Mobile Skype features at CES 2008
Wireless devices from 3, Intel, Nokia, Sony and others demonstrating Skype at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
Extract from an article published by VoIPinBusiness.co.uk on 7 Jan 2008
Skype’s general manager of mobile and hardware devices Gareth O’Loughlin says “with the introduction of new mass-market devices at CES that support Skype, millions of people around the world will now be able to leave the desk behind, put Skype in their pocket and take their conversations with them.”
These products include:
3 Skypephone – Introduced together with mobile operator 3, a new affordable mass market 3G wireless handset that lets users make Skype-to-Skype calls and send Skype instant messages from their mobile phone to other Skype users. The 3 Skypephone is available in the UK, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Italy and Sweden, and will soon be available in Hong Kong.
Intel-based Mobile Internet Devices – Mobile users will be able to make Skype voice and video calls and send instant messages on the move, while harnessing the PC-like performance of Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) based on Intel low-power processors and chipsets. This new category of small mobile consumer devices with WiMAX and WiFi capabilities will enable free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls and cheap SkypeOut calls to be made on open wireless networks.
Nokia N810 Internet Tablet – A pocket-sized WiFi device with a slide-out keyboard which frees Skype users from their desktops, allowing Skype-to-Skype conversations and SkypeOut calls to take place in any WiFi connection, including thousands of Boingo Wireless and Earthlink WiFi hotspot locations.
mylo™ Communicator – Skype comes pre-installed on Sony’s mylo personal communicator, COM-2, enabling users to call or instant message any other Skype user for free over an open WiFi connection. Users of the mylo can also make cheap SkypeOut calls and receive SkypeIn calls.
On-Communications CEO, Ian Roberts comments:
Until now, the mobile operators have blocked Internet calls through the likes of Skype. 3Mobile’s willingness to break ranks maybe significant if it doesn’t get squashed or withdrawn. Added together with pico/femto cell technology, this is the type of development where an intelligent WiMAX broadband connection into the enterprise could lay the foundation for a single handset for the office and traditional mobile telephony with best of breed function in both environments. Now then, who could be providing intelligent wireless broadband pipes to enterprise?