iSkoot Puts Skype on BlackBerry Devices

iSkoot, the leading provider of mobile Internet communications solutions, announced the highly-anticipated release of the iSkoot v1.1 mobile application for BlackBerry smartphones.

The new iSkoot v1.1 delivers a comprehensive mobile Skype experience on BlackBerry: With the click of a button, users can instantly chat with their Skype contacts, make and receive Skype calls, and use SkypeOut to inexpensively call regular phone numbers nearly anywhere in the world.

iSkoot v1.1 also displays complete Skype contact status information, so BlackBerry users can see which friends, family members and business colleagues are available, as well as manage their own online presence. This latest release features a next generation, easy-to-use interface especially designed for BlackBerry users and will offer additional features soon. iSkoot works without any need for PCs, special hardware, custom phones or Wi-Fi hot spots, and utilizes the existing mobile network infrastructure to route Skype calls through the voice channel.

"We are extremely pleased to bring mobile Skype to the BlackBerry. iSkoot enables BlackBerry users running OS 4.0 or higher to take advantage of the benefits of their Skype accounts without having to rely on their PCs. With this new release of our software, we are bringing another key piece of the Web to the BlackBerry," said Roy Erez, VP of Business Development, iSkoot. "BlackBerry commands a vast and rapidly-growing customer base, so extending support to this community marks a significant achievement for iSkoot. We will continue to work on ensuring seamless integration and expanding support for Skype across the entire line of BlackBerry devices."

How iSkoot Works

iSkoot for BlackBerry is now available for free at www.iskoot.com. BlackBerry users can simply download iSkoot�s thin-client application to their BlackBerry devices, log on to their Skype account, and start making and receiving calls and chatting with their online Skype contacts. When a user selects a contact to call, the iSkoot solution connects the call to Skype's peer-to-peer software so that the BlackBerry user only pays for air time on the smartphone. If the user makes a SkypeOut call, it works the same way, but the user also pays SkypeOut minutes, just as if the call were made from a PC. When a user receives Skype calls on a BlackBerry, SkypeOut charges also apply.
Supported Blackberry Handsets

iSkoot v1.1 currently supports the following devices running OS 4.0 or higher:

• 7100
  
• 7500
  
• 7700
  
• 8100 (Pearl)
  
• 8300 (Curve)
• 8700
• 8800