The official Skype app for Android lets you place voice calls to
landlines, mobile numbers, or other Skype users. It also offers built-in
SMS capabilities, instant messaging for chatting with your Skype
connections, and for a select few supported devices, video calls.
Skype's
user interface is incredibly clean and simple to use. The Home screen
displays four icons to cover all your basic needs: Contacts, Recent,
Call phones, Profile. Above the icons, there's a small bar where you can
change your mood message (Skype's version of a status update). And at
the very top, there's a search function. It's all very bright and
minimal, and it's a huge improvement over Skype's last UI.
With
Skype for Android, you can place calls just as easily as you can from
your desktop computer. Just tap on a contact and hit "Skype call"--it's
really that simple. Alternatively you can send an IM or, if your device
is supported, engage in a video call. Unfortunately--and this is a
biggie--Skype video calling is only available on a measly four Android
devices at the moment: the HTC Desire S, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo
and Pro, and the Google Nexus S. Considering Skype is so tightly
associated with video-calling capabilities, this lack of support is
almost inexcusable. And if you're wondering if you can make one-way
video calls--you can't. Both devices must support video calls, otherwise
it's voice only.
If you're lucky enough to engage in a video call, you'll have the
options to Mute, End, or access the video menu. And if a regular voice
call comes in (not through Skype) and you accept, your video call will
automatically be placed on hold until you return. As for video quality,
many of our calls were pixelated and choppy. The app even dropped calls
when it seemed to get bogged down (even though our connection didn't
seem all that bad). However, in a few cases, when we connected to a
solid 4G signal, we were able to see some rather smooth video footage.
So, while Skype's video call quality is not perfect, a strong Wi-Fi or
4G connection can certainly help.
Because Skype integrates with
your Android address book, managing your contacts within the app is
easy. You can sync Skype with all of your phone's contacts, have the app
sift through your contacts for existing Skype users, or simply add
someone manually. It's all very convenient.
Skype is available for iPhones and Android phones as well you can download Skype for free
here is the website to get Skype on your phone
Skype Link
