3 Skypephone

So the UK mobile telecomms network three.co.uk has launched a Skype mobile phone that handles Skype instant messaging as well as Skype calls and I've bought one of these little (86 gram) beauties.

I use Skype heavily to provide tech support and communicate with colleagues in several countries and up till now I've not really had a mobile alternative. Other so-called Skype phones don't handle IM so I've been off-line when travelling to customer sites unless I booted up my laptop.

This phone gives you mobile broadband access from your laptop - either by Bluetooth or USB cable (supplied) - and an amazing range of goodies for the low price of £50 (PAYG) or £12 p.m. (contract). The contract is worth it as you get 100 mins talk time (not used when making free Skype calls) and you can add-on inexpensive 3G Internet access and mobile TV.

I didn't really buy the phone for entertainment but the media player (stereo headphone supplied), TV and other services and the BREW operating system platform for games (also runs Java VM) means it is surprisingly good fun. An immediate must-do is to read the Skypephone forum for tips, download and install the Opera mini browser so you can browse non-WAP sites and for mobile email install flurry.

If you wanted entertainment (and were rich!), you'd buy an iPhone, and if you wanted a PDA you'd buy a Blackberry or Treo but if you want a work Skype phone that offers a lot more this is a great phone.

--Peter

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I run a business that provides business IT consultancy to help other companies run their operations and improve their efficiency by using Open Source software (we're specialists in Linux, MySQL, Perl and PHP and web technologies).
We work particularly in the recruitment sector although we also do websites for all types of small businesses.
I've decided to start a blog to cover some of the technical and industry issues we come across.