So confused, Skype, BB7, Playbook and VOiP

Ok, I am moving to the UK next week and - will have to get a new phone and likely a tablet.
I have tried Iphone before, but I want to get a BB. I love touchscreens so I am considering buying a 9860, but communicating with my family abroad is now crucial to me.
With all these issues about Skype, video chat, OS2.0, etc,I do not seem to find an answer in the forums and I would like to ask:
1. Can I use Skype with a BB7 device?
2. Will video chat web programs such as MSNMessenger work on a playbook?
3. What are the best alternatives?
4. I am the only BB user in my family, what's the best cross-platform alternative?
I do not care much about videochatting, although it is important, but talking over the internet will be a dealbreaker and Skype used to work flawlessly with my old Iphone 4.
Any help anyone?
Thanks a lot guys!!!!!

BTW Crackberry crew, what about a post about it?

Skype is not available for OS7 phones. Current BB7 phones don't have front facing cameras.

AOL video chat works on the playbook (it did on OS1, I didn't check for OS2).

If you regularly chat with family you could leave them a playbook for chatting purposes.

WhatsApp is a cross platform app for BB7 phones. But you can have non-BB texting contacts in BBM.

:eek:

I use whatsapp regularly with friends and famiily, and used to use Skype on my Iphone for talking, no video chatting.
Talking and voip would do to me.
Not many choices, are there?

If you basically need to stay in regular contact with parents giving them a 16 GB playbook to communicate with you, another playbook user, is definitely the easiest way to go (no fees). But it's only through wifi. You don't have to use video, it can be switched to audio only :rolleyes:

For the BB phone there's an app called Comwave Mobile, $30/year, check it out in App World.

Well, buying playbooks for friens and family is not feasible.
I'll check that app, can you call landlines with it?
Come on, there's got to be another solution, I do not want to go back to Iphone... And tell my friends after so much BB devil's advocating

Originally Posted by luancuvi

Well, buying playbooks for friens and family is not feasible.
I'll check that app, can you call landlines with it?
Come on, there's got to be another solution, I do not want to go back to Iphone... And tell my friends after so much BB devil's advocating

Comwave is also available for the PlayBook and you can call land lines with it. It's $20/yr.

Residential Comwave Mobile | Comwave

Google Voice is another option. App for BB and can be sideloaded on Playbook.

Thank you very much!
That sounds so much better, hehe, I can not admit I have gone back to Iphone because there is something I can not do with my BB (apart from videochatting).
More ideas?

There are some talks about Face Time app coming to Playbook soon. This would be the easiest option for video chatting with friends and family.
Only question now is when it will be available.

You really think that is coming?

If your top priority is to keep in touch with you family don't use a bb. I don't see why you wouldn't use the iphone when every program you stated you needed is on there and that it works flawlessly. Don't fix what aint broken

You can get half voips apps for Blackberry, not free but pretty cheap calls and quality is better the voip will ever be plus the huge advantage is you're calling people on their phones, you don't have to wait until they're online.

I would recommend Vopium.

Originally Posted by jonty12

Google Voice is another option. App for BB and can be sideloaded on Playbook.

Google Voice is not an option outside USA, certainly not in UK.

Originally Posted by MadMax8778

If your top priority is to keep in touch with you family don't use a bb. I don't see why you wouldn't use the iphone when every program you stated you needed is on there and that it works flawlessly. Don't fix what aint broken

Well, I am a hard phone user, and the main reason I do not like iphone is because managing files and messages within your phone is a big pain. I have tried iphone and BB and both have pros and cons, what is making me doubt. (Will BB10 address that?)

Originally Posted by belfastdispatcher

You can get half voips apps for Blackberry, not free but pretty cheap calls and quality is better the voip will ever be plus the huge advantage is you're calling people on their phones, you don't have to wait until they're online.

I would recommend Vopium.

Thanks a lot, I will check that, Skype out (or whatever it is called) is one of the features I use the most

And what might be a huge solution to my problem:

http://forums.crackberry.com/news-ru...g-soon-705400/

Although call quality was not that good on my iphone 4

Have you tried ReelPortal Private ? Its available on the PlayBook Appworld. I've tried it using video and voice chat to a PC and works fine - maybe works between PlayBook and and iphone too. Take a look ;)