It's been promised for quite a while and now it's finally here--Skype is running on the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet. I've been testing out a unit with Skype for about a week now and in a nutshell I think it's a great addition that really increases the functionality of the device. Read on for my full review.
You can read a full description of the Nokia N800 in a post that Steve did a while back when it first came out. For the uninitiated, the Nokia N800 is a light, portable Internet Tablet that runs Linux. It has a browser, RSS reader and now Skype in addition to other applications, and it connects to the internet via WiFi or bluetooth through your mobile. It doesn't have its own mobile phone built in but it really doesn't need it, especially now that it runs Skype.
###Installation
If you already have a Nokia N800, the first thing you need to do is install the latest Nokia firmware (version 4.2007.26-8), which means going here, clicking on 'Software Update,' and downloading the Nokia Internet Tablet Software Update Wizard to your computer (You can't do the upgrade from within the Nokia N800 unfortunately). The installer walks you through the update process step-by-step--don't forget to back up your settings to a memory card as everything on the device will be erased.
I'm on a new PC running Vista and I had a bit of a hiccup while installing the Update Wizard. The installer wasn't able to install the USB interface driver for the Nokia N800 (I got an error message), but when I ran the Update Wizard and connected the Nokia N800 to the computer as directed, Vista was able to download and install a driver and I was able to proceed. The Update Wizard then downloaded the latest N800 firmware and installed it onto the device.
As soon as you've updated the firmware, getting Skype installed is quite easy. If you click on the Applications button on the left of the screen, clicking on a Skype icon takes you into the Application Manager and prompts you to download and install Skype. You can also install Skype manually by launching the Applications Manager and clicking on 'Browse Installable Applications.'
###First Impressions
As soon as you run Skype you're greeted by the familiar blue and white splash screen.
After you agree to the standard terms you can sign in.
Immediately you can see that the version of Skype running on the Nokia N800 is quite full-featured. There's support for SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Voicemail and also text chats (which is relatively unusual in Skype on devices)--you can use the on screen keyboard or teach the device your handwriting. There are a few things you can't do on the Nokia N800, namely SMS, File Transfer, and Video (which is unfortunate because the Nokia N800 does have a built-in camera--hopefully this will appear in a later version). If you're running low on SkypeOut credit you can use the Nokia N800's excellent web browser to purchase more (there's a link in the Settings menu). It's also worth noting that if you're signed into Skype on both the Nokia N800 and a computer and receive a call, both devices will ring so you can answer the one that is more conveniently located.
###Functionality
The Skype client has three main tabs from which you access its functions. There's a Contacts tab, where you can launch calls and text chats:
a Call Phones tab, where you can dial numbers directly:
and a there's also a History tab, where you can see your call and chat history. If you miss a call or chat, a red 'New Events' star appears on the History tab to indicate you have an item to check. You can edit your Status icon, change your mood message, and see how much credit you have remaining from any of the tabs. The other major UI feature is the Settings menu:
It has several tabs and gives you a great deal of options including setting what happens when you double-tap a contact (call or chat), setting which events you receive notifications for, and setting your auto-update preferences (download updates automatically, ask before downloading, or ignore), which is a nice feature.
To make calls using the Nokia N800, you can either use the built-in mic and built-in speakers as a speakerphone, the built-in mic with regular headphones, or the supplied headset. I wasn't able to get my bluetooth headset to work with the device (the headset and Nokia N800 would pair but audio wouldn't pass between them); hopefully Nokia will add this functionality in a later update. However, I found that the built-in mic worked very well--all my callers could hear me and said I sounded loud and clear, and I was also able use voice navigation ("Please speak your ten digit account number") in a customer service call without a hitch. The audio I heard was also very good.
Generally I found the software quite easy to use, though managing multiple chats took a little getting used to. When you're sending and receiving chats with a few people at the same time, to switch between windows you need to click on the upside-down triangle in the top menu bar and then click 'Chats' to see all your active chats. I didn't find this to be immediately obvious--you would use the History tab to switch between chats, but when you're in a chat window you don't see the three main tabs so it isn't immediately obvious how to switch.
###Conclusion
I've been using the Nokia N800 for a week now and I have to say it's really grown on me--I don't want to give my test unit back. It has an excellent browser and RSS reader, it wakes up nearly instantly from when it's suspended, and it's great at playing back flash videos and audio (Pandora, anyone?). The addition of Skype is more than icing on the cake--it makes the device ideal for short or long communication with anyone from nearly anywhere. Because it's so light and portable, it's equally easy to use in the office, at home on the couch, at any WiFi access point, or from anywhere you have a mobile signal if you use bluetooth and have the right mobile/data plan. It's a great device, and Skype is a welcomed, well-executed addition.
UPDATE: In my excitement to get the post up, I forgot to mention where you can get a Nokia N800--in the UK you can purchase it from the Nokia store here for £279, and in the US Nokia store it's $399.99. It's also available at fine electronics retailers worldwide and will be available at the Skype Shop soon.
Comments
To switch between chats, you can also click on the blue button on the left of the chat input field. This will show you a list with all your chats.
It's quite fast, since it's possible to click this button with your finger and scroll through the list with the scroll keys.
vincent_oberle | Wednesday, Jul 11
Does Skype for N800 work with SkypeIn?
s_a_a_h | Wednesday, Jul 11
Where do we report bugs for Skype on N800 - does Skype have a Bugzilla? I've got an absolute shed load...
#1) What genius designed the user sign up procedure? I have to navigate through three screens where I enter my full name, requested username, email address, two passwords then find out in the last and final dialog that the username I chose in dialog #1 is already in use, a list of possible alternative usernames appears on screen for about 5 seconds then I find myself back at the beginning with all the fields blanked out. Smart, REAL smart - I almost gave up out of shear frustration.
2) Skype crashes if the user signs in, logs out then signs in a second time - poof, it's gone.
3) Screen doesn't blank after initiating or accepting a call, eats up battery double quick
4) How do you edit the telephone number for a landline contact? Apart from renaming the contact, it's impossible! So I have to delete the contact and add it back a second time.
5) When performing multiple repeated searches, the search results are appended to the end of the previous search making it very difficult to discern what you are looking for. The search screen really is atrociously designed
6) Since Skype must be running in order to accept incoming calls and chats, why not include a "Start on boot" option, better still use a status bar icon?
7) Please integrate the Skype contacts list with the system wide N800 contacts list - every application does not need to have it's own contacts list, I don't need to enter the same information multiple times into the same device. There's a common contacts list database, use it.
8) The virtual keyboard does not support "up strokes" which quickly allow you to enter capitalised or shifted characters - this is standard functionality for the virtual keyboard in all other applications
9) The finger keyboard does not appear to be supported by Skype at all
Anyway, you get the picture. It's a good first try, but a bit rough around the edges, and suffers from some very odd (even appalling) GUI design choices which I hope will be addressed in a (near) future update.
neil-macleod | Wednesday, Jul 11
@Vincent: Thanks for the tip on switching between chats, missed that one.
@saah: Yep, it does SkypeIn, SkypeOut and Voicemail without a hitch. Because it has the browser you can actually sign up for Skype services and add more credit within the device, which is convenient.
@Neil: Thanks for the bug reports. I didn't have the sign out-sign in crash issue on my unit, but did notice a few of the others. This is the debut version--getting reports like yours definitely helps the team for preparing updates. Cheers.
abrennan | Thursday, Jul 12
This look great. Is there any roadmap to include GPS function? Thank You.
jacklord5o | Saturday, Jul 14
If you're looking for feedback here-I can tell you that skype is working without a hitch for us. My son is using it while travelling all over europe & its the best way for us to keep in touch. Skype has finally made the N800 the useful device I thought it may be when I bought it 6 months ago
cjnewman2 | Monday, Jul 16
I've found at least one possible cause for the Skype starts and almost immediately closes problem on the N800 -- but it will take someone at Skype to confirm it (and fix it for me)...
Skype on my N800 has started closing a second or so after I log in, during the updating process. To see what's going on, I launched it from the command line. I've submitted a support request that includes a capture of all of the console output from Skype. Here's the gist:
After logging in, the client grabs all of my recent calls as "events" to display in the call history tab. However, one of my calls appears to have been very short, with a time of 0 ms or less. The Skype client abends with a Segmentation Fault when it attempts to load this event. Using the -f option when launching Skype doesn't help.
My expectation is that if I could get someone at Skype support to clear my call history, it would work again until another "faulty" entry appears in my history. Skype on a windows box appears to be working fine...
I hope this helps someone else having the same problem!
albert-crosby | Monday, Jul 16
I added skype to my n800 and it just keeps crashing, then it won't dial out, it will also lose wifi, I would love any solution
rawatch | Wednesday, Jul 25
I got my N800 a little over a week ago and immediately upgraded to the latest firmware (I use a Mac and it took a little while to figure out what to use, but after a try or two, it went without a hitch).
Thus far I have made over 30 calls and one of the things that people have commented is on the clarity of the call (I lost the headset, so I am using the N800 without headphones and with the built-in microphone... very clever that when using Skype like this only the left speaker, the one where the buttons are, is active, but it also works well as a speaker phone). I wish that the side that is made active could be selected as it is not always convenient to hold it with the left hand (though this is a rather minor point).
A feature that seems to be missing and would be nice to have is the ability to send and receive sms messages. Not sure if it is there (I can't find it),, or if it was intentionally left out.
Aside from that, it works great.
narvaezg | Friday, Aug 10
I'm very frustrated with the audio quality, when using the speaker or the ear phone. Sound is often choppy, and it's simply impossible to use other applications while talking. My outgoing sound is usually just fine.
I'm genuinely happy about this product, but it is currently so choppy that I've returned to a much less polished product, namely Gizmo Project.
Video support would be a huge plus, but I'm doubting the viability of that considering that my N800 can't even encode speech using Skype realtime.
toresbe | Sunday, Aug 12
Hi, I want to get a Nokia N770, which is similar in functionality to N800 but much cheaper (recently has a price drop and is offered for $160 at tigerdirect.com, compared to $350+ for N800). This price is even competible with those "Skype certificated" WiFi phones, which all could not use a password protected WiFi site in my home and office!
Skype was released for N800, but why it refuse to go to N770? If Skype keeps playing deaf on this request, I guess I'll just switch for GizmoProgram. Although I have already invested in Skype In and Out, the saving of $200 in Nokia tablet will justify the loss. After all, I only plan to use a tablet as a Wifi phone, no need to go with the new and expensive N800.
minz_umich | Saturday, Aug 25
Hi, I want to get a Nokia N770, which is similar in functionality to N800 but much cheaper (recently has a price drop and is offered for $160 at tigerdirect.com, compared to $350+ for N800). This price is even competible with those "Skype certificated" WiFi phones, which all could not use a password protected WiFi site in my home and office!
Skype was released for N800, but why it refuse to go to N770? If Skype keeps playing deaf on this request, I guess I'll just switch for GizmoProgram. Although I have already invested in Skype In and Out, the saving of $200 in Nokia tablet will justify the loss. After all, I only plan to use a tablet as a Wifi phone, no need to go with the new and expensive N800.
minz_umich | Saturday, Aug 25
Has anyone had success getting this thing to sign into wifi hotspots requiring browser authentification? What about the sound quality? I've heard reports of choppy sound. True?
lordstep | Thursday, Dec 6
Skype voice seems to work well with the Nokia N800 but can I send video as well?
reedarcher | Friday, Apr 11
Yes, as an internet tablet, this can log into wifi access points just like a laptop.
Voice quality is excellent, but there is no video. Skype video is not supported on any linux-based platform.
The only issue I have had is that the screen *still* doesn't turn off during calls. As mentioned before, this really eats up the battery life.
Since the N810s came out, N800s are dropping in price; right now new ones cost a little over $200, and used ones cost about $50 less.
david.hilton.p | Sunday, May 11
what about the nokia N770, some new information about support for skype?
perdonne | Friday, Nov 14