Native Skype coming to Apple TV?

The Apple TV isn't just getting Cupertino's updates, apparently. According to aficionados of the little silver box, a Canadian teen who has hacked his way through a wireless keyboard workaround and a GPS plugin used for an in-car Apple TV setup, is developing a native Skype client for device. Brandon Holland, the hacker in question, says that the plugin will take advantage of the Skype API, and will allow a user to make calls and send text messages using a standard USB headset or USB phone. Text will be entered via the remote, or so he says. Right now there's no date for the release, but we suspect you'll be hearing about it before long... so stay tuned.

[x20mar @ Jan 18th 2008 5:18AM]

Add webcam usage and I'm there!

[Toby Roberts @ Jan 18th 2008 5:38AM]

..stay tuned! ha ha, very good :-)

[paulstringer @ Jan 18th 2008 7:48AM]

Pointless

[Joseph @ Jan 18th 2008 1:17PM]

Find a wireless mic solution or this will be sucky.

[Rick @ Jan 19th 2008 8:38AM]

HD (on a HDTV) video chat in your living room? Wow. Does ATV have a scaler? If not, the image quality might suck. Still way cool way to talk to people without leaving the couch.

[mail @ Jan 19th 2008 11:26AM]

Skype VoiceMail playback would be great.

[pquistgard @ Jan 21st 2008 2:02AM]

I love Skype and it's great to see it spreading. Let it smother the greedy telcos and teach them a lesson.

[pheer6224 @ Jan 22nd 2008 7:58PM]

why the hell can't I just hook up a pc to an HDTV?

[Vijay @ Feb 1st 2008 12:57PM]

Get great free widgets at Widgetbox!

[dean @ Feb 2nd 2008 3:04PM]

I don't see the point. Get a wifi phone for around 100 bucks to connect directly to your network. Or get a cheaper cordless handset that plugs into your computer which has Skype.

Honestly, the best solution that the telecom industry would never allow is having just a good data plan on your phone, use VOIP to call over that. Then be able to connect your laptop to that phone via Bluetooth for its own internet connection. Heck, one could even do it vice-versa. But that would mean savings for the user, and we can't have that.

[Richard Morgan @ Feb 5th 2008 4:42AM]

Here is a cool link I found and it is free check it out.
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If you have a blog or web sites that allows you to edit the script template this is for you.
You get paid for every view to your Web sites that you control.

http://viralurl.com/RJMorgan/PPP/

later
RJ

[Bill @ Feb 5th 2008 1:49PM]

No! I hope not =( I like skype.. Until I heard of Apple getting there hands on them!