3 Skypephone review

It's the one with the big Skype button in the middle Mum!

In essence, 3's Skypephone is the first budget phone with Skype built-in. Better than built-in, it has a Skype button in the centre of the phone making it child's play using the Skype option. Meanwhile it's for people who don't like carrying around a bulky phone - this is a candy bar phone that can fit in the smallest pocket. It's 3.5 inches by 1.5 inches.

But what's it really like?

First impressions. It's a small phone so it is fiddly for someone with average finger size to use. That's not a major problem but it does affect useability somewhat.

My first aim was to set up the Skype service. I had a slight activation problem that was solved by support by using a test address first. I don't know why, but it worked, and on the second attempt I was able to set up a new Skype account in 20 seconds. I then used it to phone a Skype user and it worked fine. The call line quality is - well you know - acceptable. It's voice over IP after all. I tested the return call and that worked fine too.

Just like Skype on your computer you can create contacts or enter new ones whenever you want. You Skype contacts can be merged with your main address book too. What you get with Skype is something that we sorely need with traditional telephony - presence. It's exciting to see this on a phone, and hopefully a glimpse of the future.

If you have read about this phone already you will know that the phone does not allow you to use Skype to call landlinews or mobiles - only Skype to Skype is possible.

That's a shame, but what do you expect? 3 has a business to run.

Otherwise the phone is a good all-round budget phone. It has a 2Mpix camera which is OK, has basic music functions which are OK, and mobile internet (if you can afford it) is just about visible on its tiny screen.   

This is all standard fare, and few are likely to buy this phone unless they are attracted by the Skype option. But being 3 it is of course  a 3G phone so connection speeds are sprightly.

For a low-end phone the TV facility is not bad. It appears on a section of the screen that is about one-inch square. You can increase to full screen but the resolution is poor.

But if you like multimedia you are not really going to buy a phone as limited as this. This is all about Skype. The phone's potential is going to be driven by a feature that will be unique for a while at least. Personally I like the idea of having a phone that makes Skype calling and receiving so simple. I'm not convinced I or many other people will want to chat on a phone as small as this, but you can use Skype chat to your heart's content if that's what you fancy.

Will 3 offer more in the future? 3 would like people to buy this phone knowing that SkypeIN and SKypeOUT might be added in the near future - but that just seems like a vague promise at the moment. I am not convinced it's on the roadmap any day soon, because of the negative revenue implications for 3.

Costs: £49.99 on pay as you go, £12 per month on an 18 month contract. On Pay as you go you have to top up with £10 per month or you wont have Skype. All the details at the 3 Store.

Photos: 1) Skypephone - not much bigger than a bunch of keys. 2) 2Mpix camera on the back, headphones plug into the base.

Verdict: This is a nice looking, low budget 3G phone, but at this kind of cost you are only getting token versions of features that look superb on more expensive phones. You pays your money and you takes your pick. The big reason for buying this phone has to be the the Skype button - it makes it a doddle to make and receive Skype calls, which if you want to call worldwide has to be a very cheap way of keeping in touch without being tied to a computer.