There are certain well known tech-web sites who are NOT happy about Apple's decision to restrict certain iDevice applications. A good example is TechCrunch - calling the new rules "pretty ridiculous".

According to the ChilliFresh developer blog, there are now a set of new rules in play.

To sum it up: No more boobs.

I think this move is excellent.

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The picture on the left is an actual screen shot of the Skype start-up screen on my Nokia E71.

Pretty cool - is it not?

In December 2009, there was a posting on the Skype website announcing the first beta of Skype on the Symbian (read: Nokia E and N series) platform.

I have now taken the Skype client for a prolonged test-drive - this is a very good product.

Update after publishing this article:

What you read in this post is my experiences with the beta release of the Skype client - you can now download the release version from Skype For Symbian web page. The annoyances mentioned in this article is still present in the production version, and the main menu has a added feature. However, for all practical purposes, the behavior of the beta version mentioned in this article is the same as the released version.

One thing worth mentioning, is that Skype have added the ability to easily do Skype Out call from the main menu.

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Some good news from the read worthy Skype Journal: Skype SILK codec in the IETF standards process.

This IS major news. As Phil Wolff points out, one of the three obstacles for Skype is now being solved. In my opinion, the codec issue has been one of the most difficult for Skype - along with the Joltid issues.

From my perspective, one of the good thing about the SILK Speech Codec being put through an ITEF track is that the codec is now becoming open and usable for more than Skype users.

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Back in April 2009 I wrote about why I did not think that an IPO in 2010 is very likely for Skype.

One of the arguments I used was the issue Skype had with a patent with Joltid. Had is a very good word in this context, as Phil Wolff explain in The Skype's Not Falling.

What Phil, in my opinion, correctly states is that Skype has more than enough time to solve this issue by either license some other company's Peer-2-Peer technology - or - to code up their own.

Phil has been right on more than one occasion - and I doubt that is he is not right this time.

You have heard nothing until you have experience HD Voice (Wideband Audio) - even on equipment that does not physically support HD Voice.

The first time I experience HD Voice where by using two Snom telephones. Quality was very good, better than using G.711. Then exchanging the standard Snom receiver with their Klar Voice - and was literally blown away.

Due to the increased focus on HD Voice theses days, there will always be a lot of "nay-sayers" around. These people will write and say things that might not be quite true - or they will state right out speculative non-issues.

Actually, these people are spreading wrong information and myths.

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Adwords for the telephone - bad news for your florist.

If one read the patent application RINGBACK ADVERTISING it is apparent that Google will try to monetize their Google Voice offering.

The question Google should ask itself is: Are the public ready for ad-based telephone services? This has been tried a few times on this side of the pond - without success.

I am not a psychologist - but it does not take one to realize that for most people, phone conversations are very personal. Not necessarily personal in a private sense, but in one-on-one kind of communication.

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In a recent press briefing from ooVoo, the company state that they want a piece of the growing market for desk top communication software.

What's new with their service is their business offering, which enables desk top sharing, but also the ability to have multi-point video conferencing. Skype does not yet support multi-point video conferencing, but have desk top sharing for free in their current offering.

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