Updated x3 – Strugles with Skype on iPhone, part uno

Update 3: gadgetboy over on Twitter writes: “Skype for iPhone continually crashes whenever I attempt to enter my username. Anyone else experiencing this?”

Update 2: Sebastien Barrau over on Twitter reports that the Skype app on his jailbroken iPhone crashes when someone picks up on the other side as well as when sending/receiving Skype messages.

Update: Alex reports that the Skype app on his iPhone is completely useless – the parties on the other end can’t even make out what he’s saying, as his audio comes in extremely gargled and muffled.  This happens on all Skype-Skype calls as well as during all Skype-out calls.  He is running a virgin (non jailbroken) iPhone 3G 8GB with a Comcast cable connection, low latency to the router as well as to the server, and using the included iPhone headset.

After eagerly awaiting the release of Skype for the iPhone late last night and having “futuristic” discussions about it on the TNR podcast, I was ecstatically happy to have downloaded it.  The first person I called was our awesome fellow blogger and podcast co-host, Alex Luft.  And that’s where the disappointment came: the Skype-Skype call sounded as if we were talking through pipes.  I then tested it with my land-line, at which point the pipe sound disappeared.  Then came the next issue: the Skype app quit after 45 seconds of use.

Rebooting the iPhone didn’t help.  Perhaps the fact that my iPhone is jailbroken might be the reason as to why the app quit.  Turning off all my jailbreaking “tweaks” didn’t result in any more luck.

Later tonight I’m going to restore the iPhone to factory conditions and see if that makes any difference and will report on the results.

Thus far, Skype for the iPhone has been a major let down for me.  That’s not to say I’m not hoping for it: I depend on Skype to record the TechNest Report Podcast every day, and the Skype app on the iPhone was my hope to crank out better sound quality than through TruPhone on the iPhone (since it’s a Skype-sanctioned effort).  I’m pulling for you, iPhone and Skype, I’m pullin’.