VOIP on the Nokia N800

The Nokia N800 is not a cellular phone but it can be a fully functional VOIP device , here is a look at the applications.

Skype

Everyone knows about Skype , infact most people think Skype is the only VOIP option.

Here is the main Contact List view , as usual you can see the status of your contacts , set your own status , start a call or text chat.

Its also easy to call and/or add a traditional telephone using the dialpad if you haven't saved the contact previously.

Due to its P2P nature Skype manages to punch its way through most firewall configurations without needing to rely on DNS or open ports , as it uses encryption throughout its a good choice for use at public wifi spots or untrusted networks.

Some things that put me off though are the "walled garden" of Skypeland and the ridiculous yet relatively unknown connection fee when calling outside of the Skype network.

The Conference Call functionality seems to be missing from the Nokia version of Skype and there currently no video chat capability.

I have found the Skype softphone to be heavy on my Nokia N800 , when running it the machine felt slower and I needed to enable the swapfile to provide more memory for the applications I run concurrently.

Gizmo5

Recently renamed from GizmoProject , this softphone is also proprietary software but at least uses Open Standard protocols , namely SIP for VOIP and Jabber/XMPP for its Instant Messaging functionality.

This is the Phonebook display of Gizmo , you can see the status of your Gizmo , Jabber , AIM and MSN contacts , as well as starting a VOIP call or Instant Messaging.

With Call-Out credit you can call traditional telephone by entering the number into the box at the top-right.

On the Home display shown below you can see the status of your Gizmo Account including Call-Out credit , Missed Calls , Alerts and your ACF status.

This software seems to work well and even supports video chat between Nokia devices and (currently) the Windows platform.

It too can get out of most networks without any trouble , but does work better if a couple of ports on the firewall are opened for incoming connections.

Its easy to use the Gizmo5 Conference call system , just choose a conference room and dial into it , everyone in the room can talk and hear what is being said.

The only downside of the Gizmo5 service are its 180 day expiry date for Call-Out credit.

RTComm

I've saved the best till last , although its certainly not the prettiest.

RTComm is the built-in Open Source client that not only provides SIP functionality but also Jabber/XMPP and other Instant Messaging protocols.

As you can see below the software is integrated into the Operating System and uses the built-in Contacts list , by double-clicking on a Contact I am offered the choice of Internet Call , Chat , E-mail , Viewing Contact Details or even Blocking them (!)

During a VOIP call you will see the screen below , the two larger human characters are replaced with incoming and outgoing video feeds if enabled.

Your status is is shown in the status bar at the top of the window , above you can see I'm available shown by a green circle , in previous screenshots I was offline which is shown by a red circle with a white diagonal line.

My Final Thoughts

Personally I prefer the built-in RTComm client , its integrated , lightweight and compatible.

It allows me to be connected to four SIP providers ; Gizmo5 , SIPDiscount , SIPGate and Startel. This gives me regular telephone numbers in France and the United Kingdom for incoming calls as well as cheap outgoing calls yet doesn't make me completely dependant on a single supplier.

By using Open Standards I am able to use services like twitter , jaiku and GrandCentral to stay in-touch in new and exciting "Web 2.0" ways.

I have found a bluetooth headset increases the usability of the Nokia N800 for VOIP , it makes taking a call much easier and removes the tethered feeling from using the factory supplied wired headset.
I bought a Motorola H500 headset and although it works OK it is quite 'crackly' on the incoming audio from the N800 , this crackling disappears when I use the headset with a cellular phone however.

To call me via VOIP have a look at our Contact Page.