Has Gizmo Project Become The New Skype for S60 Devices?

I think for about a year now we've been waiting for a Symbian Skype solution.  Even during the release of the N800 Internet Tablet there were talks of Skype being available in the future.  Have we put that waiting on hold?

Last month Gizmo Project became available for the N800 and included in the N95 as a way to set up your SIP profile settings.  A few days ago Tommi announced that the Gizmo Project client was available to download for the N95 and on Gizmo's website downloads for the N80ie and E61i are also available. 

It seems to me that Gizmo has become the front runner and people have stopped waiting on Skype to appear.  In a sense I can see why... beyond the fact that its just taking too long to arrive. 

On a daily basis I use many different devices.... the N95, N800, N75 and of course my laptop.  I recently installed Gizmo Project to my laptop.  The one thing that binds all of my devices together in the Gizmo Project is my SIP Id.  I don't have to worry about being reachable because I have different means.

Now even though I am a stranger to VoIP because I don't live in an area with high-speed I count on blogs such as the king of VoIP, Andy Abramson who pointed me to an article of a slightly similar comparison by Ted Wallingford.

I liked Skype for many reasons.  I'm sure I'll like Gizmo Project for many more.  I think the frustration began when we couldn't use a mobile version of Skype without having a desktop connection.  Yes these methods were the alternative method to the real thing and worked very well... but it's just not the real thing.  I also recently found out that with Skype you can only use sms with certain carriers.  I was fine setting this up with T-Mobile but with Cingular/AT&T of course it was a no-go.

Gizmo Project works with many things that I'm already using.  Grand Central is compatible and there is even an option for GC users to add their Gizmo SIP number by means of "mapping".  Gizmo offers the same feature of IM with contacts, which of course is a plus.

So now that VoIP is connecting us via our convergence devices... what future does Skype have?

Comments

[cooli]

Darla, what about Fring? There you have it Skype on mobile for a long time already, no?

[Samir]

I personally prefer the Fring because it offers Fring's own account, Skype, Google Talk, MSN, and also my SIP account. All from the same program and I can use both the voice and chat. The best part is the possibility of using all of these even over a EDGE/GPRS connection. The Gizmo refused to connect me over anything less than 3G or WLAN.

[Snoyt]

Fring seems to have a wider support than gizmo. Connecting to skype is one of them. Still SIP and VoIP is a very powerful application if you image that I am mostly running around the University Campus and at home where I have complete wifi access...

Using skype or other VoIP call-in or out. The stuff gets awesome.

[andy]

Hi there Darla,

A much better description of Gizmo for N95 can be found here:
http://luposlip.blogspot.com/2007/05/gizmo-for-nokia-n95.html

..and it was announced just as fast as on the other blog you referred to ;)

/Andy

[Scott-O-Rama]

I am a big fan of Skype. It has more mainstream adoption than The Gizmo Project, and other than a highly technical crowd, it will probably always beat The Gizmo Project in market share. That is reason enough to use Skype.

Also Skype has widespread support among third-party developers and even hardware manufacturers. Quick, how many phones (non-mobile) are there for The Gizmo Project? I can't think of any. Yet Skype has many. I myself bought the Philips VOIP841 and it works great. See the review here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2134534,00.asp

[Eric]

I've been using Gizmo on my E61 and it's, shall I say, crap-tastic. Sound quality on one call is good, then awful. The call might connect when I click the Call button or might not.

In contrast Truphone has been a good, consistent performer.

I've got Fring but need to figure out how to use it between services.

In the short term I feel a service like Truphone will beat out Gizmo or Skype on the mobile. All that Skype and Gizmo provide which Yahoo/AIM/Gtalk/MSN don't is telephone integration. This is why Truphone (and soon Google) will be in a good position because Truphone focusses on doing one thing well and Google will make the leap from text and audio to SIP with or without a PC. In the end why should I carry around a Linksys Skype phone at home when I have a perfectly good mobile?

@scott-o-rama: what you say is true re Skype third-party support for Windows. There is an absence of 3rd party accessories for the Mac versions of Skype (and Gizmo), therefore it doesn't matter (to me) the widespread availability of them.

[Scott-O-Rama]

@eric: I haven't heard of Truphone before, but I'll check them out. Do they allow a inbound number like Skype does? As for the 3rd party plug-ins for Skype, I'm on a Mac too and have found lots of them that are compatible.

[Jon]

Skype oficial app is mentioned in the sony ericsson p1 whitepaper, so skype for symbian must be really close, at least for uiq3

[scott manthey]

My N770 came with google talk. i found a great deal on a second a bought gf one. the quality of the google talk is exceptional, better than skype (at least with the n770) - no static. yes its wifi and not bluetooth (although thats a great test - im sure using my cell as a bluetooth modem would work with google talk). now all you guys have to do is get a n800 or a n770. when are nokia phones goign to be wifi enabled - especially since they arent really phones anymore.

[scott manthey]

My N770 came with google talk. i found a great deal on a second a bought gf one. the quality of the google talk is exceptional, better than skype (at least with the n770) - no static. yes its wifi and not bluetooth (although thats a great test - im sure using my cell as a bluetooth modem would work with google talk). now all you guys have to do is get a n800 or a n770. when are nokia phones goign to be wifi enabled - especially since they arent really phones anymore.

[Art]

I have been using Fring on my nokia e61. see fring.com

the small client lets you hook up skype, gizmo/sip, googletalk, msn, yahoo aim? at present time.

it works great...you can only have one instance running and only one fring id but then the rest works well.
As long as i'm near wireless i can call my skype, msn and sip contacts. Dialing out to landline via skypeout works well.
if you have a gprs then it could work away from a wireless point.

give it a try...i have been very happy with it so far...but have not really put it to the harshest tests as some of you will

[Slaine]

Ok i don't understand what is gizmo about. I use fring with my nokia N80ie, it enables me to call free to other skype users (I only pay data plan to orange). Now when i want to try to call friend (from my phone)who has gizmo running on his PC I can't. It just says unable to initiate call (although the gizmo IM works). Does that mean i need to purchase free minutes from gizmo?