Skype,still, not working on Samsung Galaxy

In my previous post I declared the Skype problem as solved by upgrading to Android 2.2. However I experienced some stability issues and started to follow the “Skype is not working on Samsung Galaxy S” thread on the Skype blog, as this is the only one which gets enough attention from the Skype moderator. 

Skype causes lots of headaches not only for the Samsung Galaxy users but also- as you can see on the Skype for Android forum - Sony Xperia, HTC Hero, Motorola Spice XT300, HTC Wildfire users are suffering. All these issues with Skype on the Android smartphones remind me about the early nineties when successfully running Windows applications often depended on the Windows version or the PC manufacture. 

I was working for a very successful, at that time, Dutch PC manufacture company Tulip Computers. My team was responsible for the Microsoft Windows certification tests and obtaining the Windows logo. The real breakthrough in removing hardware dependencies from applications was the introduction of the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) announced in 1992 during the first Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in San Francisco. This was to ensure that future Windows NT could support different hardware architectures as Power PC, DEC Alpha and Intel. The "Plug & Play" initiative started with the introduction of the Windows 95 turned out to be initially “Plug & Pray”. Microsoft's strategy soon payed off.

I had the opportunity to visit Microsoft labs in Redmond at least a few times a year, and was impressed by the continuously improved test certification process. The Microsoft Windows architecture initiatives and a strict Microsoft certification policy contributed to an accelerated innovation in PC hardware and software leading to a dramatic price erosion and Intel/Microsoft dominance. Android will drive innovation in the field of smartphone devices as well. However the current Android maturity problems first need to be addressed to ensure the vendors can focus on the devices/software innovation and avoid spending so much time on fixing incompatibility problems.

I strongly believe, as Steve Wozniak, that Android will become the dominant smartphone platform. However the quality and the application's support needs to improve. For customers' experience, it is all about their favorite applications and based on my Skype experience Android is still in a "Plug & Pray" phase.

Android 2.3 is on its way and for sure it will bring some improvement.

How to make Skype work on the Samsung Galaxy S

Good question...

On the official Skype blog you can read

"We’re aware of some problems with the Samsung Galaxy S, and we’re looking to address these in the future."

This statement almost two months after Skype release, in my view,  indicates that solving the current skype problem will not be possible without new Android release.
My Samsung Galaxy S purchased in October was preinstalled with Android 2.1. In May Google announced Android 2.2, Codenamed Froyo. 
Is Froyo available on Samsung Galaxy S ? Would it fix the Skype problem ?

Unwiredview.com  reported that Samsung announced delayed Froyo availability in UK beginning of November. I also found some comments on the Skype forum about working Skype on the Samsung Galaxy S with Froyo..

How to get my phone upgraded?. For the upgrade you need Samsung program Kies. 

It sounds simple but IT IS NOT .. Kies program needs to be treated very carefully as it is known from so called "Kies Connection" problems". What I experienced myself Kies keeps reporting  "Connecting the device.... Please wait....."   and ... nothing happens. It is amazing how many videos on YouTube one can find produced by frustrated users.

First, you need to ensure  that you have the latest version of Kies installed. You can download it from here. As even the latest Kies version reported "Connection Problem"  I spent some time researching how to fix it.

Finally I found on Samsung US support site instructions how to address "Kies connection problem" 

You need to be patient as when you start drivers reinstallation for the first minutes  nothing really happens and you can't resist stopping Kies. 

Before connecting the device using the USB cable you need to ensure that the Samsung USB settings are set to "Ask on connection"  (Settings, Wireless and network, USB settings). It is important that the phone is fully charged as the upgrade will be aborted even if battery is 50 % charged as it was in my case.

After connecting the Samsung Galaxy you should be able to browse the device content.
At that moment you need, as above instructed,  to start Kies program. Do not be surprised getting initially two messages "Connecting to the device" , after a moment one message disappears  and you should get a message "Firmware upgrade available". Please ignore the remaining "Connecting  to the device message" as the device IS CONNECTED at that moment.
Follow all instructions carefully and within ca 10 minutes (backup your contact phones, downloading , decompressing and upgrading firmware) your phone will be upgraded.
Install Skype from Android Market and you will be able to log in. 


The Skype problem is finally solved.

Skype on my Samsung Galaxy S is still Signing In....

One of the first applications I installed on my Samsung Galaxy S was Skype. This was my backup for Skype in case my iPhone runs out of battery.

It took me a number of tries and reinstalls to conclude that Skype downloaded from Android Market  is not supported on the Samsung Galaxy S !

A few seconds on the Internet shows plenty of cases of disappointed Samsung Galaxy S owners complaining about problems with Skype on their phones.

It is a pity that Android Market does not warn about cases of not working Android phones.

This case shows how big challenge Android application developers are going to face to ensure compatibility with all Android phones.

If an application as Skype, with millions of users, cause such a problem on positioned as an “iPhone Killer” phone you can imagine issues you might experience with new or less known applications.

When you try to download Skype from www.skype.com/m you are informed the following:

"Sorry, Skype is unavailable for your mobile. We add new handsets all the time so check back soon"

The only option left is to follow the Skype for Android blog

and wait for good news…………

Is iPhone going to replace most of my gadgets?

While I was jogging and listening to Geoffrey Moore interview  I realized that I didn't use my iPod anymore... The iPhone did not only  replaced my iPod but also a number of my other gadgets. I don't even carry the extremely light Fujitsu Siemens Loox N100 navigation device which I bought tempted by a review in FT "How to Spend IT" . Google maps does an even better job on my iPhone. My wife is very enthusiast about Navigon navigation, a FREE offer from T-Mobile. I did not have 2GB of left free space to install it and unfortunately have to wait until I get my new iPhone 4, this time with 32GB instead of 16GB. I also use to track my jogging routes  a very convenient application iMapMyRun   allowing  a detailed analysis of my route, speed etc. at home.
Since a few weeks I record my voice notes using the  Evernote application making my Optimus dictaphone obsolete.  I started to use Evernote after watching an excellent presentation of Alex Pachikov responsible for the Evernote business development. This presentation was a part of Stanford iPhone Application Development course. Evernote is a great application and how it impacted my way of dealing with notes is worth of a separate writing.

The skype client converted my iPhone into a skype phone device. I explained to my wife and my two daughters how to use it and during their holidays we all stayed connected - almost for free - between Shanghai, Amsterdam and Santa Barbara.

My iPhone became a mutifunctional device. I wish I had it earlier and saved at least a few hundred Euros.

Could my iPhone be replaced by it's "Android iPhone killer" Samsung Galaxy S.?...



I could not resist buying one to give it a try !

The iPad you've been waiting for has arrived

and it's ready for you to pick up. When you come in, we'll have Specialists ready to help you set up your iPad so you can start enjoying it right away. We can't wait to see you at the store.
Sincerely, The Apple Retail Store team"

This mail I received from Apple Store in Colorado Springs exactly NINE DAYS AFTER ordering iPad Wi-Fi + 3G 32GB on the first day of launching 3G version.For a week holidays in US it was too long and I do not regret I decided to buy Wi-Fi model as I have lots of fun with it. The only limitation I encountered so far was not working App Store on the iPad in Holland. I can make purchases however using iTunes on my Mac.

First iPad experience

I could not resist writing this on my new iPad. A free wifi and Starbucks at Barnes & Nobel on 16 street in Denver was a good opportunity for a test.
I am really impressed. Easiness to type and the superb quality of a screen is very promising.
Unfortunately I did not manage to buy any movie for a long today's flight. The US Apple store did not accept my Dutch billing address and I could not use the Dutch one from US either.
Hopefuly a global identity management supporting digital rights protection will be solved soon. I managed to buy however Kindle book "Change your brain change your body" by Daniel G Amen,The New York times best-seller. I believe a good choice for a long flight.

we''ll be in touch soon about your iPad

Your iPad will be here before you know it."

This message I got from Apple store in Colorado Springs when Friday evening, the day when iPad 3G was launched I decided to reserve one as the whole stock of iPads 3G was already sold out.

Today 5 days later , as 3G version was still not available, I gave up and bought WiFi one

I am preparing it for my tomorrows flight to Frankfurt and will share my first experiences soon

The iPad is coming

In the last few days iPad's todays introduction got lots of attention in the news.

According to the Admob survey 11% of smartphone users are interested in purchasing an iPad.
I have to admit that I am one of them.

However, I will wait until the 3G version is available so I can read newspapers real time in a train on my way to the office. Is it going to replace my new netbook?

I believe that newspapers have high expectations for the iPad and are already looking for new business models for iPad users.

I went through my favourite newspapers on my iPhone and each of them had at least one article devoted to the iPad introduction including announcements of own iPad applications !

In The Wall Street Journal Walter Mossberg already asks the key question in the title “Laptop killer? Pretty Close”and further summarizes “”iPad Is a ‘Game Changer’ That Makes Browsing and Video a Pleasure ; Challenge to the Mouse”

In The New York Times David Pogue in his article “Looking at the iPad From Two Angles” addresses two groups of readers: “techies” and “anyone else.”

In the “techie” part he writes “Surfing the Web is a heck of a lot better than on the tiny iPhone screen – first because it’s so fast , and second, because you don’t have to do nearly as much zooming and panning”

For “non techies” he writes: “But the real fun begins when you try the apps that were specially designed for the iPad’s bigger screen”, “ Newspaper apps will reproduce the layout , photos and colors of a real newspaper”

This is how The New York Times advertises its iPad Editor’s Choice Application:

“Enjoy the award-winning journalism of The New York Times with the unique functionality and navigation of the iPad. The Editors’ Choice application offers a limited selection of latest news, opinion and features that are automatically updated to your device and free of charge.“

More about how newspapers and magazine publishers plan to support iPad platform you can read on CNET “New York Times prominent among media iPad apps”

The Polish second largest daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza (25k downloaded GW iPhone readers applications so far) in the article “Publishers are awaiting iPad which may change their business”stresses high interests in iPad among leading Polish publishers and reports that despite the fact iPad is going to be available later in Poland “The best brains in media business are looking for ways to monetize it.”

This new user experience and opportunity to build direct relationships with readers via iPad applications explains why the leading newspapers do pay so much attention to iPad introduction as iPad platform can shape new opportunities to monetize on the content and personalized advertisements.

It is no wonder that among iPad ready websites quite a lot of them belong to magazines and newspapers.

I would bet that the iPad will have as much impact on the publishing industry as the iPod had on the music industry.

opening up US government to web developers

San Francisco's "open data" initiative got support from Vivek Kundra, President Obama's CIO

On Facebook you can read:

"Gavin Newsom Launched a new initiative with President Obama's CIO, Vivek Kundra to save taxpayers money by opening up government to web developers. Ask your city to join the effort"

It is very clever that this "Open 311 API" initiative, is advertised on Facebook as a way to save taxpayers money. I expect that very soon under preasure of the citizens local governments will follow San Francisco example. This means lots of new smartphones applications !

This is what Vivek Kundra writes himself in his blog about this initiative:

"Through this approach, new web applications can mash publicly available, real-time data from the cities to allow people to track the status of repairs or improvements, while also allowing them to make new requests for services."

I hope that in near future we will hear about similar initiatives in Europe. Which European country/city will be the first one?

What will be the first smartphone applications taking advantage of this?

My iPhone applications: Trein

One of my most favorite iPhone applications, I use almost every day,

is Trein (Dutch for train), the application developed in 2008 by Dutch student Dennis Stevense.

This application is a result of an idea to use public data available on Dutch Railways mobile portal and present the iPhone user with useful information such as departure times, depature platform and most important of all, the details about train delays.

I downloaded this application after a cancellation of my train trying to find out if there was any problem causing longer disturbences on the way to the airport. I have heard about such applications and it took me a few minutes to find and install this one on my 3G iPhone.

How accurate the information you get from the Trein application might be, shows my recent experience, when after arriving at the station in Best I heard an announcement about a change of platform of my train to Schiphol. I started my train application and not only saw that the platform was changed but also that the train was delayed by three minutes!. This information was missing at the station. Among all waiting passengers probably I was the only one not surprised with this delay.

The application got lots of publicity and was selected as the best iPhone application in 2009 by iPhone users.

However, Dutch Railways were not happy with the success of this application and tried to stop its distribution due to no permission for usage data from their web server, but without success.

This case shows how important is access to real time data to deliver customer experience.

You can expect that in the future enterprises will try to monetize own data by exposing them via public interfaces in return for a percentage of revenue from the application using these data. This will accelerate innovation and we can expect in future thousands of applications built by third parties and not by enterprises themselves.

Exposing own data to the external world is becoming a new trend and will stimulate innovation in bringing new applications on the market.

Recently Gawin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco announced a strategy of giving access to the city data.

" Last month, at WordPress headquarters with leaders from the technology community, we launched www.DataSF.org. This new web site is designed to improve transparency in government, increase access to City data, and engage our highly skilled workforce to create apps from that data.

The idea behind the site is to open up San Francisco government and tap into the creative expertise of our greatest resource – our residents. We hope DataSF.org will create a torrent of innovation similar to when the developer community was given access to the platforms behind popular technologies and devices like Facebook and Apple’s iPhone"

This is a really great vision which I believe should also be adapted by enterprises with the objective to improve customer experience and monetize own data.

I believe that it is a matter of time when Dutch Railways will follow the example of San Francisco and will give access to their data enabling designing even better applications then the Trein

Internet connected gadgets: personal computing platform of the future

“It is a shame to carry gadgets with you” that was a comment from one of my friends after my recommendation to buy an iPhone.

This triggered my decision to start writing about "my gadgets" I use every day which do make a difference in my private and professional life.

These internet connected devices: smartphones, netbooks, iPods and iPads will be our future computing platforms, and are a symptom of a new wave of mobile internet innovation.

In the recently published Morgan Stanley report “The Mobile Internet Report Key Themes” the authors state “Regarding pace of change, we believe more users will likely connect to the Internet via mobile devices than desktop PCs within 5 years”.