TechCrunch is saying that Skype is looking to buy Gizmo5, a SIP-based service that isn't quite as popular as the former, but works pretty well. SIP is an open standard that works with many, many devices—Gizmo 5 works with Google Voice even—so this could be a pretty good move even if Skype gets out of legal trouble. Imagine piping your free Google Voice number through Skype to get free calls like you can now with Gizmo5. [TechCrunch]

AT&T supposedly just told Apple and the FCC this afternoon that their network is ready for VoIP over 3G for the iPhone, meaning it might take a bit to show up in apps, but the floodgates are open now. And yeah, whoa. Skype over 3G has been okay on other phones that weren't the iPhone before this, but AT&T's now "taken the steps necessary so that Apple can enable VoIP applications on iPhone to run on AT&T's wireless network." Since there's no cap on iPhone data—and AT&T says it's still unlimited with VoIP—that means you can get the cheapest possible voice plan and talk as much as you want through VoIP apps like Skype.

We wouldn't be totally surprised if AT&T suddenly discovering their network is ready for VoIP over 3G is at least partially motivated by the FCC's recent crowing about net neutrality—even for mobile providers—and in reaction to the FCC's investigation as to what exactly when down between AT&T, Apple and Google with Google Voice. This is AT&T showing Mr. FCC that they play nice and fair, and pretty please, don't drop some government regulation on their head, like mandated neutrality. It also makes them look better as they point the finger at Google Voice for not following net neutrality conventions.

A couple of points to add: This is specifically about VoIP (very likely because of the FCC's Google Voice curiosities), so there's nothing to fapfapfap about on the SlingPlayer or tethering front. While Skype is the most immediate woohoo context that comes to mind, we're actually more interested now in the possibility of an app that is even more targeted to letting you get over on AT&T and replace your voice minutes with data for phone calls.

Whatever the cause or motivations, we're just glad to see it happen, finally. Now we've just gotta wait for the apps to catch up.

AT&T EXTENDS VOIP TO 3G NETWORK FOR IPHONE

DALLAS, October 6, 2009 - AT&T* today announced it has taken the steps necessary so that Apple can enable VoIP applications on iPhone to run on AT&T's wireless network. Previously, VoIP applications on iPhone were enabled for Wi-Fi connectivity. For some time, AT&T has offered a variety of other wireless devices that enable VoIP applications on 3G, 2G and Wi-Fi networks. AT&T this afternoon informed Apple Inc. and the FCC of its decision.

In late summer, AT&T said it was taking a fresh look at VoIP capabilities on iPhone for use on AT&T's 3G network, consistent with its regular review of device features and capabilities to ensure attractive options for consumers.

"iPhone is an innovative device that dramatically changed the game in wireless when it was introduced just two years ago," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets. "Today's decision was made after evaluating our customers' expectations and use of the device compared to dozens of others we offer."

AT&T allows customers to download or launch on their wireless devices a multitude of compatible applications directly from any lawful Internet website. Additionally, because AT&T uses GSM technology, the most pervasive and open wireless technology platform in the world, we support customers using any GSM phone that works on AT&T's frequencies.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

A 21-year-old woman who lives with her brother and parents on the India side of the disputed India-Pakistani border was in her home when three gunmen burst in demanding food and lodging. The woman's father refused and was attacked and the woman, who was hiding under a bed, attacked the assailant with an ax, and then grabbed his gun as he went down, shooting him dead. Feel free to read the full story, it's pretty intense, and the guy may well have been a major Pakistani terrorist. I'll admit, this has little to do with gadgets, but even you have to agree, ax to AK is one hell of an upgrade. [Telegraph UK via a million tweets]

Speaking of upgrades, anyone who migrates to Windows 7 Pro, Enterprise or Ultimate who's still missing XP can officially virtualize that sweet old OS, says our friend Mary Jo Foley, who reports that the lauded XP Mode has been released to manufacturing, and will be present in time for the Oct. 22 Windows 7 launch. [ZDNet]

This is an example of me scratching my head at the way tech business is conducted. GigaOm reports a scoop that Lenovo will likely pre-install Skype on a bazillion new ThinkPads soon, advertising the VOIP maven in the Start menu, and allowing people to "install and sign up for Skype without downloading the software." In other words, one of these companies is taking money from the other one to turn a perfectly decent free utility into crapware, in hopes that, what, some IT guys won't just go and delete it from their deployed fleet of laptops? Sorry, but there has to be a better way to build brand equity than simply being the app people didn't delete during initial setup. [GigaOm]

Generally we love iSuppli's fat pipeline of sound manufacturer-based information, but this time, I think there's something in the pipe besides info: A report today says that by 2013, Windows Mobile will be in second place behind Symbian in world smartphone market share, following a dip where they drop to third place. Whaaaaaaa? We plan to follow this up, since iSuppli is generally a smart source, and the report seems to be measuring licenses rather than actual user base. Still, I wanted to drop it here, because it's insane-tastic. [iSuppli]

Asus has also made the interface more icon-based/finger-ready, and improved support for conference calls. We don't know the specs yet, but I'd like to see the first generation's VGA camera and 802.11g upgraded. And if Asus wants to have a shot with this thing, they better look to slash the price by half, too. [Asus]

Chances are this acquisition won't impact the day-to-day Skype experience on your computer or phone or pricing. Though here is hoping that the new guys at the helm will figure out ways to make Skype calling available on, you know, in-flight Wi-Fi, AT&T's 3G network and Android phones. [Skype]

Searchme: Searchme apps have been available for other mobile platforms—iPhone, Symbian and Android—for quite a while now, only now coming to Windows Mobile in free beta form. Searchme, for the vast majority of you who never stray from the comforting, safe embrace of Google, answers queries in screenshots of websites and various media, some of which can be played back in the results. Though the panel-based interface works best on the iPhone, the Windows Mobile version is far from ugly, and you may find it quicker for certain types of searches. Free.

TheChanner: A moderately useful mobile TV app saved by its price, TheChanner doesn't have a particularly compelling selection of channels—they're pipe through to your phone from a variety of preexisting free sources, though there aren't many names that you'll recognize. There are plenty to choose from, though, and a lot of them are fairly niche. The app itself is a bit glitchy, and as you'd expect, it's a huge battery hog. Free.

GPS Spot: I kinda love the concept of this app: press a button, and it'll save your location according to your device's GPS. When you're trying to get back to that location at a later date, it'll tell you how to get there with a compass and distance readout. Basically, it's for finding your car in a huge parking lot. It's four dollars, which you can't really escape paying—the trial version is fairly useless.

Skype 3.0: We covered this before, but it's worth mentioning again: there's a new Skype client for WinMo. You can text of SkypeOut credit, though unfortunately people can't text you back. The new file-sending/recieving feature, though, is what makes this release awesome.

AIM 2.0: The official AIM app for Windows Mobile has hit 2.0, landing an interface lift and a new "lifestream" feature. It's a separate tab from your main buddy list, which consolidates updates from tons of social media services (Twitter updates, Flickr friends, Facebook statuses) and presents them in a single stream, as per its name. I'm partial to multi-protocol apps like Palringo, Fring, and Nimbuzz (more on that below), although this official app isn't half bad if AIM's your messaging service of choice.

Numpty Physics : As a time-suck, it's hard to beat Crayon Physics. Sadly, it never made its way to Windows Mobile, leaving physics-minded, Microsoft-using puzzle gamers with no recourse. Well, open-source Crayon Physics clone Numpty Physics will do just fine, thanks. This may be obvious, but you'll need a touchscreen phone to play. Free.

Nimbuzz 2.0: This multi-protocol instant messaging app has been updated, and is largely unchanged: the interface is tweaked a bit, and you can now report your location to other Nimbuzz users. So why should you care about this then? One word: SkypeOut. You can now make calls using SkypeOut credit, which, assuming your carrier isn't too stringent about such things, will turn your phone into an ultra-cheap international calling machine. Of course you could just use the Skype app, but as is the point of these types of all-in-one apps, Nimbuzz could save you a few screen taps/button presses, and a little time.

Auto Call Recorder: Super-simple (and free!) call recording. I've had trouble finding a decent solution for this in the past, since apps are generally either paid, crippled trialware or not widely compatible, so it's a relief to find one that works. Indispensable for interviews, conference calls and the like. Note: this app is to be used for good, not evil. Thanks.

This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this month, give us a heads up or let us know in the comments. Have a good rest of your weekend, everybody!

•Turn your outgoing calls into incoming calls using the Incoming! desktop application along with the iPhone application.
•Depending on your phone plan, you can eliminate long distance charges and daytime minute fees.
•Make your own visual favorites list for fast dialing.
•Easily access contacts from your phone's address book.
•Conference calling supports up to nine callers.
•Supports international calling.
•This app also works with an iTouch by routing the incoming call to a nearby phone.

I have to admit, that sounds pretty awesome if it works properly. You can check it out for yourself in the App Store right now for $5. [TerryDemco and iTunes]

New iPhone Application Allows You to Use Skype Over 3G and Edge Networks

Users can harness the power of Skype without the WiFi VoIP restrictions by turning every call into and incoming call.

MIAMI, FL – June 16, 2009 – Terry Demco, developer of Apple iPhone/iTouch applications, today announces the release of his newest app, Incoming! for Skype. With Incoming!, every call becomes an incoming call with the assistance of a partner application that's downloaded onto the users main computer. By using a helper app on a computer that's connected to the internet, it allows Skype to work on the 3G or Edge network, thus eliminating VoIP restrictions. Incoming! is now available in all iTunes stores around the world for $4.99 US. More information can be found at www.terrydemco.com.

Just the facts:

* Turn your outgoing calls into incoming calls using the Incoming! desktop application along with the iPhone application.
* Depending on your phone plan, you can eliminate long distance charges and daytime minute fees.
* Make your own visual favorites list for fast dialing.
* Easily access contacts from your phone's address book.
* Conference calling supports up to nine callers.
* Supports international calling.
* This app also works with an iTouch by routing the incoming call to a nearby phone

Requirements:

* Mac OS X 10.5 or Vista
* Skype version 2.8 (Mac) or Skype version 4.0 (PC) on your main computer
* Current SkypeOut account
* Main computer must have internet connection

They claim this is the first time anybody has video Skyped from a submarine to anyone, let alone Her Oprahness. If you get past the commander's canned speech at the beginning, and the obvious advertorial nature of the promo, you actually get a cool glimpse of life aboard a submarine, with 146 dudes, no ladies and just six toilets. They connect to the internet via their periscope antenna, which sticks up above the water and grabs some network (presumably satellite, but that close to Hawaii, it could be cellular). It's crazy stuff, so have a listen. [Oprah]

Step 1: Free Your Phone
There are lots of reasons to jailbreak your phone. Skype and SlingPlayer over 3G is just one of them. Luckily, we've got a comprehensive guide to easily jailbreak your iPhone 3G (or iPod touch). Follow it.

Step 2: Trick Your Phone
Welcome back! If you're just interested in using Skype, SlingPlayer and Fring's VoIP over 3G we're already at the end—search for Tricker Three3G in Cydia, install it, and you're good to go. SlingPlayer, Skype and Fring will think they're running on Wi-Fi, no matter what connection you're on. Right now, Tricker Three3G only fools those three apps. There's a more involved process if you want to fool other apps too.

Step 2b: The Long Way
In Cydia, the app you want to search for and install is VoIPover3G, which tricks any app into thinking a 3G connection is actually Wi-Fi. You also need to grab OpenSSH or DiskAid and the latest version of MobileSubstrate. From there, you have to tap into phone and install some custom text files for every app that you want VoIPover3G to trick. But you do have the power to trick any app with it, unlike Tricker ThreeG. If you're completely new to the game, I'd start with this guide to getting Skype to work over 3G and then just substitute the final steps for the relevant Sling parts from this guide. They're laid out pretty well, so fairly easy to follow. [ModMyi, iHackintosh, iPhone Download Blog]

The catch? The plan is valid for one country of your choice for Skype to landline calls only. (In other words, the subscription doesn't include Skype calls to international cellphones.) The eligible countries are listed below, giving that "girl" from Estonia you've been "online dating" no decent excuse to avoid voice chatting.

Skype Adds New Unlimited Country Subscriptions in U.S. and Canada

Subscriptions give Skype for iPhone app users more options for calling regular phones.

San Jose, CA, April 20, 2009 – Skype, the worldwide leader in online communications, announces that it is expanding its calling subscription options in the U.S. and Canada. People can select an Unlimited Country subscription which includes unlimited* low-cost calls to landlines to one country of choice for $5.95 per month.

Subscriptions for more than 40 destinations are now available: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Columbia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and United Kingdom.

Since the new Skype for iPhone application was launched on March 31, 2009, it has generated a great response with the application becoming the No. 1 downloaded free iPhone application in more than 40 markets, and downloads surpassed the two million mark in less than ten days. Adding a Skype subscription allows iPhone and iPod touch users to have greater flexibility of calling people who are on regular phones from Wi-Fi zones, and it allows them to save significantly on making calls internationally compared to the rates typically charged on mobile phones.

"In a tough economy, everyone is looking for more ways to save. With the launch of Skype's Unlimited Country subscriptions, we now offer very simple, cost effective one country calling options," said Don Albert, GM and vice president of Skype Americas. "Our users can make calls internationally to virtually any regular phone any time of day, without a long-term contract, hidden fees and other restrictions."

Skype's been on cellphones and portable devices for a while, but it wasn't until recently that they included video. Problem is, Nintendo's DSi—although equipped with a front camera that captures video—only has a 133MHz CPU. The weak processor is enough for games, but is it enough for video chat? Perhaps Skype only meant that it could support audio chats, which would be disappointing, what with that camera always staring you in face while you talk. [TechRadar]

Symbian's dominance isn't evident here in the US, as it's driven by smartphones—like Nokia's N series or Sony Ericsson's P Series—that don't really have much of a market/mindshare outside of Europe. We've even gone so far as to declare it too marginal to include in our smartphone OS guide.

But there are still plenty of UIQ and S60 phones around, and they all suffer from the same sense of staleness—a stagnation that's obvious, whether it's because of Symbian's global popularity and fragmented nature or despite it. So what do you do to shake the feeling that you're toting a last-gen device? Try this:

Get a new browser
Oddly enough, lots of Symbian phones actually ship with not-so-bad browsers, like S60's, which is based on WebKit just like Mobile Safari and Mobile Chrome. Unfortunately, most of these phones also ship without touchscreens, and depend on a clunky d-pad navigation system. This makes panning around fully-rendered pages a bit of a pain—a problem not helped by the browser's often slow performance. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives.

Opera Mobile/Mini: Opera has made an appearance in every last one of my smartphone revival stories, and with good reason. Each version offers its own advantage for Symbian: Opera Mobile brings fast-ish full-page rendering with inertial scrolling—only really a boon if you're lucky enough to have a touchscreen handset like the XpressMusic 5900. The newer 9.5 beta, complete with Google Gears support, can be had for UIQ phones, but S60 handsets will have to settle for 8.65. Opera Mini, a Java app, will work on virtually any phone. It's not the prettiest browser, but server-side data compression and clever formatting tricks make it a good fit for smaller-screened Symbian hardware. Bolt is another Java-based browser in the same lightweight, data-conscious vein, and it matches Opera's app feature for feature. You know, six of one...

Skyfire: This surprising little browser takes the Opera Mini/Bolt rationale a little further, running everything through server-side compression, including Flash video. What does that mean, in a word? Hulu. Unfortunately support is limited to Nokia N and E series phones.

Work On Your Communication Skills
Out of the box, most Symbian phones take you as far as emailing. With a few downloads, though, you'll be privy to the same range of messaging capabilities as your smug iPhone and BlackBerry-toting friends, and then some.

Fring: This isn't your locked down, Wi-Fi tethered iPhone Fring. No, this is the real deal: Multiprotocol IMing, VoIP over 3G and Wi-Fi and most importantly, background processing. Skype is supported, sans video.

Truphone: A dedicated VoIP app that integrates rather seamlessly with your S60 handset, Truphone can save you a pretty penny on international, long-distance and even in-plan calls. By routing calls through Truphone's network over Wi-Fi or a cell data connection, Truphone can connect you to other users for free, and connect international calls for a few cents a minute. Other perks include voicemail-to-email forwarding and Google Talk support, but discounted calls are the star of the show here.

Agile Messenger: It may lack the VoIP accouterments of the previously mentioned apps, but for straight up instant messaging you really can't beat it. All the big protocols are here, accessible through the same simple interface. You can send videos and voice messages, but not engage in full conversations—this app is about messaging, and message it does.

And All The Rest
Once you've updated your browser and messaging software, you've edged much closer to a modern smartphone experience. Now to fill in the blanks:

Google Maps: Google's superb maps app is as good here as it is anywhere else, with GPS integration, local search and a clean, intuitive interface. Perhaps most importantly, it's not just for fingers; Google Maps is well-suited to d-pad navigation.

JoikuSpot Lite: It's tethering+1: Any Wi-Fi-equipped S60 3rd Edition phone can operate as an access point with JoikuSpot. The Lite version is free, and adequate.

Qik: Qik is a cool app that can only be described in ways that sound utterly stupid. Lifecasting? Live vlogging? Either way, with the right phone, Symbian can do it well.

Nokia has some ongoing beta projects to check out, and a few of them are worthwhile. SportsTracker feeds a GPS-tracked record of your run or bike rides to a handy web interface. WidSets is a widget dashboard for a rich variety of web apps. ShareOnline provides basic portals for media uploads, whether it be photo, video or audio content.

And finally, we have Mobbler. A lovely little Last.fm radio client, Mobbler is an iffy addition to this list because Last.fm is cutting off third-party radio support at some point in the near future, so it probably won't work for long. But it's good, so use it while you still can.

If what you see so far isn't overly heartening, hold on: The Ovi App Store for S40 and S60 is on its way, hopefully in May. Symbian's laissez-faire take on the App Store, it promises a slew of applications and media downloads, installable through a handset client. This could end up two ways: As a consolidated Symbian app aggregator, collecting the above apps and others into an easy interface, or as an attraction for new developers, who'll be drawn by the large audience and easy publishing features of the store. That latter scenario may be better, but neither is bad.

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every other Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

Free Press alleges that this restriction is "designed to cripple applications or hinder consumer choice for anticompetitive purposes," which would be an illegal practice. An AT&T spokesman replied that AT&T has "no obligation-nor should we have-to facilitate or subsidize our competitors' businesses."

The issue is part of Free Press's commitment to pursuing net neutrality across all platforms, and not really a way for iPhone users to shirk their voice bill. After all, iPhone plans include mandatory voice plans in addition to data, so the potential money saved would really only be significant for international or roaming calls. President Obama's FCC chairman nominee, Julius Genachowski, is a supporter of net neutrality, so the FCC may indeed act in Skype's favor as a symbolic gesture. But AT&T, despite their reputation, is not the faceless evil tyrant in this case: Certainly they should be allowed to protect their core business.

At the moment, the FCC has not responded, though it is highly likely they will investigate further. [Wall Street Journal]

The language added on March 30 to AT&T's wireless data service Terms and Conditions was done in error. It was brought to our attention and we have since removed it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Raise your hand if this BS smells like roses to you.

Our quick test showed that voice quality is quite good—definitely on par or better than actual 3G calling over AT&T's network—and connects rather quickly. It's unfortunate that 2.2.1 doesn't have background notifications, so there's no way somebody could Skype you unless you had the app open all the time.

In an iPhone to iPhone Wi-Fi call test, Phone A heard Phone B perfectly clear, but the person on Phone A sounded like a robot with enunciation problems from Phone B's side. iPhone to Laptop worked perfectly fine, however.

What's also interesting is that voice calling only works when you're on Wi-Fi in the 2.2.1 firmware, popping up a restriction message if you're on 3G, but 9to5Mac says it works just fine in the 3.0 firmware. Not sure whether that's because the 3.0 developer's beta is less locked down, but it's one pretty good reason to risk the upgrade. We suspect that this hole is going to be locked down REAL soon, lest AT&T lose out on a bunch of minutes. [App Store]