VoIP Soft

Since Skype doesn't offer web access or clients for all platforms, there's a boutique industry filling gaps in Skype's product line. The IM+ line added an iPhone browser client with callback service.

SHAPE Services hosts a huge bank of Skype clients. Their IM+ for Skype web app, Skype for iPhone, talks to those Skype clients via the Skype API.

Conclusions:

Free for now, except for SkypeOut fees for inbound and outbound voice calls.

Underfeatured, lacking Skype 1.0 tools like group chats, file transfers, and end-to-end encryption.

Skype should have offered web chat/calling features and a set of web services available a year ago. So it is very nice of Shape to fill this gap while Skype catches up (and Skype is on this trajectory).

A walk through Skype for iPhone.

Log in.

See your contacts.

Touch one, Jim Courtney in this case.

Click on the blue Chat button and chat away.

Or press the green Call button to call Jim. You can see how many Skype credits are in your account. IM+ makes a SkypeOut call to the phone number you put here, so you can take this call on your mobile, landline or SkypeIn number.

If you click the "More" button you see:

• Conference Call (coming soon)
  
  
• Add Contact (coming soon)
  
  
• About
  
  
• Help
  
  
• Hide Offline
  
• Sign Out
  

Browsing one of my favorite mobile computing blogs, I chanced upon a software that will allow one to use the N95 when calling by Skype. The software is called iSkoot and is now available for free download.

I went to the website to find the version for the N95 but it seems not to be supported at the moment. I downloaded instead the version for the Nokia N80 and decided to try it out. Installing the traditional way using Nokia PC Suite via USB, I was up and running in no time.
Here is what I did after installation:
I connected the N95 via my home wi-fi.
I then initialized iSkoot which then asked for my skype login data.
In about 20 seconds, I have showing in the N95 window all my Skype contacts.
I selected one of my US based contacts then selected CALL from the context menu.
You will then hear the iSkoot server informing that the call is being processed.
The other party picks-up and swears that my voice is very clear.
I have tried many times before using a cellphone to call by Skype but have always given up for various issues. iSkoot is the first software that allowed me to do the same totally hassle free.
Although iSkoot does not list the Philippines as one of the supported countries, I can assure you that I was able to connect to the US from the confines of the However, when Skyping a local based contact, I always get a connection failed error. It seems that not being supported means that you can only call from here to another country where iSkoot is supported. Oh well, let's give iSkoot sometime to resolve this.
iSkoot which is still in beta is available for free. I won't hold my breath though that it will stay that way for long.
If you find this article interesting, you must also be interested in how to connect a bluetooth keyboard to your N95. Also, for the more daring, you can even turn your N95 into a powerful carputer.