Thanks

michel

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Derick Says:
January 2nd, 2007 at 3:50 am

OK, Just because you guys asked.

The download link is: http://www.sendspace.com/file/vl1esd
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This link is good, the contents of the zip are:

Mobilcast.jar
3MobileMail_S60v3Client-5128-ACS.sisx
MSN_Messenger.jar
Skype_1_1_0_signed.sisx
ygo_h3g_N71_N73_N80_3250_nokiaSigned.sisx

I have only tried Skype_1_1_0_signed.sisx and it installs on my E61 fine and runs.
However, this is not really a proper Skype application, just one I assume comes with the
new 3 X-Series silver and gold bundles, which are essentially phones which run on S60 so this software will run on any S60 symbian phones. The 3 bundles can be found here:

http://www.three.co.uk/xseries/get_x_series/index.omp

The application however does not function as Skype should, and has clearly only been made to allow 3 in the UK to advertise these new packages as coming with free Skype. When you dial a contact, either in your phone book or in your Skype contact list, the application dials the following number:

+447838333888

This I assume is a gateway which checks you have Skype allowed for your phone, then routes the call, allowing 3 to provide this service, and monitor it’s use, for free. It is not a proper Skype application, I cannot text chat to my contacts (although I can see them online), there is no video chat, no Voip. I think the reason 3 have done this is because if it used your internet connection (either WiFi, 3G or GPRS) then 3 would not be able to monitor and limit the service as they wish, and as they currently charge by the MB, it would make people realize that services which 3 charge for actually cost next to nothing. So by using a dial up number, they can make it look like an internet application is running, while in fact it is just a phone call. Not cool. Anyway..
For me, I get a message informing me I need to have this service activated, which unfortunately the robot speaking does not give a name to. If you have 3 and want this, you can go here:

http://www.three.co.uk/xseries/get_x_series/already_with_3.omp

On the other hand, I want Skype on my phone, a version which can uses either WiFI, 3G or GPRS and can dynamically switch between connections. I want Voip call out, call in, text chat, video chat, I want it all; not a quick fix 3 have made to drum up business. I was considering investing the £5 a month extra in the X-Series Silver package, which comes with Unlimited Skype, Unlimited web surfing, Yahoo! Search, Mobile Mail, Mobilcast, Skype and eBay and is Subject to 3’s Fair Use policy.

Let’s have a look:

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Fair Use Policy - X-Series

To make the most of the X-Series from 3, we encourage you to use the services as much as you like. To help us meet our commitment to you and other customers, we also ask that you use the services fairly. Our take on fair use limits is set out below.

Please remember that the X-Series services are for your personal use only and do not include using your mobile as a modem with your PC or laptop.

A “month” is calculated from the start of each of your monthly billing periods. The following fair use limits are all separate and there is no double counting between them.
Unlimited Data

Fair Use Limit: 1 GB each month

X-Series - 1 GB should be more than enough to allow you to surf websites, use ISP email and download podcasts

X-Series Silver & Gold - 1 GB should be more than enough to allow you to surf websites, use Mobile Mail and download podcasts

We will let you know by text message once you have reached the fair use limit and ask you to cease using the included data services for the remainder of the month. If you continue to use the services we may suspend your data usage until the next month. This will not impact your access to other X-Series services.
Unlimited Windows Live Messenger

Fair Use Limit: 10,000 messages each month

This is more than 300 messages each and every day! If you exceed 10,000 messages we may suspend your access to Windows Live Messenger until the next month.
Unlimited Skype to Skype calls

Fair Use Limit: 5,000 minutes each month

5,000 minutes is more than 2.5 hours a day of Skype calls – every day of the month. We will send you a text message to let you know when you have reached 4,500 minutes. If you exceed 5,000 minutes we will suspend your usage and it will not resume until the next month, however you will still be able to receive Skype calls.
Unlimited Slingbox and Orb (on X-Series Gold)

Fair Use Limit: 80 hours each month

On X-Series Gold you get access to Orb and Slingbox (if you have one). These services have a total combined fair use limit of 80 hours each month. We will let you know by text message once you have reached the fair use limit and ask you to cease using it for the remainder of the month. If you continue to use the services we may suspend your Orb and Slingbox usage until the next month.
Using the X-Services to exploit the unlimited offers

We will also consider your use unfair if you use the X-Series services in any way designed to unfairly exploit the unlimited usage or cause us loss, for example, by using the services for commercial purposes, accessing services that are not included or using an unauthorized device.

We may make reasonable changes this policy in accordance with the Terms for 3 Services and any new version will replace this version.
—

So “Unlimited” in fact means 1GB a month of data, 300 MSN messages a day and 2.5 hours a day on faux-Skype. The accepted dictionary term for unlimited is quite different and I suggest 3 look it up before they end up in court. Also, Yahoo! Search, Mobile Mail and eBay are all accessible in the browser on the phone using the unlimited web surfing, so not really much of a deal..
On top of that, 3 cover themselves by saying ” accessing services that are not included” will be deemed as “unfair use”. They also need to look up the definition of fair, because as I’m sure they realize, that pretty much cripples the phone meaning it cannot be used in any more advanced a way than when it first came out of the box. What happened to out progressive and inventive society in the wake of capitalism?

Ok, sorry to go off on a tangent (although I hope some of that may be of interest to anyone on 3 in the UK or not); back to the real subject.

So Skype that works as Skype does on the Mac (or dirty PC), although discussed at length across the internet, does not as yet exist (but it assuredly on it’s way).

However, something even better in my opinion, does.

Fring

http://www.fring.com/about/application/

I downloaded it, installed with no problems and loved it straight away. You can make normal phone calls to your contact list, Voip in and out and text chat with your Skype contacts, use you MSN account as normal, multi point dynamic connection which you can order, it’s got loads of features I won’t list here but check it out; there is even a menu option which locks the key pad, as you cannot do this usually when running an application. It’s great, it’s free, and it works.

I only really have a lot to say when things don’t work, so I’ll leave it at that.

Great work everyone at Fring.

All we need now is for unlimited data usage to mean unlimited data usage, and we can bypass paying for phone calls and just use Skype. One price calls to anywhere in the world from your mobile anyone?
I think it’s time the people using these services (that’s you and me) read the contracts and took legal action. If enough people did, the companies would have to then provide what they advertise already, for free as they already claim. How is it fine that companies can advertise free and unlimited whatever, when the product is in no way free or unlimited? That is just wrong.

Lets make the world would be a better place.