SoonR Talk workaround enables VoIP on your iPhone

For those only interested in fielding VoIP calls on an iPhone, we're pretty sure Cisco could hook you up, but if you've been wondering how to utilize Skype on your Apple iPhone, this here workaround spills the beans. Admittedly, this method is far from seamless, but by installing the famed SoonR Talk application on your home PC and logging into the AJAX-enabled SoonR website on your handset, a new way of calling instantly emerges. As with other handsets that support AJAX interfaces, you can reportedly view and call Skype buddies through your iPhone, but you should be aware that SkypeOut credits will be used due to the PSTN leg needed to dial your mobile. Inelegant as it may be, VoIP has now invaded the (non-Cisco) iPhone.

[Joey Geraci @ Jul 10th 2007 3:14PM]

I don't I have ever seen such an unbelievably photoshopped image. The least they could have done was take off the Windows Mobile menu bars.

[badtzmaru @ Jul 10th 2007 4:03PM]

to Joey Geraci: the photoshopping occurred on the engadget side.. Click on the link and you will see the non-photoshopped image.

[Joey Geraci @ Jul 10th 2007 10:05PM]

Uhm, the screen image itself is the same if you click the link, and it still shows the windows mobile menus.

[touchmyscreen @ Jul 10th 2007 3:20PM]

meh. seems like a kludgy implementation of VoIP.

I predict there will be VoIP capability added to the iPhone in Leopard's iChat... dotMac subscription required, of course.

[Frankenstein Black @ Jul 10th 2007 5:40PM]

VoIP over EDGE, Yea thats what I want :?(...

[Frankenstein Black @ Jul 10th 2007 5:42PM]

Just jokin! Yes its VoIP over Non ubiquitous WiFi. Just stop the nonsense and get to 3G'ing already, Steve!

[touchmyscreen @ Jul 10th 2007 6:01PM]

Just to be clear... two telephony options from the iPhone could be

1. Use AT&T coverage while on the go. Use your minutes.
2. Use VoIP at home under the umbrella of your own WiFi network. Save some minutes. iChat audio invitations could ring to your iPhone. Make phone calls sitting at your computer.

Systems are defined more by their interfaces than the induvidual componenets. Apple have the components, now they need to integrate better.

[tkn0spdr @ Jul 10th 2007 3:21PM]

As the days go by I want an iPhone more and more!
2 to 3 days hence it will be SIM unlocked by the hackers working on it, and then I'll be totally swooned.

Thanks,
David
http://www.FloridaPets.org

[Jeff Lewis @ Jul 10th 2007 7:38PM]

Soooo.. let me get this right - your 'VoIP' solution is to get a PC to do the VoIP and then *call* your iPhone locally to reroute the audio?

Sheesh - that brings a whole new level to 'Rube Goldberg' device.

And you think this is a GOOD reason to get an iPhone?

BTW, don't hold your breath on the SIM unlock thing. iPhones don't use standard GSM SIMs. Even if you manage to unlock the iPhone, it still won't take anyone else's SIM - maybe other iPhone carriers, perhaps. And it may not even be possible to 'fix' this - SIMs are crypto-smart cards with most of the plastic cut away. If Apple has made their own version, it may well turn out to be very difficult to modify someone else's SIM to make it work the same way.

[Dan @ Jul 10th 2007 3:24PM]

Isn't it against AT&T's TOS to use VOIP on the iPhone? (Or their entire network for that matter).

[Scott @ Jul 10th 2007 3:33PM]

Yes of course VOIP is against the data TOS. But as this doesn't use data to carry voice it shouldn't matter.

[z @ Jul 10th 2007 3:27PM]

Interesting what a good network computer can do today... Remember that Oracle concept ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_computer ) ? ;)

[Frank @ Jul 10th 2007 4:43PM]

I like having a hard drive. It keeps big brother away...

[proud @ Jul 10th 2007 3:55PM]

How is this different from Jajah's iphone product? http://www.freeyouriphone.com/

[K.F. @ Jul 10th 2007 5:02PM]

Why would you care about VOIP when the phone already works well as . . . . you guessed it, a phone!

[someguy @ Jul 10th 2007 9:52PM]

Wifi.

[brett Belcastro @ Jul 10th 2007 7:28PM]

Totally confused, so I downloaded and installed SooR. How do I use this with Skype? Sorry for the dumbness!

[Jeff Lewis @ Jul 10th 2007 7:42PM]

People - think this through - this is NOT bringing VoIP to the iPhone. This is much like most other iPhone 'apps' we're seeing - a web interface to control some other computer doing something.

In this case, you need an entire other computer to do the actual VoIP functions - and then call your iPhone *using your airtime minutes* to use your iPhone as a mic/speaker. The ONLY advantage you get with this is that you can make low cost long distance calls - but it's not VoIP on the iPhone!

It's also not an iPhone feature - check the SooR site - it works with almost ANY cellphone...

Or... you could be using some other phone and yanno - install Skype?

Man, the koolaid flows deep here.

[AJ @ Jul 10th 2007 9:03PM]

WOW! I just installed this. VOIP is just one little bit of this. You can also open or e-mail any document on your remote computer and it's smart enough to do things like convert Word documents to PDFs so they can be displayed on the phone. I'm also loving just using Skype for regular IM on the phone. I highly recommend checking this out.

[Charles @ Jul 14th 2007 4:18PM]

Whether or not this is against the ATT Terms of Service is not the point. More and more people are getting pissed off that their choice of carrier is being dictated by corporate deal-making. Steve Jobs and Apple Corp. have not done a damn thing to revolutionize cellular phones. All they did was utilize existing technology and packaged it in a cool interface. If you want to revolutionize the industry, then get rid of the friggin contracts!!!!! Make me a phone tht allows me the choice of carrier. Then, and only then will We, the People, be satisfied.

Now allow me to pontificate about the benefits of SoonR and the benefit of the "hackers". The iPhone activation process has already been bypassed. This means that you can go buy an iPhone if you have $600 burning a hole in your pocket, bypass the so called "FORCED" AT&T activation, then use your iPhone as a PDA/WiFi device and then use it with SoonR and VoIP.
Granted, this is not a smooth process and the mainstream consumers are not going to all drink the proverbial kool-aid, but it should serve notice to Apple and AT&T that there are people out there that are fed up.

I WANT A UNIVERSAL PHONE THAT ALLOWS ME TO CHOOSE MY CARRIER AT WILL WITHOUT A CONTRACT!!!!!!! Do you hear that corporate America???? You have been warned....

And yes, I did by an iPhone, and guess what, I do not have a 2 year contract. And guess what, my phone works as a phone.... muah ha ha ha....

[ZOverLord @ Sep 28th 2007 5:35PM]

MyToGo for Skype allows ANY Phone to gain access to Skype calling services, this includes calling Skype Names for FREE, checking Skype Voice Mail for FREE as well as using Skype rates for both local and long distance calling, and does not require any software to be installed on the phone. MyToGo for Skype is FREE as well, for more information please go here:

http://www.testing.onlytherightanswers.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=58