Skype finally comes to Nokia
Posted on Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Skype for Series 60 allows you to make free Skype-to-Skype
calls using a 3G or WiFi connection.
This mobile version of Skype also
lets you call phones with Skype credit, as well as allowing you to receive
calls on your online number, send instant messages, share files,
take part in group conversations, and more.
Nokia owners have had a long wait to
see Skype available on the Symbian Series 60 platform. After watching in envy
as the revolutionary VOIP app was released for Windows Mobiles and iPhone, then
bundled with N97 phones as standard, S60 users can now enjoy the magic of being
able to make free calls over their data connection.
Ease of use
Using Skype on your phone is dead
easy. Once launched, the program gives you all sorts of warnings to notify you
that it will be using your mobile Internet connection. Then it's just a case of
signing in with your regular Skype account details to get started. Your
contacts will all be imported and displayed in the main window, and you get the
option to add these to your phonebook if you like. To call a person, just tap
on their name and hit 'Call'. The call quality in our tests was excellent, and
as long as your connection is stable you shouldn't experience any drop outs.
Once you've established a
conversation, you can do the kind of things you would do with the desktop
version of Skype. The IM feature is quick and easy, including a range of
emoticons, copy and paste support, and the ability to add other people to the
chat.
Skype keeps a record of all your
text conversations, as well as logging your call history, voicemails, and files
exchanged. You can view this information at any time just by clicking the
'History' button from the well-organized main menu.
Personalize your experience
There are a few settings you can tinker
around with that help you personalize your Skype experience. For instance, you
can choose to enable or disable the Mood message prompt, activate audio
notifications, and show or hide phonebook contacts. There's even an option for
forwarding calls to another number.
If you're expecting a fully-fledged
version of Skype that has all the features of the PC or Mac version of the
program then you'll be a little disappointed. There's no video conferencing or
games, for example, and there are no tools for organizing your contacts into
categories.
Overall though, this Beta release of
Skype for S60 offers everything you'd expect from a mobile version of this
great app - it's easy to use, it's fun, and it's free!
Recent
changes
- Support for the new Symbian^3 handsets (including the Nokia N8 and C7)
- Skype's SILK audio codec
- Improved user interface
Pros
- Compact, easy-to-use interface
- Permits group conversations
- Send files
- Syncs with phone contacts
- Range of emoticons
Discussion