A close second for a true Skype experience would be the Dell Axim X50v; however, its speaker/mic configuration falls short of a real phone experience. The more recent Windows Mobile 5 Smartphones, with QWERTY keyboards, are limited to having the full Skype experience when accessing 3G networks. In cases where they also have WiFi support (and access) - such as the forthcoming HP 6900 shown on the right, the experience has the potential to approach that of the Mylo. With Skype for Mobile all your Windows Mobile Contacts can be easily called via SkypeOut if they don't have a Skype account. Both Windows Mobile devices and the Sony Mylo can execute Skype activities independently of a PC hosting Skype. A major issue not to be overlooked: can a Skype call, using a 3G data plan, be made at a lower cost than simply making a call via the underlying mobile phone carrier's service?

Using the Nokia N-series phones - which has the best "traditional" phone interface, I have found, using QuickIM, the limitation for text chat to be the T9 keyboard. For some characters it is necessary to push a key several times to get a desired character. SMS messages, with their 160 character limitation, provide a handle on the maximum size of text messages that would also be suitable for Instant Message chat sessions with such a keyboard. On the other hand the N91 with WiFi support provides low cost or free access to the Internet when WiFi is available. Nokia's E-series phones include a QWERTY keyboard; however, they are not a participant in the Nokia blogger program. The N-series phones do have full Outlook synchronization.

At the other end of the spectrum are my experiences with EQO and SoonR (via the Nokia N-series phones) where it is necessary to download clients to the PC (and with EQO to the mobile device), leave Skype running on a "host" PC and then make a Skype call in a callback algorithm where there is a phone call back to the mobile device while also calling the remote party (and using SkypeOut credits in the process). Establishing a call using SoonR took an unacceptable three to five minutes. EQO does have a Skype IM capability but again it runs into the T9 keyboard limitations discussed above. In trying to make a Skype call with EQO, a diversity of problems occurred including the first "crash" I have had with a Symbian device. Suffice it to say I was not able to complete a call via EQO from my (supported) mobile device to the called party. These mobile bridge services are simply too complex experiences for main street usage; at best they amount to technology demonstrations without an end user product management strategy.

Web Messenger is the one service currently available to handle Skype on a Blackberry; however, it is again a bridge service that requires a "host" PC connection. In addition it requires alteration of the standard Skype setup on the host PC and has the potential to cause issues with selecting sound devices.

With no IM capability other than delivering presence information, the Skype WiFi phones are effectively excluded from any discussion of a full Skype experience.

I recently interviewed James Wanless of the forthcoming T@lkster service whose key feature is its aggregation of IM services as a means to enable voice conversations. From a web browser in a mobile device you can make calls initially to contacts on MSN Messenger, GTalk and Gizmo Project; they hope to add Skype once the service has launched later this year with the initial three services. Ken Camp best describes T@lkster in his "second look" revised assessment reprise. I can see where T@lkster could be a complement to Skype on a mobile device.

Skype France Managing Director JéromeArchambeaud recently revealed in a French videocast panel discussion that Skype and Nokia will introduce a WiFi-enabled GSM phone before year end. (Skype Journal first reported on a prototype Skype for Symbian phone last February.) To quote a translation of Jérome's comments:

"We work with big brands like Netgear, Phillips and Sony. We have around 100 partners and around 250 products around the world, of which around 70 are sold in France. These partners are really important quite simply because with the Skype program running on the PC, on the phone and soon through Wifi-enabled GSM phones (notably with Nokia who we will be making a big launch with towards the end of the year), we have to really make the Skype ecosystem come to life and forge partnerships where we can."

With emerging platforms such as this, which is effectively an evolution from the legacy Skype client experience and traditional wireless phones to which users can readily adapt, one has to wonder what the sustainable future is for more complex "mobile bridge" services such as EQO and SoonR. The most challenging technical question here is which Nokia platforms have a processor powerful enough to handle both voice and IM.

WiFi access - optionally with 3G, QWERTY keyboards, minimal downloads, adequate processor power, Outlook Contact synchronization and total independence from hosting PC's combine to provide the basics for a mobile device capable of the full Skype experience while gaining widespread and sustainable market acceptance. Differentiation will come through accompanying platform features such as Blackberry's push email, the Nokia video applications (camera and video calling) and availability of unique Windows Mobile applications such as SlingBox Mobile. The next few months promise to be interesting times with the evolution of Skype Mobile platforms.

P.S. Once you have decided on a Skype Mobile platform, you can always use this as your Bluetooth-enabled speaker/mic configuration It would actually solve the problem alluded to above for my Dell Axim. And the price is right!.

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