What if you could do Skype VoIP & video conferencing on the Google Android? Sounds pretty damn cool, doesn't it? Especially given all the media hype surrounding the new iPhone 3GS. I already tweeted my displeasure that the new Apple iPhone 3GS doesn't support Flash and also tweeted my annoyance that Apple didn't put a front-facing camera for video chat support using Skype. Thus, while the iPhone supports a native Skype app, it only supports VoIP and not video chat. And don't expect video chat anytime soon either. As Skype Journal remarked, "iPhone programmers can use the webcam to store video to a file, but won't be able to write apps that manipulate or route the stream. This means Skype for iPhone won't be able to add video calling any time soon."Well forget about the damned new iPhone! I have a method that "should" enable Skype video chat on the Google Android mobile phone.
How do you ask? Well, first we need to "cook" in a Flash player into Google Android's ROM, since Flash support on the Android isn't officially released yet. But we're not waiting on Google, so let's get cookin'!
Here are the steps to get Skype video chat working on the Google Android:
1) Download the HTC SuperHero V2 ROM for the Google Android
2) To keep memory freed up and automatically install apps to SD, go download this. (direct link to .zip file here)
Download a2sd.zip, unzip put the unzipped file onto your C drive
Open command prompt and type these:
adb remount
adb push c:\a2sd.sh /system/bin
3) Upgrade to the latest SPL & radio by heading over to this page on android-unleashed.com
4) Launch Skype Flash application and make a video call to another Skype user.
Where the heck is the "Skype Flash" application you ask?
Oh, I'm sorry, I can't tell you that. I want to test this first to make sure it works & capture some screenshots to put here as proof.
Sorry to be such a tease, but I want to be the first to get a Skype video chat call to work on a popular mobile phone platform. Stay tuned though!
P.S. Check out the SuperHero V2 Official Release Change log:
- Cleaned up things to make space, updated boot.img thanks to Detox
- Drawables from ophone were added
- Slightly themed in many places by me & L3wish
- Flash player is back
- Multitouch browser
- Updated libs from ophone
- Led code implemented in init.rc by detox will not be used untill leds are fully working thanks to shasty for the led coding.
- All updated from beta 2 but now optomized to run very smooth and stable.
- Htc chirp still not working will update soon.
- Automatic apps to sd is pre loaded but not used unless you want just add the ap2sd.sh to bin
herog3.wicholandia.com
and
android-unleashed.com
Technorati
Del.icio.us
Slashdot
Digg
twitter
Did it work man?
Test away
Hey Tom, Sorry I thought that other blog was responsible for the article, I corrected my blog post and android-unleashed.com giving you the credit your deserve
see:
http://android-unleashed.com/2009/06/skypevoip-video-calls-on-android-with-flash.html
You should use Sipdroid for your video calls! It works and does not need the Flash at all.
Yes, dying to know if it worked!
rs6