Skype on the Blackberry - More Experiences
Experiencing the new era on the AlwaysOn world continues
Over the past few days I have been getting bytes of experience using IM+ for Skype Software introduced in an earlier post this week. In the end I found myself using IM+ to set up or make changes for a few meetings at Skype DevCon and eBay Live and I made a couple of Skype calls. My observations:
- The primary problem is sustaining the data connection for the IM+ Skype client on the Blackberry. Randomly (other than when entering a tunnel or a subway) the Contact list will go away and then re-establish itself. Sometime the data disappearance also coincides with the program shutting down (in one instance I had to "reboot" the Blackberry). So there are some sustainable data connectivity and program robustness issues.
- Another issue relates to seamlessness of the user interface. Yesterday I had someone, whom I could only reach via Skype IM, send me a phone number. Whereas other IM's would "underline" the phone number such that I could highlight it and dial the number, IM+ did not. On the other hand someone sent me an email address today and that gets highlighted such that I can launch a Blackberry email message. Small issues in some sense but these are the issues that drive user adoption -- or not.
- Of course, you do have to deal with the issue that every Skype IM message ends up pinging your Blackberry; fortunately I have it in "Vibrate" profile so it is not a loud noise. But you many want to close the program down on your Blackberry while at your laptop with the Skype client open, unless you're hooked on dual-thumb typing.
- And there is the question of to which Skype client do your contacts' IM chat messages go when you are logged in on both your Blackberry and a PC. I seem to be getting them on both although there is a time lag between receiving them.
- And, as Dan mentions in the post referenced below, there may be battery use issues although I suspect mine is coming to the end of its rechargeable life anyway.
Dan York asks where is the PC making the Conference Call? I made a call to Dan this afternoon and to the right is his Skype client during the call. Somewhere there is a Skype client which is logged into my Skype account as the Conference host; a SkypeOut call has been made to my Blackberry and a Skype call has been made to Dan's PC. During this call a couple of times I lost my IM+ connection to the network and the call dropped out. Brought it back up and made another call. After two shutdowns like this, we did a regular Skype to Skype call where the overall call quality, while acceptable for a mobile to Skype call, had the excellent call quality discussed in a post earlier today. Thinking about it, when making a call, you have two logins: one for the IM client on the Blackberry and "somewhere else" for the actual voice connection. (On the other hand I did have a 15 minute call from an Irish pub with Andy Abramson Wednesday that was Blackberry/IM+ to Skype.)
Keep in mind Shape Services caveat about IM+ for Skype Software: This product uses the Skype API but is not endorsed, certified or otherwise approved in any way by Skype
Jon Arnold says it's not quite a "Come here Watson" moment but still of significance. Russell Shaw on The Blackberry Beat,
Tags: Skype, IM+ for Skype Software, Blackberry, SkypeOut, Jon Arnold, Dan York, Skype IM, Skype on Blackberry, Russell Shaw
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Comments
why would a company (that has rules, policies, procedures, best practices in place) put Skype on their Blackberries, running the risk that their internal blackberry contact list shows up on some server somewhere ? Tell to any CEO about the dual-login feature of SKype without notification and it's scary enough to overshadow all other beautifications of the Skype invention. Putting Skype on a blackberry would be the same like saying to a corporation to use www.plaxo.com, while they already have internal LDAP servers in place. It's not safe, there are alternatives, better manageable and to put it plainly it does not make sense to put it on a blackberry, unless you really want it. But then again think about the consequences and ask yourself if your phonenumbers and confidential contact-list belongs where it is ending up. Maybe you don't care, then talk to your IT-manager and ask them their opinion about it. After all they are the people who mostly have to cleanup the mess. If all that does not make sense, well don't bother and just do whatever you want to do...
Posted by: Jan Geirnaert | Tropicaljantie | June 15, 2007 04:03 PM
I'm an international traveler looking to reduce per minute voice charges. Unfortunately, BB doesn't play nice with Skype and Windows mobile doesn't play nice with blue tooth voice command. For functionality and stability's sake, I've chosen to live with BB's shortcomings.
I've used IM+ and am disappointed by the way the company misleads customers about the programs actual functionality. Being charged for a phone call IN ADDITION to skype out charges is ridiculous. All in all, I guess I'm stuck to firing up the laptop, tethering my BB to create an internet connection (which works pretty derned nice by the way) and firing up skype. Its a pain to have to turn on the laptop, but it beats the double-charges induced by IM+ and the outrageous international calling rates I'm charged by my cell provider.
Best~
Posted by: Dan | July 30, 2007 03:11 AM
I would like to phone using skype through my Blackberry 8830 My phone operator is Orange france. can someone tell me how to do that?
Posted by: veas | February 27, 2008 02:13 PM