Today we have released new beta version of Skype for Mac 2.5.

It includes many fixes and improvements compared to previous version. Experienced users are welcomed to try it out and give us feedback to further improve it.

You can download updated beta from here.

Version released is 2.5.0.63 and it has following changes compared to previous version:

* known issue: A data file gets written to the hard disk when in a call. This file grows bigger whilst in the video call and is reset to 0 each video call
* known issue: Fullscreen video calls on G4's can cause your computer to appear to have 'hung'. Once the call is hung up, system is responsive again.
* new feature: links in mood messages
* new feature: 8 new emoticons
* improvement: video resolution on G4 1.25ghz+ and any Dual G4 is now the same as G5, Intel. (Increased)
* improvement: updated localizations
* improvement: sometimes adding an event to history list took too long time and caused Skype to freeze for a couple of seconds
* improvement: resizing of conference call window improved
* improvement: number of Skype contacts shown in the Edit Profile window
* improvement: in the Create Account window, limited the length of Skype Name field to 32 characters
* improvement: improved handling of errors during Entourage, Palm contacts import
* improvement: country flags in the SkypeOut dialler window
* improvement: compact mode of conference call participants
* improvement: better error messages instead of some misc error numbers
* improvement: added "Create Account" menu item to the Account menu for novice users
* improvement: SkypeIn number displayed in the services area of the My Skype panel

* changed: "Calls Forwarded" icon updated
* change: remember advanced search settings
* change: disabled editing Call Forwarding settings when offline
* change: chat timestamp for today shows only time now
* bugfix: API: GET AUDIO_OUT generated an error
* bugfix: API: some commands were not handled if the command string was lowercase
* bugfix: API: Applescript API didn't answer to PING
* bugfix: API: no notification was posted when audio in or out devices were manually changed in the preferences
* bugfix: Voicemail prefs are now disabled when no voicemail capability
* bugfix: using the IPEVO phone to redial and hang up quickly caused call window to malfunction
* bugfix: unable to send sms/ft/sc etc from chat drawer
* bugfix: top menu item in the SkypeOut dialler window disappeared
* bugfix: tooltip of the "Show History" button was sometimes incorrect
* bugfix: tooltip of mute button in full screen video was "Start Chat..."
* bugfix: title of the header was "History by Date" when only missed events were shown
* bugfix: two warnings when deleting a voicemail
* bugfix: some old calls showed up as missed calls after upgrading from 2.0 to 2.5
* bugfix: Sign In as Another User menu didn't contain previously used usernames
* bugfix: sometimes clicking magnify glass in address bar displayed the options for history list when in fact contact list was shown in main window
* bugfix: SMS Address Book plugin didn't handle phone numbers without country code
* bugfix: Skype Test Service (echo123) didn't talk in correct language in localized versions
* bugfix: 'Show Skype' button did not work in a SkypeCast Safari Window
* bugfix: selecting emoticon roster and then deselecting it opened the roster again
* bugfix: selecting "Edit Mood Message" from the "Account" menu didn't open the mood message area if services area was open previously
* bugfix: Poland and Portugal flag emoticons were not shown
* bugfix: marking all missed events as viewed in main window didn't remove red badges from chat drawer
* bugfix: it was not possible to add a contact that ended with a hyphen (-)
* bugfix: in rare cases call window disappeared but call was not hung up properly
* bugfix: improved cursor tracking in emoticon roster
* bugfix: honour user settings for SMS window notifications
* bugfix: full screen video didn't appear on secondary monitor
* bugfix: font size problems in prefs and chat window
* bugfix: flags in the SkypeOut dialler were cut off 1 pixel from the bottom
* bugfix: file sent notification not showing up in chat window
* bugfix: editing voicemail greeting didn't work sometimes
* bugfix: drawing of SMS message was messed up when creating really long SMS messages
* bugfix: crash when resizing the main column of history list
* bugfix: country flag disappeared from SkypeOut dialer under certain circumstances
* bugfix: copy-pasting an URL to a chat became something completely different when viewed
* bugfix: context menus of conference call participants didn't work in compact mode
* bugfix: chats were not opened automatically after login with other version and other username
* bugfix: sometimes chats dissappeared from chat drawer after quitting Skype
* bugfix: chat didn't handle emoticons that were not separated by whitespace
* bugfix: Buy Credit instead of price of the SMS was in status bar
* bugfix: avatars set from Pocket PC Skype were not shown properly
* bugfix: after signing in as another user, some missed events of previous user were displayed
* bugfix: advanced option "Enable Animations" didn't take effect immediately
* bugfix: error message for wrong SMS verification code was incorrect

Your feedback is invaluable to us.