s most reliable wireless network;
  • call international phone numbers at competitive Skype Out calling rates;
  • send and receive instant messages to other Skype users; and
  • remain always connected with the ability to see friends’ online presence.

So basically, this new Skype service is practically extending your data calling plans plus the fact that you can call anyone through Skype, anytime, anywhere.

Verizon Wireless will start offering Skype through 3G service sometime in March. You can sign up for more information  here.

Originally posted on February 16, 2010 @ 4:37 pm

Fring Updates iPhone App to Allow Free Video Calls and VoIP via 3G

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If the idea of talking to the camera at the back of your iPhone and then turning your iPhone as soon as you’ve spoken to see the person you’re talking to, sounds cool to you, then you might be glad to know that Fring has just enabled video calling and VoIP through 3G on their iPhone app.

Actually, this was a result of the recent announcement made by Apple opening the iPhone’s gates to VoIP calling. Interestingly, Apple made this decision even if it will affect AT&T’s revenues.

To make free voice or video calls using Fring, you simply need to fire up your Fring iPhone app and hope that the message “voip calls are not allowed…” does not appear anymore. If it does, just click “more”, then “go offline” and then open Fring again.

Meanwhile, Fring was not the first iPhone app developer who immediately took advantage of iPhone’s decision to allow VoIP calls on the iPhone. A few days ago, iCall also went live, allowing free VoIP calls for iPhone users through 3G.

Both Fring and iCall if embraced by mobile phone users would definitely make  the  VoIP through 3G market more exciting. Expect more mobile apps that will allow VoIP through 3G to be developed and hope that mobile carriers will not disallow this feature even if it affects part of their revenues.

 

Originally posted on January 29, 2010 @ 8:36 am

Suddenly, Skype Gains 50% International Calling Share

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Here’s an interesting data just released by TeleGeography showing Skype getting 50% increase in its share of international calling minutes in 2009 from data of 2008. Skype managed to post a 12% market share in international calling minutes in 2009 from 2008’s 8%.

This interesting because for awhile I thought Skype has already lost its luster. With so many mobile apps that enables you to do free international calling via VOIP such as Fring and other Skype rivals including iPhone applications.

So it is but laudable that according to the Telegeography report Skype was able to accelerate Skype-to-Skype international calling minutes at the rate of almost 100%.

Over at the Skype Journal, Skype’s Sten Tamkivi gave a comprehensively interesting recount of how Skype has managed to achieve its current position right now after being a startup in 2003. Indeed, despite the trials and travails that Skype have passed through, it’s amazing that it is still alive and going strong.

Are you still using Skype to communicate with business contacts located worldwide? Or have you used other free mobile VOIP applications? I’ve got Skype in my Mac, Desktop PC, netbook and even iPhone and yet I don’t really get to use Skype  that much. I still prefer to communicate with business contacts through the old email system.

Originally posted on January 19, 2010 @ 7:43 pm