Nimbuzz – Will It Be The Skype Of the Mobile World?

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The Vision Behind Nimbuzz

Nimbuzz’s vision is to revolutionize mobile communication by enabling the Nimbuzz community with seamless communications across IM, voice, data, video, and conferencing.

The Nimbuzz Application

The feature product is the Nimbuzz mobile messaging, chat and voice service. Nimbuzz is available as a (downloadable) J2ME client for mobile phones, for mobile web browser (no download required) and as a Windows PC client. Using technologies such as J2ME, Jabber, XMPP and the patented “BUZZ” notification technology and Nimbuzz Voice technology, Nimbuzz bridges messaging and voice services between mobile – and IM users to over 500 Million Internet capable mobile phones already in use worldwide.

Nimbuzz Voice Beta

Nimbuzz Voice, their newly released mobile voice service, allows Nimbuzz users to make mobile VoIP calls to other Nimbuzz users, call your IM buddies (Skype, AIM, etc) from all over the world on their PC, at low rates and also initiate a (global) Group Call from your mobile phone with up to 5 buddies for a low rates, while buddies joining the call from their PC client, can do so for free.

So What Are The Drawbacks?

As with many services, one of the biggest drawbacks is that you have to hope that your friends, relatives, colleagues, and or clients also have the client in order to reap the true benefit of the client. Although it can be used to connect with other softclients, the ability to make a Nimbuzz to landline or cellular call is unavailable. In addition, you must have an Internet capable phone. Nimbuzz is already popular in Europe, but something tells me it is going to have an even tougher time then Skype gaining acceptance in North America.

I downloaded both the mobile and PC client tonight, and I am working on coercing a few friends and colleagues into doing the same so I can get a better feel and deliver a more accurate portrayal of the service. Stay tuned for more on Numbuzz.