With the new Skype 3.0 Beta release this week, developers are waking up with a bunch of good news.

The release includes the following long-awaited features:

* Skype extras (plug-in) framework provides a streamlined process to publish extras to the Extras gallery. Users can find, install, and launch extras from Skype client menus and in the Extras Manager.

* Call transfer APIs enable you to develop call routing applications for Skype.

Developers have been asking for these features for a long time and we are delighted to deliver both of these important innovations in one release.

What is the extras (plug-in) framework?

As Don Kennedy described in the Windows 3.0 Beta forum:

Extras were created for the 3.0 Skype client. These are applications that were designed to interface to the 3.0 Beta client to help enhance your Skype experience.

Users can find, install, and launch extras from Do More option that appears in the Tools menu, in Call and Chat windows, and in Contact cards. Users simply select the "Do More" option and click "Get Extras" to display available extras in the Extras Gallery. A description of each extra, including support information, is available on the DevZone at https://developer.skype.com/Docs/Extras/AboutExtras

To get started developing extras, visit our Extras site where you will find docs, resources, support , and a clear route to market.

Call transfer APIs

Skype 3.0 introduces the long-awaited interface to enable call transfer. The reason for this phased release is to ensure substantial penetration of Skype 3.0 among users, because call transfer requires that all parties are running Skype 3.0 or higher. Our goal is to enable you to start building and testing great new apps now which will be ready to blow peoples' minds away in future. No more playing catch up with the client!

With the call transfer API, users can transfer calls to other users, and all parties receive status updates so they know the call is being transferred. Users can transfer calls to individual users or to a group. When a user transfers a call to a group, the first user to pick up takes the call.

Download the 3.0 Developer Notes for a description of the properties, status values, commands, and errors for call transfer.