Skype Mashup Winner Is JiWire-Great App, But Where's The Mac

I spent a large part of Thursday afternoon with the dynamic duo of Skype Journal, Phil Wolff and Jim Courtney discussing Skype, the Skype Eco-System and Skype Journal. The combination web site, blog and advice for Skype users/developers that comes out of those two is a real key to Skype's future as it provides the primary sounding board of what's hot or not from the start. Their endeavor with a Mashup competition was a stroke of genius and sorely needed in the Skype world. Bravo!!!

Jim's coverage of the Mashup competition winner, JiWire is first rate, but I have a rub with the whole Skype Developer Program over all.

Lack of Mac.

Too many of the apps developed for Skype, including the winners in Europe (PamFax) and now JiWire lack any real Mac versions.

I came to this conclusions after I booted up my Flybook and was blown away by the JiWire Hot Spot locator app that I installed over lunch and plan on installing PamFax plug in when I log on next with the lightweight companion PC I now use on the road when I don't want to lug the 15" MacBook Pro around. These apps are sensational, as are some of the new Skype oriented collaboration plug ins, but the fact that the Mac takes a back seat in the developer program, as does the Nokia N800 is a real downer. Sure you can use the JiWire bot on a Mac to get a text reply and list of hotspots, but it pales in comparison to the Windows experience.

I'm very impressed though with the direction the developer program is taking at Skype and look forward to its growth. In a year under new leadership the program has taken on some very serious efforts and those efforts are likely to eventually benefit the Mac and N800 users...we just need to be patient.

Comments

[Nihad]

JiWire has an offering for the MAC OSX as a widget. Not the same as the Skype plug-in but offers the MAC user an experience that is specific to the MAC.

JiWire Widget:
http://www.jiwire.com/osx-tiger-dashboard-widget.htm