Skype for iPhone review

Mar 31, 2009 by Dan Taylor    7 Comments    Posted under: News, Productivity, Technology

Both the iPhone and non-iPhone world was abuzz yesterday (or today, depending on which time zone you’re in) about the confirmed announcement of skype for iPhone launching today.  Living in Europe, I’m up +6 hours ahead of the east coast – bonus!

My thoughts have echoed so many other iPhone owners, “Hey, where’s my skype application?” and I’d tried a number of work arounds, but nothing that delivered voip.  Fring is a great app for iPhone that will handle all your IM programs (think Adium for iPhone), including skype, but again, no voice features.  So you can imagine my excitement when the news broke like wildfire across the net yesterday when rumors were confirmed and skype would be made available (for free no less) today.

To my surprise, upon entering the app store via iTunes, skype is not (yet) the top free app, and I had to do a little searching.  Needless to say, there’s quite a few mentions of skype in the search results, but here’s the direct link to the skype app for iPhone.

Note: I am currently running the 3.0 firmware on my (obviously) jailed iPhone.

Installation

As with any iPhone application, installation is a breeze, literally a click and a password (if you have this option selected) away.  A quick install and eject later, I fired up my shiny new skype for iPhone application.  Sadly, I wasn’t able to grab a screenshot of the entry screen, but the folks at skype thoughtfully repeated their message about skype not being a replacement for a regular phone, and that emergency calls may not be made with skype (or any other voip service, for that matter).  Not necessary, but a nice thing to do.

Setup

The skype for iPhone setup is very familiar to any user of the desktop version, and is appropriately styled the same way.  Simply enter your user name and password, and you’re off to the races.  No ‘unknown error’s thus far.  Nothing but smooth sailing.

Use

If you’ve used any other type of IM service on your iPhone, and/or are fairly familiar with the way iPhone lays out lists (think of your contacts book), the UI is instantly recognizable.  Contacts are displayed alphabetically, and you have the option to display all contacts, or only those currently online.  As with the desktop version, contacts’ display icons appear next to their name, along with their status.

As with any new toy, I wanted to really test just how far this tiny little app will take me.  A quick view of my contacts list revealed that my friend Bree in Hawaii was still awake and online.  Hawaii?  Sure, I think that’s approximately half way around the world from where I am – looks like a suitable test location.  And here’s where things started to get a bit rocky.  First, Bree didn’t show up as online on the iPhone, but did show up on the desktop version.  I sent her a message via the desktop, and her response showed both on the desktop version and the iPhone.  Needless to say, the minute I got a response, poof!  Bree’s now online.  Perhaps I was a bit impatient, and didn’t give the system the proper amount of time to load all the data.

My initial call to Bree went through (technically), but I could not hear her, nor could she hear me.  At this point the application froze, and I had to ‘home’ button, close and relaunch.  Fair enough, it’s a first release; I’m willing to cut the Swedes some slack.

Our second attempt at a call can only be described by Borat as, “Great Success!”  Voice quality was just as good if not better than the desktop version, and on par with actual phone call quality.  We talked for about 5 minutes, all the while me moving about the house, closer and further away from the router.  All good.  As a point of comparison, I decided to hang up and call her back, but only using the 3G network this time.  Third attempt worked like a charm.  No lag, no dropped call, semi-instant connection.  I’d almost go so far to say that skype for iPhone performed better on 3G than over my wireless connection.  Although, to be fair, perhaps the application was suffering from stage fright, and that first misfire was the one and only bobble I’ll ever have (crossing fingers).

Just to put the distance question to the test, I gave a call to my buddy Olivier here in town, and low and behold, no misfires, instant connection, perfect voice quality.  So maybe there is something to routing a call 10,000 miles away vs. 3.  Either way, the application met my expectations.

Conclusion

Other than the first misfire while calling Hawaii, the skype for iPhone application works, and works quite well.  Is it perfect?  Yes/No.  I’d love to give the application 5 stars, but the first bobble knocks off half a star.  Given that the application is free and there’s a pretty good chance you’ve already got skype running on your desktop,  there’s absolutely no reason this little app shouldn’t be sitting on the front page of your iPhone.

Kudos skype – it’s been a long time coming.  Welcome to my phone.

Update: According to TechCrunch, within three short days, the skype for iPhone application has been downloaded over 1 million times.

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Win an iPhone 3G from TSheets.com!

Jun 30, 2008 by Dan Taylor    26 Comments    Posted under: Technology

Oh snap!  Ok, if the new iPhone wasn’t enough to get you juiced, how about a free one?  Right.  Let me say that again…how about a free iPhone 3G?  Un huh…and no, it’s not a scam.  This is the real deal folks, a good ol’ fashioned down home competition that isn’t all about some skeevy marketing company trying to get your email address and then repackage it.  It’s about change.  The iPhone 3G makes change in one’s life possible.

So here’s how it shakes out:  What’s the craziest/coolest/awesomest(?) thing that you do at 10 after 5?  Ok, before you start whining, yes…some of us do leave the office at (or pretty darn close to) 5pm everyday.  Which reminds me, ed. note: Remember, life is short.  Work hard, but also remember to leave the office at a decent hour.  Too much time at the office and/or working is not a good thing.

Ok, with my public service announcement out of the way, as Eminem said it best, “Let’s get down to business”.

The rules to bring home the bread are simple.  Photograph it, Film it, Blog it, hmmm…is there another media I forgot?  Anywho, you get the point.  The guys at TSheets what to know what you do at 5:10.  5:10 or Five Ten or 5ive 10, etc. must appear in your image (still or moving) or your blog.  They also need you to give ‘em a shout out here, and link yo’ junk up to TSheets.com (think SEO love).

Here’s the official skivvy from TSheets directly:

“5pm is possibly one of the most celebrated times all around the world. You’re free. Great God almighty, I’m free at last! Granted, at 10 after 5 you may or may not be calling it a day, but by most standards you’re free to go if you so choose. And this is exactly what we want to hear about. How do you rock it at 5:10? What’s the coolest, craziest, most creative thing you do at 5:10? Tell us all about it…maybe you load up the iPod and have your favorite DJ slam your subway ride home? Is 5:10 the time that you slip the wingtips under the desk, strap your Specialized shoes on and blaze through commuter traffic all the while chasing Lance Armstrong along the Champs-Élysées? Send us as many entries as you’d like. Talk to us!

All Entries must Include:

Something indicating that it is 5:10pm (examples = Picture with clock in the background, Video with clock, or blog posted at 5:10pm). Rockin’ a Flava Flav style clock is HIGHLY encouraged.

A link labeled “time tracking” linked to http://www.tsheets.com and a comment on this page so that we can find your entry.

You’ll score mad props from the judges by getting the most views or comments on your entry or if you give a shout out to TSheets. Props where props are due, but ultimately the most creative/crazy/cool post will land the ice.”

That’s it!  So now there are NO excuses NOT to have the year’s hottest bit of techno love riding in YOUR pocket.  And let’s be honest here folks…anyone that reads this blog on a regular basis MUST be slightly creative/crazy/cool…..Let ‘em hear about it!

Disclaimer: I am currently employed by TSheets.com as a copywriter (that copy was HOT wasn’t it?) and find an ethical conflict of interests, so I will not be entering this contest.  However…all of YOU are permitted to enter…so get movin’!