The iPad Does Phone Calls - Whoo Hoo !

[techn0lady]

I just bought it a week ago and it's amazing.

I just installed Skype and used my iPhone wired headset and Badda Bing!
Flawless! (so far) . Called my friend in Atlanta .Call quality is a bit less than on cell - no drops or anything just a slight mushiness to the sound - nothing awful though.

Cost to set up and try for yourself:
1. Monthly subscription fee - $2.95 (can cancel any time)
2. 3 months dedicated number service ($9)
3. Skype iPad app - free

and that's it - total cost to try it out is 12 bucks.
Wireless headsets do NOT work . I tried it with both a mono and a stereo A2DP bluetooth headset (both with mics) and neother worked. But it will work on a wired Apple iPhone headset or you can use it as a speaker phone with the built in Mic.

Many thanks to all the great people who turned me on to GoodReader and AirVideo both of which are outstanding. Hope this tip helps someone else.

 

[Aduntu]

I just bought it a week ago and it's amazing.

I just installed Skype and used my iPhone wired headset and Badda Bing!
Flawless! (so far) . Called my friend in Atlanta .Call quality is a bit less than on cell - no drops or anything just a slight mushiness to the sound - nothing awful though.

Cost to set up and try for yourself:
1. Monthly subscription fee - $2.95 (can cancel any time)
2. 3 months dedicated number service ($9)
3. Skype iPad app - free

and that's it - total cost to try it out is 12 bucks.
Wireless headsets do NOT work . I tried it with both a mono and a stereo A2DP bluetooth headset (both with mics) and neother worked. But it will work on a wired Apple iPhone headset or you can use it as a speaker phone with the built in Mic.

Many thanks to all the great people who turned me on to GoodReader and AirVideo both of which are outstanding. Hope this tip helps someone else.

What's an iPhone wired headset? I'm a little confused.

 

[OneMike]

I'd take that as the headset that comes with the iphone

 

[Aduntu]

I'd take that as the headset that comes with the iphone

Oh, I see. The one with the built-in microphone?

 

[techn0lady]

Oh, I see. The one with the built-in microphone?

Yes, exactly

 

[mbell75]

cant you just use Google Voice and not pay anything to make calls? I havent tried this yet because I dont have a headset.

 

[techn0lady]

cant you just use Google Voice and not pay anything to make calls? I havent tried this yet because I dont have a headset.

NO. Google Voice requires an operating phone to work. It does not make calls on it's own. It just connects your phone to the other party and/or forwards calls made to a Google voice number to your own phone.

Apples and oranges.

 

[Aduntu]

Yes, exactly

I use Skype for calls to landlines all the time. I also have my own Skype number. Now if I could just find my old iPhone earbuds with the microphone. OS 4.0 is going to make it a lot easier to do this on the iPad.

 

[techn0lady]

I use Skype for calls to landlines all the time. I also have my own Skype number. Now if I could just find my old iPhone earbuds with the microphone. OS 4.0 is going to make it a lot easier to do this on the iPad.

I wonder if regular wired earbuds w/mics would work? My guess is that they would.

 

[peestandingup]

NO. Google Voice requires an operating phone to work. It does not make calls on it's own. It just connects your phone to the other party and/or forwards calls made to a Google voice number to your own phone.

Apples and oranges.

Sorry but you're wrong. I make calls using my google voice number from my iPad right now. You just need a go-between app, like Truphone. You dial out using your browser on googles website & it rings your iPad.

 

[techn0lady]

Sorry but you're wrong. I make calls using my google voice number from my iPad right now. You just need a go-between app, like Truphone. You dial out using your browser on googles website & it rings your iPad.

That's what I said. You need a phone to make google voice work. You're "go between" app is a VOIP phone.

At any rate Google Voice is a completely different discussion than Skype.
If you already have truphone then why would you want Skype?

 

[iLiveUdie]

I am going to try it probably...hope it works!

anyone else try it?

 

[peetah]

Skype works great without the wired headset!

 

[iPhoneHome]

i was using this earlier and the call quality was excellent. I had it on speaker phone and it was flawless.

 

[Sleazy E]

Good news to everybody out there that don't own phones!

 

[peestandingup]

That's what I said. You need a phone to make google voice work. You're "go between" app is a VOIP phone.

At any rate Google Voice is a completely different discussion than Skype.
If you already have truphone then why would you want Skype?

Someone asked if they can just make their calls free using google voice and you said you couldn't because you needed a cell phone, which isn't correct. All you need is a google voice number & a gizmo5 account (which google owns now). Then you can set it to ring your iPad if you have something like Truphone, which is free to use.

 

[keyofnight]

Someone asked if they can just make their calls free using google voice and you said you couldn't because you needed a cell phone, which isn't correct. All you need is a google voice number & a gizmo5 account (which google owns now). Then you can set it to ring your iPad if you have something like Truphone, which is free to use.

I think you're missing the point.

He didn't say, "You need a Cell phone." He said, "You need an operating phone…" Operating phone could mean Skype, Vonage, ATT, whatever phone you have. Gizmo5, even though it has been acquired by Google, is a VOIP phone like Skype.

There is no difference between what you're suggesting and Skype. Either way, if someone has a working solution with a native app (not a web-app) that will work even better when iPhone 4.0 drops (with the good multi-tasking and system messaging), why would you suggest something else?

Oh well.

 

[drjsway]

Has a Skype iPad app been released or are you using the iPhone app?

 

[dissdnt]

You can pretend with the Fake Call app like you have a giant iPhone it's pretty funny.

 

[vw195]

Anyone tried this with a BT headset?

 

[avaloncourt]

Anyone tried this with a BT headset?

Did you read the first post?

Wireless headsets do NOT work . I tried it with both a mono and a stereo A2DP bluetooth headset (both with mics) and neother worked.

 

[LinMac]

Anyone tried this with a BT headset?

Bluetooth headsets don't work with the Skype app.

 

[vw195]

Did you read the first post?

Duuuhh its still a little early for me I guess thanks for the update.

Having said that, I wonder if a profile exists for BT headset...ie should it theoretically be possible, because if its not supportedI may just spend $50 and send this sucka bad

 

[avaloncourt]

Duuuhh its still a little early for me I guess thanks for the update.

Having said that, I wonder if a profile exists for BT headset...ie should it theoretically be possible, because if its not supportedI may just spend $50 and send this sucka bad

Yes, bluetooth is supported but not the "hands-free profile."

If you look at Apple's information page it provides information on every possible iPhone and iPad pairing type.

 

[vw195]

Yes, bluetooth is supported but not the "hands-free profile."

If you look at Apple's information page it provides information on every possible iPhone and iPad pairing type.

Ohhhh mmmaaaannn That is bad... There is no reason NOT to put handsfree in