How To: Install Skype on your Xperia Mini or other Android phone

UPDATE: Skype has been officially released, you can get the APK here.

UPDATE 02 AUGUST 2010: Bad news, it looks like the versions of Skype available on the repos right now only allow audio calls by dialling a local number. I have uploaded Skype (BETA) v1.0.0.5 here.

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In the UK and USA Skype has some special agreement with specific networks, in the UK it's locked to the Three network. This means unless you are with Three you cannot download/run Skype – browsing to http://skype.com/m does not currently allow you to download Skype if your on a different network.

This is how to install a working version of Skype on any Android phone:

1. You need to firstly enable third-party apps on your phone
2. You need to install and run APKtor on your device, use the mentioned repos
3. Search for Skype – install it

I am on Vodafone in the UK and I have tested this briefly on my Xperia Mini Pro – the app seems slightly buggy at times but the majority of main features are there (IM, audio call, contact lists, profile editing) – looks and feels a bit like the Symbian S60 version. My test call worked brilliant. Worked using wifi, Edge and 3G.

How To: Find and install third-party apps on Android / APKtor alternative to Market

NOTE: This how-to may enable you to download paid/cracked apps, for which I take no responsibility or liability - do at your own risk.

First, you need to download APKtor, which is available on the Market. You can also download it from http://apktor.gotoinit.com/download/ either using the browser on your phone or from a computer, then transferring the APK file (APKs are Android app installation files) to your device and running it using a file manager (I recommend ES File Explorer grab it here if your Market is not working).

After installation, start up APKtor. You will be notified that no repositories are setup yet. Repositories (aka repo's) are URLs pointing to app collections. Once you add some repos you can directly download and install apps from APKtor. The best way to find repos is to Google around for them.

Here are three repo's that I found in a search:
- http://repo.blackdroid.net
- http://android-es.com/repo/apk/
- http://aptoide.com/rep

After adding some repo's APKtor should automatically populate a huge list of apps. You can force an update by pressing the Menu/Options button (left button under screen) then touching Update. Simply touch an app and then touch install. You can uninstall apps the usual way and also by going to the "Installed" page within APKtor, touching an app and touching uninstall.

Have fun!

How To: Enable third-party apps on your Android 1.6 phone

If you enable this feature you can download apps from “unknown sources” such as websites, other Market apps or transfer them between Android phones and be able to install them.

There is a bit of a risk because some of these apps are not Google Market “approved” so if you don’t know what an app does or who it is made by, there is a risk. Use your best judgement rather than impulse downloads and installations – Google check reviews on apps beforehand.

How to enable third-party app installation on your Android phone:
1. Go to Settings
2. Touch Applications
3. Touch Unknown Sources (so the tick is white) – this enables the feature

NOTE: This method is for Android 1.6 but may be the same/similar on newer Android versions.