Skype VoIP Software Will Be Integrated into Nokia Devices

Furthering Nokia's aim to integrate its devices with more online services, Nokia and Skype have announced a partnership in which Skype functionality will be integrated into future Nokia devices.

The upcoming Nokia N97 will be the first device to include Skype's presence, VoIP, and IM functionality. This will not be made as a separate application, but be integrated into the built-in address book.

"Collaborating closely with Nokia to pre-load and integrate our software onto their devices will benefit the many Nokia customers who already use Skype, as it makes Skype easily accessible and simple to use on the go. It will also bring Skype new users who love Nokia's Symbian S60 experience," said Scott Durchslag, Skype's CEO.

Today's announcement is big news for Nokia users, as there is no Skype client for Symbian S60.

More about Skype
Skype is a VoIP service which lets users talk to other Skype users for free over Wi-Fi or 3G connections, and also enables low-cost voice calls to landlines. In addition, it offers instant messaging with Skype and other IM services.

Users need to purchase minutes via major credit cards or PayPal in order to make calls to regular phones.

There are also versions of Skype for Windows Mobile and Nokia Internet Tablets, as well as Windows and Mac OS X.

Source: Nokia

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Greens Give Thumbs Up To GSMA's Universal Phone Charger

The GSMA's plan to implement an industry-wide standard for a universal mobile phone charger by 2012 is "great news," but standardizing power supplies across the full spectrum of consumer electronic products still requires aggressive action, according to one very interested vendor of such products.

"We've been at this for three years, evangelizing the need for interoperable power supplies," said Paul Panepinto, sales and marketing chief at San Ramon, Calif.-based Green Plug. "Without a doubt, things need to happen more quickly. It personally offends me that the average user [of CE products] throws away 300 power adapters in their lifetime."

At the GSMA's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday, the industry group said that 17 of its members have agreed to a universal charging solution (UCS) for mobile phones based around Micro-USB as the charging interface. Green Plug, manufacturer of a "universal connector" that pairs any electronic device with any power supply, hopes the GMSA and bodies like the Open Handset Alliance will call for similar standards for other devices -- from printers to cordless power tools, Panepinto said.

Why all the concern? The company cites recent studies that found 3.2 billion new power supplies being manufactured worldwide in 2008 even as some two billion older ones were going into landfill.

"Nobody benefits from this, not consumers, not manufacturers, not the environment," Panepinto said.

To achieve more standardization like Tuesday's GSMA initiative, he's hoping Green Plug can secure a big-name vendor win for its GreenTalk protocol.

"We need a major adopter to drive this market forward. We have to get to a tipping point and others will follow. We hope that HP and Sony are listening. We hope Wal-Mart puts up a quote [supporting Green Plug's efforts] on our Web site," Panepinto said.

Source:

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