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Skype-fever, skype-fever
posted Tuesday, 5 July 2005
I’ve managed with no issues to install skype for pocket PC http://www.skype.com/products/skype/pocketpc/ on an IPAQ H2200, with a D-Link Air Compact Flash Wireless card and it works. No great surprise there, apart from it’s good to get it working on old-ish technology.
This does bring a certain degree of satisfaction because although others tell you yes it works, it is nice to proof it yourself. Some say, you are re-inventing the wheel. I’d agree but I’d also say it’s a small wheel and being a child at heart, rather a nice one to re-invent.
When I say working, I could have a conversation across the home office, an also participate in an instant chat message. I was impressed that the instant chat allowed emotionicons that worked on the PDA! The only functionality that is not currently supported is the use of the conference call (upto 4 people) which is offered on the pc version.
In terms of first impressions, well all seems good, the battery drain wasn’t severe, the quality was OK (there was an echo which I assumed was because we where in the same room). A potential issue for me was what would I need in terms of extra hardware? Well, the speaker held up, but in a crowded room I’d imagine the headphones are a must. As with all of these things, an external keyboard is required – the instant messaging isn’t quite so instant if you are reliant on the onscreen keyboard. The transcriber does work, but I don’t seem to be that accurate ;-)
As I’m working through I can’t help but think that a means of saving the transcript from the instant messenger session is a must. I couldn’t seem to get the send file option to work with respect to sending to the PDA from the PC, and I could find a copy on my local PC. I had to resort to cut and pasting into a text file … all rather amateur !
So, where next, well it’s a set of field trials. In particular, performance from PDA to computer over distance - networks, for both voice and instant messenger, and then repeat with PDA to PDA. The research question is, is it of a high enough quality for it to be viable.
This does bring a certain degree of satisfaction because although others tell you yes it works, it is nice to proof it yourself. Some say, you are re-inventing the wheel. I’d agree but I’d also say it’s a small wheel and being a child at heart, rather a nice one to re-invent.
When I say working, I could have a conversation across the home office, an also participate in an instant chat message. I was impressed that the instant chat allowed emotionicons that worked on the PDA! The only functionality that is not currently supported is the use of the conference call (upto 4 people) which is offered on the pc version.
In terms of first impressions, well all seems good, the battery drain wasn’t severe, the quality was OK (there was an echo which I assumed was because we where in the same room). A potential issue for me was what would I need in terms of extra hardware? Well, the speaker held up, but in a crowded room I’d imagine the headphones are a must. As with all of these things, an external keyboard is required – the instant messaging isn’t quite so instant if you are reliant on the onscreen keyboard. The transcriber does work, but I don’t seem to be that accurate ;-)
As I’m working through I can’t help but think that a means of saving the transcript from the instant messenger session is a must. I couldn’t seem to get the send file option to work with respect to sending to the PDA from the PC, and I could find a copy on my local PC. I had to resort to cut and pasting into a text file … all rather amateur !
So, where next, well it’s a set of field trials. In particular, performance from PDA to computer over distance - networks, for both voice and instant messenger, and then repeat with PDA to PDA. The research question is, is it of a high enough quality for it to be viable.
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