Skype VoIP Client for Pocket PC Now in Closed Beta

[Pat Logsdon]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://forum.skype.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2471' target='_blank'>http://forum.skype.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2471</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040322_skype.gif" /> <br /><br />"Skype is getting ready to start a closed betatesting of Skype for Pocket PC platform. This will happen during this week and we are looking for people to participate in the closed beta and help us improve the product before starting the public beta. "<br /><br />"Skype's service lets people make unlimited free phone calls using what's known as voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a technology for placing calls using the Internet."<br /><br />Requirements for Skype PDA version: <br />• 400 mhz PDA running Pocket PC 2003 <br />• WiFi on the PDA so that you can access the internet <br />• A headset compatible with the PDA is useful most of the time<br /><br />To sign up, you'll need to register in the Skype forums and follow the instructions in <a href="http://forum.skype.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2471">this thread</a>.<br /><br />Get in while you can! 8)

[freitasm]

Now this is interesting! I bet the Skype will be better than XTEN and other SIP solutions. I'm definetelly interested in this one.

[omikron.sk]

Hey, and what about writing what does this app do? I've never heard about it before.

[Duddy]

Will I be able to use the mic on my iPAQ h2210 with this app?

[Pat Logsdon]

Hey, and what about writing what does this app do? I've never heard about it before.
Sorry about that - I thought I had. I've updated my post. Thanks!

[T-Will]

Does it actually allow you to make phone calls to land-line phones or just to other Skype users?

[kagayaki1]

Should be to other Skype users for now, but they are talking about a landline-compatible client in the near future. The VoIP FCC ruling should help in the US.

[joelevi]

Does it actually allow you to make phone calls to land-line phones or just to other Skype users?

As far as I know it's a P2P solution only... but rumor has it they hope to release a pay-service using their "super nifty proprietary voice compression codecs" to eventually connect to PSTN... but not yet.

And, no... it won't work with my Vonage (http://www.vonage.com/?refer_id=leviz) account... :cry:

[lonesniper]

I love Skype and use it each night to talk to my girlfriend in Poland. (don't worry I have seen her, she is not some fake computer geek generated eastern european internet girlfriend :) )
I find it great for saving on phone calls and for me is better quality than calling Poland landlines or cellphones.

I just signed up for the Beta Program and really hope I get selected.

Colin

PS. Anyone else notice that it is "Voice over IP night" here at the PocketPCThoughts.com lounge??? Two front page stories hours apart.

[Janak Parekh]

PS. Anyone else notice that it is "Voice over IP night" here at the PocketPCThoughts.com lounge??? Two front page stories hours apart.
It's just a coincidence. :lol:

--janak

[David Prahl]

Shall I assume that PPC users can connect to PC users without any issues (ideally)?

[lonesniper]

PS. Anyone else notice that it is "Voice over IP night" here at the PocketPCThoughts.com lounge??? Two front page stories hours apart.
It's just a coincidence. :lol:

--janak
I like it, in fact we should have more theme nights, like Tuesday can be "Half Priced Media night" and Wednesday can be.....well you get the idea. Maybe Saturday we can have "Saturday Night Special's" some special event or group chat or I don't know.

Think I will make my next post, my 100th, more worthwhile. :lol: humm that will take some thinking.

[joelevi]

Shall I assume that PPC users can connect to PC users without any issues (ideally)?

That's the game-plan.... So you'll be able to voice-chat with your geek friends easily... after all, they'll be at their computer, right?

Anyone know if Skype offers a Voice Mail option if you're not at your computer/Pocket PC when someone calls? I know they have a "call history", but the voicemail idea would be cool... :) And, yes, Vonage (http://www.vonage.com/?refer_id=leviz) does that... (can anyone tell that I'm hooked on Vonage?)

[Falstaff]

Does anyone know of a 3.5 mm headset (or a 3.5mm > 2.5mm converter) that can be used with the 4 ring jacks on Toshibas and the iPaq 5xxx series? I'd like to use VoIP on my PDA, but I think a headset is pretty essential. Thanks

[Janak Parekh]

I think Plantronics does, if my memory serves correctly. You might want to try a search on their website. As for adapters -- sorry - I don't know. :(

--janak

[that_kid]

Here (http://www.plantronics.com/ipaq/en_US/catalog/display_category_type.jhtml;jsessionid=4X2CWZAFKLVE4CQBGNSSFEYKAEZWMIV0?id=cat4820075&rootId=cat4820068&productTypeId=cat4820075&_requestid=111892) ya go

[Falstaff]

Thanks, I'm going to order the headset adapter, I think I can find cheaper 2.5mm headsets that will do what I need them for.

[cholcomb]

Shall I assume that PPC users can connect to PC users without any issues (ideally)?

That's the game-plan.... So you'll be able to voice-chat with your geek friends easily... after all, they'll be at their computer, right?

Anyone know if Skype offers a Voice Mail option if you're not at your computer/Pocket PC when someone calls? I know they have a "call history", but the voicemail idea would be cool... :) And, yes, Vonage (http://www.vonage.com/?refer_id=leviz) does that... (can anyone tell that I'm hooked on Vonage?)

Same here... Vonage rocks, I've been using it for almost a year now. I love having my voicemails being sent to my email account so I can listen to them as soon as they come in. I've ben tempted to get their soft phone for my XDA II.

[Falstaff]

A question for the people who use Vonage here. When you're having a conversation on it, does your bandwidth get hosed? Because what makes Skype different is that it uses some special technology to minimize bandwidth use, whereas the others just send out many copies of each packet (to make up for any that get lost). I was talking to a teacher about that yesterday, and that kind of turned me off of getting a VoIP client to replace a phone.

[joelevi]

Same here... Vonage rocks, I've been using it for almost a year now. I love having my voicemails being sent to my email account so I can listen to them as soon as they come in. I've ben tempted to get their soft phone for my XDA II.

From what I understand, the Vonage Softphone isn't so much a software program as it is an activation on your Vonage account to allow you to use a software based "phone."

:(

[lonesniper]

I am running the Skype Beta for PocketPC. If anyone would like to call me and help me test it out I would really appreciate it.
My username is LoneSniper (callto://lonesniper/)

Send me a PM so we can arrange a suitable time.

Thanks.
Colin

Horaah my 100th post.

[cholcomb]

From what I understand, the Vonage Softphone isn't so much a software program as it is an activation on your Vonage account to allow you to use a software based "phone."

:(

That is true. They do not have a Pocket PC version of there soft phone, but others have used PDA soft phone software and it worked fine. I'm wanting to be able to use the soft phone with the same phone number as my home vonage account, and have it also use the same minute plan instead of a seperate account for $10 a month for 500 minutes.

[joelevi]

From what I understand, the Vonage Softphone isn't so much a software program as it is an activation on your Vonage account to allow you to use a software based "phone."

:(

That is true. They do not have a Pocket PC version of there soft phone, but others have used PDA soft phone software and it worked fine. I'm wanting to be able to use the soft phone with the same phone number as my home vonage account, and have it also use the same minute plan instead of a seperate account for $10 a month for 500 minutes.

From the looks of it, Vonage uses X-Pro and SJLabs soft phone software for Windows, which would infer that you could use either X-Pro's or SJLab's Pocket PC client with their service as well.

https://www.vonage.com/help/index.php?topic=softphone

[that_kid]

Yes that's how I use it. When first released vonage only listed sjphone and I started off with that. I didn't even know they were offering x-phone until recently but I had moved the settings from sjphone to x-phone and it worked so all was well.