It what might be a counter-punch to the Google and Verizon partnership today, AT&T has finally relented on it’s VoIP stance for iPhone users. Om shares this latest development and offers up a valid concern: how will AT&T’s network — already under fire for buckling under heavy data demand — handle a flood of VoIP traffic? If you don’t think there’s going to be much of this traffic, you might be overlooking the fact that Skype for iPhone has been downloaded to 10% of the device base. I suspect that some folks didn’t install it because it was previously limited to Wi-Fi, so that install percentage is likely to rise on this news.

This development changes one of my earlier thoughts today. I had a guest video appearance on the TechVi show where we discussed the partnership between Google and Verizon Wireless. At that time, I said that Verizon may concede the iPhone to AT&T for good and just go with a very open approach on Android — an approach that will include Google Voice. With AT&T’s countermove, all bets are off for Verizon to use Android as a total hedge.

Regardless of future plans, I’m hoping that AT&T goes whole hog and allows streaming media service apps like Slingbox Mobile as well as VoIP. That may be asking for too much because the bandwidth for audio and video is surely more than audio alone.

Regular readers know that I couldn’t do without Skype. The voice over IP service has been a daily staple in my routine since early 2005. Since I use it so much, I’m a perfect candidate to test out new Skype accessories like the FREETALK Everyman USB headset I have on loan. I was initially skeptical because of the headset’s low, $22.88 price tag. But as they say, the proof is in the pudding. After using the Everyman headset for Skype over the past few weeks, it’s easily worth every penny and then some. Have a quick look — and listen — to the audio quality.

One of the advantages of working for the GigaOM Network is the ability to contribute some in-depth articles for the subscription site, GigaOM Pro. These articles give me a chance to really delve into an idea and flesh it out into a full-fledged product idea. One such idea concerns a device to compete with the iPod Touch from Apple.

The iPod Touch is a great audio player, but so much more. The inclusion of the iPhone OS on the Touch turns the iPod into a phone without the phone bits. That means good web surfing, email and the like, all due to the inclusion of Wi-Fi.

A competing device would have to do all the things the iPod Touch can do, and just as well, but there is one area that could be exploited to make it better — VoIP. Sure the iPod Touch can do VoIP, but it requires additional accessories and Apple doesn’t promote the function. This lack of promotion for VoIP is likely due to Apple’s partnerships with phone carriers on the iPhone side. Carrier partners wouldn’t like it if Apple started pushing the iPod Touch, no carrier contract required, for making free (or cheap) VoIP calls.

If a company would make a gadget that focuses on VoIP, it could be promoted heavily as a “Skype in your pocket” device. Skype (or the equivalent) could be included on the device along with the components to exploit it. A device like this, coupled with good media playing capability, could give the iPod Touch a run for its money, I believe.

These thoughts come to you from a longer article I wrote for our subscription research site, GigaOM Pro. Check out that article for my full analysis of what such a competing device must have, and who is in a position to make one. Please feel free to comment on this idea here; I am interested in your thoughts.

All you Palm Pre owners out there who’ve been wishing you could use Skype on your handset can stand down. A web-based app has been released that allows full use of Skype on the handset. The program, IM+, has been around for a good while but this Pre version is brand new.

The app is web-based and all you have to do is visit s4palm.com on your Pre mobile browser. This takes you to a Skype login page, and once you’ve logged in, you can Skype away. This is not a Skype app; it is strictly run in the Pre’s browser. It uses SkypeOut minutes to make calls and supports both text and audio chats to Skype contacts.

The program is free to use for 10 days and a lifetime fee of $9.99 gets you continued usage of IM+.

Those of us who work at home or on the road sometimes need to reach out and touch someone. Collaborating with co-workers is very important, not only in order to get things done effectively, but also to keep in touch with the outside world. Skype is a commonly used tool for interacting remotely with others. It’s free, and it works well for text, audio and video chats. The latest version of Skype for the Mac and Windows has added a brilliant feature that takes collaboration to the next step. I have been using Skype to share desktops remotely with other Skype users, and it has been an outstanding experience.

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The Skype people are busy, as they have released version 1.1 for the iPhone in addition to the WinMo version we covered earlier. This new version adds the ability to check Skype voice mail and to send SMS messages, but it lacks a highly desirable feature: push notification.

Push notification is the feature enabled in 3.0 that addresses the lack of multi-tasking on the iPhone. Some users of Skype on the iPhone are pitching a fit on the Skype blog that this “little” feature is not included in Skype 1.1. If any program needs push notification, then Skype is certainly it, as you can’t just run it all the time to the exclusion of all else. I guess your Skype buddies have to call your mobile number to tell you to switch to Skype to save money. Yes, that must be it.

The Skype folks seem to release new versions of the VoIP program all the time on one platform or another. That would exclude Windows Mobile, as they seem to sit on versions for a very long time. Those of you who use Skype on your WinMo phone should note that Skype 3.0 has gone gold and is available for download.

This new version adds two features that users have long requested: file sharing and SMS texting. Skype is available in either a version to install from a PC or a downloadable CAB file for installation direct from the phone.

If the word “beta” doesn’t bother you and want some screen-sharing action on your Windows PC, go have a look-see at Skype 4.1. Version 2.8 for Mac already had the screen-sharing option, so this is new for the PC. Now you won’t be able to remotely interact with a fellow Skyper when sharing a screen, but this feature is useful for showing someone a doc, file or other object on your desktop. The latest beta version also restores the birthdates of your contacts and allows for the import of contacts from Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and AOL.

Thanks for the tip, Dave!

Don’t tell anyone, but right now I am on a conference call with the GigaOM team discussing editorial topics. We conference the team in from all over the world using Skype on the computer and it works well.

Normally I use my USB headset to make sure the audio quality is good enough for the call, but today I wanted to go with an easier solution. I use Skype on the MacBook and I decided to use the Bang & Olufsen headset for the iPhone. I plug it into the audio out jack on the MacBook and the jack passes both input and output. This means the headset works as well with Skype on the MacBook as it does on the iPhone for calls. It’s much more comfortable for long calls than the bulky USB headset, so give it a try if you have a good audio headset. Thanks to Kevin for the idea.

Now I’m sure that there are other notebooks this will work on other than MacBooks, so no slamming. It’s what I have so I know it works with the MB.

Skype has been one of the top downloaded apps for the iPhone since its release last week, even though Apple bowed to AT&T in the U.S. to prevent the VoIP program from working on 3G. US Skype users are relegated to finding a WiFi hotspot to take advantage of Skype on the iPhone, something we’re not surprised to see. Phone carriers are no doubt concerned that cheap VoIP calls will cost them talk minutes so they do whatever they can to prevent that.

T-Mobile Germany is following AT&T’s path by also prohibiting Skype use over 3G but extending that ban to WiFi hotspots they operate. That’s right, T-Mobile Germany is prohibiting the use of Skype over any network they own, 3G or otherwise.

The reasons, say T-Mobile, are purely technical rather than economical. A spokesman for T-Mobile told German media that the company has been in fact blocking all VoIP applications over its mobile network for two years.

“There are two reasons for this – because the high level of traffic would hinder our network performance, and because if the Skype program didn’t work properly, customers would make us responsible for it.”

The people behind the world’s leading VoiP application are not impressed. Skype’s general counsel, Robert Miller, has called the decision “an April’s Fool joke at the expense of Skype users in Germany”.

“What amazes me is that Skype is the number one download on the App Store in Germany, and yet the country’s dominant telecom operator has already made it known that it would block the use of Skype on iPhone (and on BlackBerry), both for its mobile network customers, and at its Wi-Fi hotspots” Miller wrote on the company’s blog.

This donnybrook is going to get worse with Skype set to release shortly on the BlackBerry platform. The wider it gets spread the more active these carriers are going to be to block its use. It’s also unsettling to see Skype being blocked by anyone over WiFi. That’s a good reason to call for a boycott, if you ask me.

(via apc mag)