According to a report on GigaOM, Skype may be launching a mobile version of its VoIP service for iPhones as soon as next week.
Skype is currently available on the iPhone, but not officially, as you must use third-party applications to access the service. The report speculates that the official Skype application could be coming as soon as the CTIA Wireless trade that starts on April 1st.
In January, the company introduced Skype for Android phones, and Skype Lite currently works on Windows Mobile and Java devices.
Is mobile VoIP really worth it though? Liane Cassavoy of PC World would say it isn’t, and adds:
“Most notably, the call quality remains iffy at best, and in some instances it’s absolutely abominable. Also, depending on your calling habits, you may not see any savings at all. Most services still charge a per-minute rate, so you’ll save on domestic calls only if you’ve exceeded your regular voice plan’s allotment (in which case you might still be better off upgrading your voice plan).” She does note however, that for international callers, the savings are tremendous.
Result for: pc world
Microsoft has confirmed that a major update for its Vista operating system is coming soon and that Vista Service Pack 2 will enter public beta next week.
Unlike Service Pack 1, which mainly packaged together securities fixes, SP2 will come with new improvements which will add support for newer hardwares and technology standards.
PC World says the highlights of SP2 are as follows:
* The introduction of Windows Search 4.0, said to speed up searching and deliver better keyword relevancy
* The addition of the Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack, which will support emerging Bluetooth technology
* The added ability to record data to Blu-ray discs directly within the operating system
* Improved WiFi setup with changes to Windows Connect Now, Vista’s network configuration tool designed to detect and configure wireless devices.
* Better time zone-safe file synchronization with new support for the exFAT file system, which allows for UTC timestamps.
All beta testers in Microsoft’s Technology Adoption Program will get the beta on October 29th and the final release will be based on how much changes are required during the beta period.
