From the category archives:

Mobile Applications

“Fring is not a communications platform, but only a toy or at best a testbed for shiny objects.”
Comment by Hudson Barton on Andy Abramson’s post: Fring Fumbles on Cross Platform Video Chat
In observing the evolution of Skype and third party access to it over the past few years I have often wondered how far Skype [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Skype News, Skype Platform, Skype on Mobile

For the past few years I have been aware of another company, aside from Skype, that develops communications software in the form of SIP-based softphones: CounterPath, working out of Vancouver, B.C.
I have always been a bit frustrated by SIP-based connectivity – my one learning across several attempts over the years to configure SIP-based softphones [...]

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Categories Communications News, Communications Technology, Mobile Applications, Web 2.0 Tools and Applications

When I made those initial Skype for iPhone calls last weekend, not only did I gain a quick appreciation of the voice quality but I also realized that the forthcoming multi-tasking feature of iPhone OS4 could offer new possibilities. Yes, multi-tasking would facilitate Skype’s Instant Messaging in an “always-on” mode but there could also [...]

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Categories Communications Stories, Mobile Applications, Service Providers, Skype on Mobile

Since its release late Saturday, Skype for iPhone 2.0, with its support of calling over 3G carriers and superwideband audio using Skype’s SILK codec, has set the blogosphere awash with two genres of commentary: those who seem to think the end of free Skype calling is approaching as an Armageddon and those who recognize [...]

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Categories Communications Technology, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype News, Skype Platform, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype, Wireless Carriers

Over the past couple of days I have had the opportunity to complete calls using Skype for iPhone 2.0 over 3G to contacts in the U.K., the U.S. and Spain, not only while staying in one location but also at 100 km/hr crossing through several mobile phone cells along Canada’s busiest freeway that recently [...]

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Categories Communications Stories, Mobile Applications, Skype Bytes, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype

Normally when Skype has made a major release, Skype PR will provide a heads-up to bloggers and other technology media a day or two ahead of time under an embargo until a defined time. This allows Skype to better manage the message to the market in terms of at least answering initial questions that [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Skype News, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype, Wireless Carriers

This morning I received a chat message from TechCraver’s Jason Harris asking if I would take a video call. Little did I realize that this was not going to be a normal HD Skype video call like our last one.
Jason is a fan of the Nokia N900 mobile computer which has always supported Skype voice [...]

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Categories Communications Stories, Communications Technology, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype Hardware, Skype News, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype

Ok so I’m the last to write about Google’s announcement this morning on its acquisition of Global IP Solutions, a major provider of IP-based communications infrastructure with not only its voice and video codecs but also voice and video engines that mean simply “supply me with an Internet connection, a microphone and a set [...]

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Categories Communications News, Communications Technology, Mobile Applications, Video calling, Web 2.0 Tools and Applications

While attending eComm 2010 three weeks ago I was honored to be asked to join six other bloggers in providing weekly posts to Voyces.com, a blog that provides opinion, insight and perspective on developments in the IP-based and mobile communications space.
The initial two posts:
Has “Social Sharing” Become the “Nom du Jour”? provides a follow [...]

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Categories Communications Stories, Communications Technology, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype Platform, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype

This morning Skype issued a press release, Call Your Friends and Family Anywhere in the World For Less, announcing new consumer calling plans (subscriptions) that cover over 170 countries and introduce more granularity into the choices such as calling time, termination country(ies) and plan period (1-, 3- and 12-month).
While still awaiting to see the [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Skype News, Skype for Personal, Using Skype

Over the past two years I have been occasionally reporting on Tungle, the meeting accelerator that facilitates scheduling meetings and conference calls. Tungle’s goals as a service are:

bring down barriers, such as different calendar programs, between companies and work teams
share availability (Busy/Free status only)
respect privacy and user control

In summary Tungle wants to be “the [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Service Providers, Social Media, Web 2.0 Tools and Applications

Ok, so the iPad does not have a camera of any type. But is its form factor not a “natural” format for video calling? When Global IP Solutions put out a press release yesterday I was a bit skeptical about who would take up on their “one way Video Conferencing/Chat capabilities for iPad developers, [...]

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Categories Communications News, Communications Technology, Developers, Mobile Applications, Video calling

This week I am attending the fourth Emerging Communications Conference, or eComm America 2010, with the byline “What’s Next in Telecom, Mobile and Internet Communications”. The first morning was probably one of the best overall sessions for providing an update of where several major players are taking their offerings and how they are contributing [...]

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Categories Communications Stories, Communications Technology, Conferences and Events, Mobile Applications

During my recent interview with Russ Shaw, Skype’s VP and GM for Mobile, he emphasized Skype’s focus on having a true Skype user experience when it comes to supporting Skype on mobile devices.
What is meant by a “true Skype user experience” on a mobile device? Some examples, based largely on my own experience with several [...]

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Categories Communications News, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype News, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype

Full disclosure: This post was prepared prior to today’s press conference using information that was publicly available prior to the conference. In the second post I’ll discuss the service as announced at CES today.
When you can advertise “Free phone calling internationally”, they will come! In the CES interview with Skype CEO Josh Silverman, Josh [...]

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Categories Communications News, Embedded Skype, Mobile Applications, Mobile Devices, Skype Channels, Skype News, Skype Partner News, Skype Platform, Skype Software, Skype on Mobile, Using Skype, Wireless Carriers