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Skype Blocks Fring – Or Not? Fingerpointing… But Where is Skype for Android?

Posted on July 12, 2010 ·

Image courtesy of FringJust two days ago I reported how mobile video call app Fring enabled making video calls on 3G, even to other platforms, say Skype.  That was a huge improvement for iPhone users, since their native Facetime only allows iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 calls, and only over wi-fi.  But the new option proved to be too popular, overwhelming Fring’s servers, so hours after the announcement they had to suspend support for Skype.

Today the story changes again, now it’s no longer up to Fring.  Skype decided to block Fring calls.  Forget openness.. competition is tough, I guess Skype wants to fully “own” video callers. Except they can’t.  Get access to Skype, that is.

Like I said in the earlier post, the real losers are in the Android camp, where Skype made an exclusive deal with Verizon to be the only carrier who can offer the Skype app.  Yes, that’s correct: Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile..etc are all coming out with high-end Android superphones, but their owners won’t find Skype on the Android App Marketplace. For them, Fring has been the obvious solution – until now.

Update: TechCrunch reports that “Skype also claims the decision to no longer offer Skype
interconnectivity was entirely made by Fring and that they had nothing
to do with it.”

Update:  Skype responds on their blog:

there is no truth to Fring’s claims that Skype has blocked it. Fring made the decision to remove Skype functionality on its own.

Update:  Now I really want Fring, if it hooks me up with Samantha 🙂

(Cross-posted @ CloudAve)

Filed Under: Technology · Tagged: , , , , , , ,
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Fring’s Popularity BackF(i)ring

Posted on July 10, 2010 ·

FringHooray, iPhone users can now make video calls on 3G, even to other platforms, say Skype, but using the popular Fring app.  Or not…

The new option proved to be too popular, overwhelming Fring’s servers.   This morning Fring announced suspension of support for Skype.

The biggest losers are Android users on all carriers but Verizon, which apparently has an exclusive deal with Skype, preventing all others from offering the Skype app via the Android marketplace.  For them, the workaround has been to use Fring to connect to Skype.  Until now Sad smile

(Cross-posted @ CloudAve)

Filed Under: Misc · Tagged: , , , , , , ,
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Update on the Sprint HTC EVO Battery Debate: Not Bad, Really. See Yourself.

Posted on June 14, 2010 ·

IMG_9983The HTC EVO is the hottest Android phone for now, but it is plagued by the much debated battery issue.  Clearly, it’s a monster of a workhorse, and battery life will depend on one’s usage patterns: you can’t expect a whole lot if you get background updates from social networks every 5  minutes and watch HD video for hours.

But the real divisive issue is battery life on stand-by: some claim their EVO’s die in Sleep mode in a matter of 5-6 hours, while others swear battery life is not worse than that of the iPhone.  TechCrunch goes as far as warning people: Don’t Buy The HTC EVO, It Is A Seriously Flawed Device.

Wow, that’s a heavy statement – and I have to disagree, because I had experienced all the trouble myself, than started to research, experiment and went from 5 hours to 2 days standby time.

But I don’t want to argue – I don’t have to.  I have proof.  Just look at the image on the right: after almost 2 days my EVO still has 40% battery left.

I’d say that’s as good as you can get, from a powerful little computer that happens to allow phone calls, too. 🙂

(Cross-posted @ CloudAve)

Filed Under: Technology · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
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Fixing the Battery Problem your Android Smartphone Seems to Have

Posted on May 31, 2010 ·
Android and cupcake at the Googleplex

Image via Wikipedia

I shared some of my recent Android experience here, with the two leading phones, Verizon’s HTC Incredible and Sprint’s EVO  now it’s time to share a trick (actually two) that makes or breaks your experience with these two mobile powerhouses. Matt Burns @ MobileCrunch loves the EVO but considers the battery a deal-breaker:

Simply put, the battery sucks. It’s a deal breaker. I’m really sorry to say that, too. In fact it hurts me because I wanted this phone so bad, but the battery life is horrible. The phone will lose a third of its battery sitting overnight with the GPS, WiFi, and 4G turned off. Even with Advanced Task Killer set to aggressive and auto killing apps every hour, the most I can get out of the phone is about ten hours.

I know – been there, done that and could not believe how bad it was.  In fact with everything (Wifi, GPS, Mobile Data) off and without activity, in Sleep mode the battery died in 6 hours.  So why have a Smartphone if I have to turn everything off to be able to make a few calls?  I refused to accept it, searched, searched, experimented, and found the two tricks that can dramatically improve battery life.  They are actually simple: start with more, and don’t lose it 🙂

Start with more juice

No, I don’t mean buying a bigger battery pack. Get more out of what you already have. Charge with Power OFF.  Seriously.  If you charge your phone turned on, it will reach full charge status very fast.  The problem is, it’s not really full, only  Android thinks so.  Turn it off,  and recharging will last hours longer, but it will truly be full.  Since it appears to be a software glitch, we can hope an OTA update will fix it … one day.

Don’t lose your juice

Keep your Apps under control.  No, Task Killer and similar tools won’t help, some programs do get restarted no matter what you do.   Here’s what you need to check:  After power on, keep the phone in Sleep mode for a few hours.  If Uptime and Awake time are close to each other, or even 2:1  3:1 ratio, you have a problem.  An application does not allow your phone to go to sleep.  Keep on trimming your App list (and I don’t just mean shut down, but full uninstall) until you’ll see awake time less than 10% of uptime.

With those two tricks, your phone should last 2+ days in Sleep mode, and otherwise it will obviously depend on your actual usage.

Oh, and I am switching from the Incredible to the EVO 🙂

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Does Sprint Limit Using Google Voice?

Posted on May 21, 2010 ·

(See update @ the bottom)
Well, this did not take long. I’ve just speculated that Google & Sprint wanted testers before the commercial rollout of the Android-driven HTC EVO on June 4th – a few hours later I see that theory proven.  I ran into trouble setting up Google Voice, and called the special number given to Google I/O attendees.  Apparently it’s a “discovery period” customer support group, and the rep I talked to was very (unusually!) courteous and helpful – at least she tried to, within the limits of information available to her.  Unfortunately it wasn’t enough.  Here’s the skinny:

I’m in the somewhat rare situation of being able to compare the HTC Incredible on Verizon and the EVO on Sprint, released a month apart, with essentially the same setup, same software releases.  Here’s part of the Google Voice configuration screen on both:

Google Voice Verizon vs Sprint

And yes, the shocking discovery: it appears that Sprint limits using Google Voice to international calls only.  Let me rephrase that: other parts (e.g. voicemail, transcription..etc) of the Google Voice service will still work, but if you can’t initiate calls using your GV number, than guess what, the other party will see your Sprint mobile number, that’s where they will call you back…etc – in other words the key concept of “One number to show”, which is what Google Voice integration is all about, is dead.

The Sprint rep told me she hoped it was a software glitch that would soon be updated, but frankly, the different wording suggests otherwise.  I’m afraid it’s a business decision by Sprint, and one that should be made very, very public.  Full Google Voice integration happens to be a key decision-making factor when switching to Android, for yours truly, forTechCrunch’s Mike Arrington and likely many others.  Not having it could prove to be a show stopper.

I hope it’s not final – Sprint, Google, HTC, whoever – please chime in here.  We need answers.

Update: The short answer, and it’s a good one, it’s not Sprint policy, just an installation glitch. Details:

All of a sudden I remembered that a few weeks ago when I set up Google Voice on the HTC Incredible with Verizon, it refused the accept my existing Google Voice number, so I tricked it: went ahead with the route of setting up a new number, but input y existing Google Voice number, then it worked.

I suppose something got fixed since then, as the Sprint EVO allowed me to link up with the existing GV account, albeit with the limitation shown above… so I started to wonder if I should try the same trick here.  I deleted the Sprint cell number from Google Voice, signed out on the EVO and even deleted the entire Google Voice app (probably an unnecessarily step, but who knows…).   Then I proceeded with the “new number” setup, but of course using the existing account information.  Got into a couple of loops with error messages, nevertheless following all prompts both on the mobile and the GV web side finally resulted in the perfect Google Voice installation, with identical results to the Incredible version (the phone shown on the left).  I’m a happy Google Voice user again.

(Cross-posted @ CloudAve)

Filed Under: Software, Technology · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,
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iPhone? Android? It’s All Irrelevant when you Can’t Get a Signal

Posted on May 6, 2010 ·

Will iPhone users move to Verizon? – goes the speculation, based on a study published @ Fortune showing AT&T drop calls 3 times as frequently as Verizon.

From my vantage point even dropped calls would be a luxury – meaning you can get a strong enough signal to place calls in the first place.  Apparently I live at the end of the World.  Sometimes I tell friends if Friedman is right and the World is really flat, this is where you fall off the edge. 🙂

But it’s not really the “end of the world” – Pleasanton is (was) was hometown to software giants like  PeopleSoft, Commerce One,  Oracle, Workday, or to name a few more traditional businesses, grocery chain giant Safeway, or mega-HMO Kaiser Permanente.  Yet this is what AT&T’s coverage map looks like:

at&t coverage map

Ad no, we’re not even talking about 3G data, this is for voice calls.  Now, being in the “good” (on the boundary of moderate) zone may not look so bad, until we look at how At&T defines good voice coverage:

Should be sufficient for on-street or in-the-open coverage, most in-vehicle coverage and possibly some in-building coverage. This AT&T owned network provides GSM, GPRS, and EDGE service

Possibly some in-building coverage?  Calling that good?  How pathetic.  But let’s look at other carriers’ definition of “Good”.  T-Mobile:

You will likely be able to place calls outdoors, in a car, and occasionally indoors.

Occasionally?  What are they smoking calling this “good” coverage?  Hm, let’s check Sprint, home to the uber-super HTC EVO 4GS and the superfast Overdrive 4G hotspot:

You should generally receive a signal strength sufficient to make calls outdoors, in a car and in some buildings.

How Pathetic.  All these companies must speak a different version of English, where “good” means “no can do” in most buildings.  Insanity.

That only leaves Verizon, which has solid red (best coverage) in my entire area.  Which makes my choice easy: all those comparative reviews of the iPhone 3G and 4G, HTC Incredible, Nexus One, HTC EVO 4G are so irrelevant, if I can’t get a signal.  HTC Incredible (Android) and Verizon, here I come.  By default.

(Cross-posted @ CloudAve)

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