Digital Trends inform: “The German software developer announced the beta version of IM+ for Skype on Monday, which is available for immediate download from skypeforiphone.com. Although it isn’t officially endorsed by Skype, IM+ for Skype was built using Skype’s own publicly available API, which is specifically intended for third-party developers to craft their own Skype clients and plug-ins for the platform.”

“A VOIP client on an existing telephone platform may seem counterintuitive, but there are many ways Skype could potentially be deployed to save users money. Using SkypeOut allows users to call anywhere in the world for significantly slashed long distance rates. For instance, a call to Spain would cost 32 cents per minute using AT&T long distance, or 2.1 cents per minute using Skype. Unlimited domestic calling with Skype costs less than $3 a month, and Skype to Skype calls are always free.”