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Skype now available

Just installed it and will give it a test later hopefully. By god it's a chunky bugger though isn't it! Definitely need a transfer to SD at some point.

I actually already had access to Skype through 3UK's own application. The only problem was that you could only use it through 3G and you had to turn off your WiFi in order to sign in. This was awkward and meant I couldn't stay signed in ready to receive calls as I always want my WiFi on when at home or in the office. This issue will be sorted now hopefully.

Quick question though...does anyone know what Skype will use as default when a call comes through - WiFi or 3G? I want it to use WiFi whenever available as I naturally don't want to eat into my data allowance if I can help it.
 
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To answer some previous questions and continue ranting (almost forgot I was angry at this. Thanks for the reminder friends!)

Skype (or other Voip apps) are useful to allow voice to voice chat over the internet (which can be either over wifi, LAN/ethernet, 3G, other data connections).

I don't know about the development issues of implementing this stuff, but if other small companies have done it (fring, etc) then why couldn't Skype do it a long time ago?

It *seems* to me that they worked it out with a bunch of carriers to not release an official application, and to just allow carriers to have their own specific app. Also as someone else stated, the apps I've seen that go through the Carriers (for me here in Hong Kong) and perhaps, Canada and the USA as well, lock their skype application to their data network (i.e. 3G). Also someone else mentioned that this uses up their data quota. Using more data = paying more. Either you're paying for the data transferred, or you're paying for the higher priced unlimited package (if it is offered).

Skype has been useful to me as a chat (IM) client, for communicating with a lot of friends from different European nations that mainly run Skype in their social circles. I'm not about to start some sort of social movement to get people to switch to something else, that's just not convenient.

Additionally, a lot of my friends are traveling around, about every 3 months or so they'll move to another country for work. If you have free voice chat (calling) over the internet, then that saves on a lot of money instead of calling. Roaming data charges are insanely crazy.

Additionally, Hong Kong actually doesn't have unlimited phone plans. They do have unlimited data plans however.

Skype on android would be ideal if:

1) It would just work on the latest phones. It sounds like a lot of people are having problems signing in and/or getting it to work with their shiny brand new phones. If the carriers could make it happen over 3G for everyone's phones, why is it so hard for Skype to do it, just over wifi even (which their original app does).

2) I don't care about Skype out calls. I'm sure there are instances where it is useful. When you just arrive at a new location and you don't have a phone and you need a cheap way to contact other people, etc. The appeal for me is to use it as they originally planned. A free way to communicate via voice off the internet to other skype users. Carry my voice packets from my phone to another client application (phone app, or desktop app, or one of those skype phones). I want it to work over wifi, not just use some carrier's potentially slower 3G/HSPDA network. I'm not trying to get it so the carrier has another way to bill me more money. I want that free starbucks/mcdonalds wifi where I can just call people up. They let iphone users have it... are Android users not good enough? (iPhone Apps ? download Skype for iPhone and iPod touch) is the theory really so different in Android?

I don't even need this app to be persistent. If it just runs when I want to run it, and shuts off afterward I'm fine with that. I'm just so puzzles because they took so long to do something they did already on the desktop and one the iphone, and which other carriers have ALREADY done by themselves. I'm pretty sure the new android development team isn't completely made up of fresh grads looking to build the app from the ground up?

Am I just being unreasonable because I'm upset? If it works, then I can see how you feel we're all crazy people talking. When it doesn't work, then maybe you'll empathize with us. We just want something good for android which our iphone brethren have had the luxury of bragging about for a while.
 
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