For the broadband-enabled, the perfect accessory is a phone or Wi-Fi enabled device that can let you run VoIP apps like Skype, either directly or through a third party app like Fring or Nimbuzz. It’s a big money saver when calling relatives or friends abroad. The old way to run these apps would be to use a desktop PC, laptop, or netbook, but being tethered to all that hardware is painful. With a Wi-Fi capable phone, you can run errands around the house, or make a cup of tea while having a voice chat on Skype on your hands-free.

If Skype doesn’t support your phone, there are workarounds – Fring, which supports voice over Skype, Windows Live Messenger, ICQ, Google Talk, Yahoo! and AIM, has a wider compatibility list. I’ve used Fring both on my iPod Touch; it’s a bit slow and unreliable at times, but can get the job done. Fring supports free video calls as well over Skype on Symbian phones, though I haven’t tried it out, it sounds like the coolest thing.

Fring is compatible with Symbian, Windows, Android, Linux and iOS devices, a list of Fring enabled smart-phones can let you make free VoIP calls would be quite exhaustive if we tried to compile one, so we’re going to use table of compatible smartphones as a reference point.

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Skype and Nokia have jointly announced the release of Skype for Symbian, a Skype client for Nokia smartphones based on the Symbian platform. Skype for Symbian will allow Nokia smartphone users worldwide to use Skype on the move, over either a WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G). It is now downloadable for free from the Ovi Store.

“With Symbian’s global reach, Skype is that much closer to becoming the ubiquitous real-time communications platform for hundreds of millions of Symbian-based mobile users.”

Skype for Symbian enables Nokia smartphone users to:
•Make free Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world*
•Save money on calls and texts (SMS) to phones abroad.
•Send and receive instant messages to and from individuals or groups
•Share pictures, videos and other files.
•Receive calls to their existing online number
•See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or IM
•Easily import names and numbers from the phone’s address book

Skype for Symbian will run on any Nokia smartphone using Symbian ^1, the latest version of the Symbian platform. Skype will soon introduce this client to Symbian mobile devices from other manufacturers, including Sony Ericsson.

The initial Skype for Symbian application is compatible with the following Nokia touchscreen models: Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia X6, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia 5530 and the following non-touch devices: Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E90, Nokia E63, Nokia E66, Nokia E51, Nokia N96, Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8Gb, Nokia N85, Nokia N82, Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8 Gb, Nokia N79, Nokia N78, Nokia 6220 classic, Nokia 6210 Navigator, Nokia 5320.

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