Find out how to get started and what you’ll be able to do with Skype on your mobile.

We’ve seen a lot of Skype “compatible” clients for s60 devices, but I think you would agree that there’s nothing like the real thing. While browsing Skype’s site, I noticed the official beta for mobile devices, including the N95 and N80. Finally!

The client includes most of the things you would expect to find in the PC version of Skype - presence, talk and instant message. It even allows for group chats.

What’s the catch? Well, at the moment, the client is still officially a beta, which mean that it may not work reliably 100 percent of the time, but it works. The other caveat is that calls to landline numbers, regular mobile numbers and Skype contacts are limited to people in Brazil, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Sweden and the UK. Other countries will hopefully be added soon.

To get it, you basically have two options: install directly on your device or download the client to your computer, then sideload to your device via Bluetooth or USB.

To download directly to your device, type http://skype.com/m into the device browser. You’ll be asked for your country of residence, your mobile number and your language. Once you click Next, you will get a link to initiate the download.

To download to your PC, follow the instructions on the Skype site.

Once it’s on your device, start by going to the Skype (Beta) icon in your Applications folder. After you accept the terms of service and read a few warnings, you’ll be asked for your username, password and login preference.

As soon as Skype starts, you’ll see the same contacts interface you see on your PC. Additionally, it has a few more tabs - Chats, Events and Call Phones, which includes your phonebook. The Contacts menu lets you change your status, add/remove and search contacts, and make changes to your profile and skypeout account.

Have you tried out Skype on your mobile? Share your experience in the comments.

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