At Barnes & Noble

Browsing books on Skype & Blackberry hacks from O’Reilly.

I posted this blog from my BlackBerry, sending it as an E-Mail to the secret e-mail address that WordPress provides for posting via e-mail.

One of the “Hacking” books was on Skype, and helped me solve at least one problem. The previous owner of this computer spoke French.  Everytime I launched Skype, it came up in French, although once I logged in as myself, it reverted to my preference for English.

Here are the notes I took on my Blackberry from “Skype Hacking” and also from the O’Reilly book “Blackbery Hacking.”

O’Reilly isbn 0-596-101893 Skype Hacks Andrew Sheppard

The solution to the French problem was to -

1). Set computer options to SHOW hidden files

2.) Enter the French users folder, enter APPLICATIONS, enter Skype, and remove his profile folder.

THE reason that Skype launched in French was because the French speakers user file was the first one it encountered.  After I removed it from the Skype folder, that user name no longer appeared.

C:/docs & settings/username/application data/skype/skypename

Also -

There is one crucial file that controls Skype:  Config.xml

C:/docs & settings/username/application data/skype/skypename/config.xml

Rename that file & Skype will rebuild it with default values

Another crucial file is Shared.xml

Tools folder options view advanced show hidden files
Delete user name

Docs&settings username application data skype username

Here is a tool which can be used to allocate extra bandwidth to the Skype application

Netlimiter.com

Skype Incoming speed 24.5 outgoing 11.5

I would love to have Skype on my BlackBerry, to see if it functions better on T-Mobile than on my desktop with Verizon DSL, which has given me some poor connections where the other party cannot hear my voice.

http://www.blackberryfreeware.com/2007/07/skype-client-freeware.html

Skyperunners.com

Here is another BlackBerry tip:

I can create an account in del.icio.us and bookmark pages with a tag of DESKTOP

Then I can use Bloglines to create an RSS feed from my del.icio.us for anything tagged DESKTOP. In this way I can remember to view on the desktop pages which are of interest but which would be difficult to view on the BlackBerry.

Verichat is a BlackBerry application which lets you combine many different IM accounts (AOL, AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, MSN) into one IM application, which is very similar to what Trillian does on the desktop.

Finally, I learned that if I need a full size keyboard for the BlackBerry, I can purchase a Freedom input bluetooth keyboard, which wirelessly connects to my BlackBerry.

Alice in BlackBerry Wonderland

(just ask Alice when she’s ten feet tall)

I have had the BlackBerry CURVE Model 8520 for 48 hours now and I love it. It is a LOT of work to get up to speed with all the features. There is an online tutorial entitled BlackBerry 101

http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/blackberrycurve8500/

I think this is the actual tutorial I worked through yesterday

http://demos.blackberry.com/8520/na/us/gen/

which takes several hours, and perhaps several viewings for everything to sink in.

I integrated the BlackBerry with my Windows XP Destop (Microsoft Outlook). The wizards make things quick and effortless. Each time I plug the BB into the USB, the synchronization takes place, so that I can do lots of data entry for addresses notes and calendar appointments on a full keyboard and then have them appear in the BB (without THUMBING them in). I have Instant Message accounts in ICQ (which no one seems to use these days), AIM (AOL), Yahoo, and G-mail G-chat. BlackBerry provides a PIN so that I may exchange PINs with other BB users and use BBM (Blackberry Messaging). My 24 yr old stepson is on Blackberry, so I can instantly chat with him. BBM seems much faster than the other IM programs, but they are all fast. I integrated my williambuell@gmail.com and my literarydiscussions@yahool.com with the BB. I wanted both Facebook (associated with w…..@gmail.com) AND ALSO Myspace (associated with l……….@yahoo.com) … and you MUST associate the related email account with the networking application in order to have it on the BB. I get the feeling that everyone sees me on-line in everything, Myspace, Facebook, etc. I use Plurk.com a lot, so I made plurk.com a bookmark in the BB browser and whenever I click it, I am already logged into plurk because the cookies is always there I suppose unless and until I explicitly log out. Send me your BBM pin if you like, to test things out. Promise I won’t SPAM you, ha ha.

My pharmacist, who happens to be a good friend, sold me on the idea of T-Mobile. He uses a windows based touch screen model called DASH (I think). He says it is EASIER to learn and use, but does not have all the bells and whistles of BlackBerry, and he admits he is kind of lazy and just wants to do the minimum of Google search, email and phone. But all of Wall Street (which is 4 blocks from our apartment and the T-Mobile store I used) standardizes on Blackberry, and I am looking for a new job, so I feel I need to know as much as possible about Blackberry functionality.

T-Mobile is a GREAT company as far as support and customer satisfaction, my pharmacist friend, John, said that any time he has the slightest complaint, they are available 24/7 and make it right for him.

I opted for 1500 anytime minutes a month with nights and weekends free to out of network. Of course in-network T-mobile calls are unlimited free. If I see that I am hitting the limit, I can quickly upgrade (or downgrade) the minutes plan. But overage is a steep 0.40 per minute, so one must watch time and charges like a hawk.

Skype, so far, has been a big disappointment! I bought a Skype-in land line for $30/year and $3/month for unlimited calls to USA and Canada, but my voice and the other party’s voice keeps dropping out, no matter what I do. Skype claims it is the fault of the Internet Provider (which for me is Verizon DSL). Skype calls which are computer-to-computer are excellent quality and totally free.

My SKYPE on-line status

In SKYPE I am williambuell
It is hard to know where this embedded code works
and where it does not.
Let’s see if it works in a blog post:

Curious about Verizon prepaid plans?

I am posting this here at my blog, so that I can post the link in Facebook and Plurk. I dont want to seem like an advertisement. But I need to make a choice about prepaid phones.

Do you know anyone who uses Verizon prepaid? When you put $100 on the phone it remains active for 1 year. Top plan is $4 for each day used and everything is unlimited. Middle plan is $2 for each day used and .05 per minute. Core plan is $1 each day used and .10 per minute. You can switch plans any number of times.

I dont need cameras or Internet or ipod features.

They have suggested a Knack model phone for $150 which is supposed to have higher quality sound and be hearing aid compatible (I use a hearing aid in one ear)

Thanks for any suggestions/advice!

P.S.

I learned some additional information. Placing $100 or more on a phone will last for 1 year, but the balance must not drop below $15. If you let a prepaid deactivate, then you lose the number and it costs $25 to get a new number.

P.P.S.

I am fairly certain this SKYPE plan for $3 per month will let me make the many calls I need to make (to do collections for a company) at a much lower cost than buying a Verizon prepaid for $150 (which is KNACK model, higher in quality compatible with hearing aids) and then putting $100 at a time on it, for $4/day of use, unlimited use (and a penny per text message, but I don’t text). I was in the store, ready to by the prepaid phone, and I said to myself “No, wait until tomorrow, think, google search, ask questions. I will say Skype is a bit obscure in finding out how to do things. There is a SKYPE-TO number that you have to “sign up for” and they don’t make the cost clear, but you use that access number to call your Skype account from cell or land line and get Skype rates (I don’t need that). Then I had to search long to find how to record a voice mail answer message. Then I had to log into two diff. Skype accounts and leave voice mail,to test and see if it works. Now all I have to do is decide to purchase a SKYPE-IN NYC phone number, which means people from cells and land lines can call me. If I am on line in Skype, I just answer the call, and if I am not, then they leave a voice mail. That SKYPE-IN should cost either $60 or $30 per years (Im not clear about their 50% off terms for new subscribers).

I just joined the SKYPE support forum to ask my first technical question about sharing info on a profile with friends at this link.

When I visit my CONTROL panel at the Skype forum, I notice that it offers a private personal NOTE PAD to save useful info. The wording they use is interesting because it says “You may store post snippets, or any other information you need to hand here.” I have never heard the expression “need to hand” though of course I understand it. Perhaps it is a British or Australian expression.

Reader Feedback Comments from Facebook and Plurk:

Simon made a comment about your link:

“Why not use T-Mobile prepaid? Once you add $100, you have Gold Rewards status, and every subsequent topup extends the validity by 365 days. $100 = 1000 minutes; (he lists certain links where one can purchase $100 top-up cards, which I omit here, but he mentions the advantage of paying no sales tax)