Skype finally coming to PlayBook...in browser

**Ruslan Botsyurko** · 06-30-2012, 06:36 AM

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!

Skype is finally gonna make it to our precious PlayBooks. Well, at least in browser, but it counts right? The Verge reported in an article that Microsoft/Skype is working on a browser version of Skype, it should be running on WebRTC, which is a HTML5 standard and who rules in HTML5?

The information is based on Microsoft offering a job post with this description:
"You will help create an architecture that allows WebRTC enabled endpoints to directly interoperate with other endpoints on the Skype network, without the need of gateways." A phrase "Skype for browsers" was also mentioned.

Noone knows when this project will be finished, but after a long time of waiting we might actually see Skype on both PlayBook and the forthcoming BB10 devices. That sounds like good news to me, what do you think?

**pinkert11** · 06-30-2012, 07:41 AM

IMO has skype in a browser as well: https://imo.im/

**app_Developer** · 06-30-2012, 07:46 AM

Does the Playbook browser support WebRTC? RIM would have to push an update to the browser with WebRTC support.

**Ruslan Botsyurko** · 06-30-2012, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by pinkert11

IMO has skype in a browser as well: https://imo.im/

Yes, but it only works for audio calls, not video, at least for me...

Originally Posted by app_Developer

Does the Playbook browser support WebRTC? RIM would have to push an update to the browser with WebRTC support.

I guess it should already support WebRTC once it is a HTML5 standard and PlayBook browser fully supports HTML5. But I'm not an expert on this, so hopefully somebody with more skills could prove this fact.

**app_Developer** · 06-30-2012, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by Ruslan Botsyurko

Yes, but it only works for audio calls, not video, at least for me...

I guess it should already support WebRTC once it is a HTML5 standard and PlayBook browser fully supports HTML5. But I'm not an expert on this, so hopefully somebody with more skills could prove this fact.

There is no such thing as "fully supporting" an emerging and evolving standard. It's a moving target. When WebRTC is close to final, RIM will have to implement support for it in a future version of the browser, as will the Chrome and Safari teams.

**Ruslan Botsyurko** · 06-30-2012, 08:05 AM

@app_Developer: OK, thanks for clarification. Anyway I guess that wont be such a problem for RIM, at least supporting WebRTC seems a lot easier than convincing MS to release Skype app for PlayBook/BB10.

**app_Developer** · 06-30-2012, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Ruslan Botsyurko

@app_Developer: OK, thanks for clarification. Anyway I guess that wont be such a problem for RIM, at least supporting WebRTC seems a lot easier than convincing MS to release Skype app for PlayBook/BB10.

Yes of course, you are definitely right there.

**Sucroid** · 06-30-2012, 08:20 AM

Isn't WebRTC still in draft?

**jeroen_13** · 06-30-2012, 08:32 AM

hmmm with webworks you can create an app of it :P

**madman0141** · 06-30-2012, 07:43 PM

Good to here it is coming in some way that will make a lot of people happy. At least those who like Skype. Good news is needed since my BB10 is pushed back.

**zethaaron** · 06-30-2012, 09:07 PM

We've actually been hearing about this for quite awhile (talk just died down is all), and it could be quite a while yet before it's released. Still, even if the PB browser fully supports it, Skype could easily block it a la Hulu or Netflix Instant Play. Let's just hope they're merciful, and do not.

**dosboxwasthestuff** · 06-30-2012, 09:17 PM

yayyyyyayayayaya

**xsacha** · 06-30-2012, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by zethaaron

Still, even if the PB browser fully supports it, Skype could easily block it a la Hulu or Netflix Instant Play.

It's actually not possible to block. For instance, Hulu.

**ayekon** · 06-30-2012, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by xsacha

It's actually not possible to block. For instance, Hulu.

I knew you would understand =)

Long time no chat...

**imaclusky@gmail.com** · 07-16-2012, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Ruslan Botsyurko

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!
Click to view quoted image

Skype is finally gonna make it to our precious PlayBooks. Well, at least in browser, but it counts right? The Verge reported in an article that Microsoft/Skype is working on a browser version of Skype, it should be running on WebRTC, which is a HTML5 standard and who rules in HTML5?

The information is based on Microsoft offering a job post with this description:
"You will help create an architecture that allows WebRTC enabled endpoints to directly interoperate with other endpoints on the Skype network, without the need of gateways." A phrase "Skype for browsers" was also mentioned.

Click to view quoted image

Noone knows when this project will be finished, but after a long time of waiting we might actually see Skype on both PlayBook and the forthcoming BB10 devices. That sounds like good news to me, what do you think?

1. Skype ain't coming to Playbook: Microsoft hoping to get rid of competitor (below)?
2. Playbook perfect for videochat, absence of ability to talk to laptop / desktops a major negative for Playbook
3. Playbook already has a great video chat program, simply can only talk to other Playbooks
So-- If Microsoft not coming to Playbook, perhaps RIM needs to go to Windows: create a Windows version of the Playbook video chat? I would buy it for my friends/family- so long as not too expensive (bulk purchase of 10 licenses?) so that I could talk to them on their computer, would (at same time) remove a major reason why people aren't buying Playbooks? From the forums clearly a demand. Someone from RIM answer?

**po8pimp** · 07-16-2012, 02:26 PM

sounds like a horrible idea. Skype being used on a computer lags a tremendous amount already. You would have to run everything through a browser vice a program that only has to send video and voice. I have a dual core processor and 4 gigs of memory on my slow computer with a decent camera and about 35 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload speed and Skype still runs like crap. Imagine it on the PB through a browser. Bad Idea. Am I missing something here? Running this through my I7 sandybridge desktop with 12gigs of memory might be sufficient.

**MedChemist** · 07-16-2012, 03:29 PM

I don't care to do video via Skype, but do need to be able to do voice and massaging via it to all the folks I currently use Skype with on my laptop and desktop computers. I can't ask them to buy or install yet another IM application. This is one of the apps I need to reduce my need to travel with a laptop and move to PB only travel.

**Thunderbuck** · 07-16-2012, 03:43 PM

AV by AOL - Let's video chat! works great...

**TheScionicMan** · 07-16-2012, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by po8pimp

sounds like a horrible idea. Skype being used on a computer lags a tremendous amount already. You would have to run everything through a browser vice a program that only has to send video and voice. I have a dual core processor and 4 gigs of memory on my slow computer with a decent camera and about 35 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload speed and Skype still runs like crap. Imagine it on the PB through a browser. Bad Idea. Am I missing something here? Running this through my I7 sandybridge desktop with 12gigs of memory might be sufficient.

So the millions of people using Skype are only doing it on high-end PCs with super-high bandwidth connections? I think you must be missing something here...

**TheScionicMan** · 07-16-2012, 04:45 PM

Are you sure you really want to communicate through Skype? You may be communicating with more people than you realize:

Skype glitch sends messages to the wrong contacts - Computerworld

**ThaSwapMeetPimp** · 07-17-2012, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by po8pimp

sounds like a horrible idea. Skype being used on a computer lags a tremendous amount already. You would have to run everything through a browser vice a program that only has to send video and voice. I have a dual core processor and 4 gigs of memory on my slow computer with a decent camera and about 35 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload speed and Skype still runs like crap. Imagine it on the PB through a browser. Bad Idea. Am I missing something here? Running this through my I7 sandybridge desktop with 12gigs of memory might be sufficient.

Man. That's considered slow these days? My 2.4 ghz 1g ram found/salvaged parts machine that I've been keeping alive the last five years must be considered snail pace now lol.

Skype was never a big thing for me, would be nice to video chat with people and all (fulfill my 80's era childhood video phone dreams I guess lol) just not that big of a deal to me, but apparently it's a big thing for most others so it would be nice to see some kind of working skype platform if just to stop the complaints that there isn't one, though a working browser version would be awesome because it would fit with the way I look at it, why would you need an app if you can do it in the browser? I prefer native functionality to extraneous apps.

**SifJar** · 07-17-2012, 03:50 AM

Originally Posted by po8pimp

sounds like a horrible idea. Skype being used on a computer lags a tremendous amount already. You would have to run everything through a browser vice a program that only has to send video and voice. I have a dual core processor and 4 gigs of memory on my slow computer with a decent camera and about 35 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload speed and Skype still runs like crap. Imagine it on the PB through a browser. Bad Idea. Am I missing something here? Running this through my I7 sandybridge desktop with 12gigs of memory might be sufficient.

I've only used Skype once, but it worked fine for me on my old laptop (1.7GHz single core processor, 1GB RAM) on my pathetically slow internet (0.5 Mbps download at that time, 0.1 Mbps upload or something like that). Fairly smooth etc.

**crackberry9898** · 09-27-2012, 07:27 AM

Skype is comming guys! And Guess what I even had it! I repackaged it to work on blackberry with video working perfectly. The first 10 seconds were laggy but after that it looked like a miracle.
But I lost it in my attempt to downgrade os 2.1 to 2.0.0.4689. If anyone can give me the link to skype v2 I can still try to modify it.

**SifJar** · 09-27-2012, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by crackberry9898

Skype is comming guys! And Guess what I even had it! I repackaged it to work on blackberry with video working perfectly. The first 10 seconds were laggy but after that it looked like a miracle.
But I lost it in my attempt to downgrade os 2.1 to 2.0.0.4689. If anyone can give me the link to skype v2 I can still try to modify it.

Do you have any proof to that claim? If you were capable of doing what no one else has managed, I don't think you'd need someone else to provide a link to an APK.

Plus, how did you do that downgrade? That would be something many people would be interested in being able to do as it would allow rooting. Could you give a step by step guide?

**BennyX** · 09-27-2012, 01:53 PM

No, Skype will not work with Playbook even if it is Web-based, as the Playbook browser does not currently support WebRTC. I know this because I tried it out about a month ago on sites that were demoing WebRTC apps.

So once again we're left waiting on RIM.

Another thing the Playbook browser won't do is something like Epic showed a while back.. Unreal Engine 3 running in Flash. look up 'Epic Citadel' to see the demo. Playbook won't even run the demo because it is using an outdated version of Flash. It's also why some web-based cam sites don't work anymore, because they want the new version of Flash.

So once again we're left waiting on RIM.