February 2008

Skype has just laid a new golden egg, Skype 2.7 for Mac. It gives you a good tool for next 100 billion minutes of Skype calls.

We've worked hard to iron out bugs and to improve your overall experience while it was in beta and now with the release of Skype 2.7 Gold for Mac we're proud to announce that it's ready for production level usage.

We would like to thank everyone who for the feedback and those who helped us on make it the best version of Skype for Mac yet. Keep the feedback flowing through the Skype forums and our public issue tracker .

Skype 2.7.0.257 brings you following goodies:

* improvement: Optimized quick filtering history
* improvement: Improved connection speed to Skype network from restrictive network environment
* improvement: Improved stability and quality of video
* change: Added (myspace) emoticon
* change: Added error message for SkypeOut error #1102
* change: Default destination folder of file transfers changed from Desktop to Downloads
* change: If there is a pending file transfer then after restarting Skype that pending file transfer will be focused in the file transfer window
* change: New 512px volume icon of dmg
* change: Switched icons in the dmg background image

Continue reading "Skype 2.7 for Mac Gold" »

Today Skype has released a updated beta version of Skype 2.0 for Linux.

This release introduces some new features and numerous bug fixes, all of which are listed below.

Download it now or continue reading.

So why the name "X Marks the Spot"?

We thought 'X Marks the Spot' would be a fitting name as we introduced X11 overlay support - which means Video calls now work for those who don't have enough (or any) Xv ports available and as such couldn't get Video to work in previous Betas. X (X11) marks (draws on) the spot (the window area)

We would like to remind to you that Skype 2.0 for Linux is still in beta version, and thus we're still working hard to improve the client to a point that we're happy to call it gold/stable. Please let us know when you encounter any issues. You can discuss Skype for Linux on our forums or report issues on our public bug tracker Jira.

Skype 2.0.0.43 for Linux, brings you following enhancements:

* feature: Additional X11 overlay output support for video calls (without using Xv).
* feature: Automatic scrolling whilst highlighting in chat.
* feature: Click-and-hold for Call button on contact card to make SkypeOut calls to contact's Home, Office, Mobile numbers.
* feature: Click-and-hold for Call button on incoming call popup to invite to conference call.
* feature: Click-and-hold for Add/Search Contact button to give quicker access to Add/Search options.
* feature: Preload all chats with a topic into event history.
* feature: Show birthday present in contact card on contact's birthday.
* feature: Translations now also available in Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish and Thai.

* bugfix: API: Don't bring up new chat window for an empty chat from CHAT CREATE.
* bugfix: API: Don't respond to CALL command with OK.
* bugfix: API: Starting conference calls with CALL skypenameA, skypenameB now works as expected.
* bugfix: Allow user to change from a video device that no longer exists.
* bugfix: Always expand the contact card by default in 1:1 chats.
* bugfix: Bring chat window to the front if it is already open and is requested to be open.
* bugfix: Change red cross to green tick when file transfer is completed.
* bugfix: Chat find failure error dialog should be centred on the chat.
* bugfix: Chat member list no longer accepts any keyboard focus.
* bugfix: Clicking on the scrollbar in chat no longer loses focus on chat input area.
* bugfix: Correctly show mute status for mute events that happen outside the call window.
* bugfix: DBUS checkbox was offset in Options dialog.
* bugfix: Don't allow a conference call to be invited to a conference call.
* bugfix: Don't display Leave Chat dialog when using /leave feature, but still leave and close the chat window.
* bugfix: Don't double-escape spaces in file paths.
* bugfix: Don't remove current index when closing the last contact card.
* bugfix: Don't remove the old SkypeOut number before adding the new one on rename, incase it fails.
* bugfix: Don't send escaped version of the topic when changing topic.
* bugfix: Don't show age in birthday reminders for contacts born in the future.
* bugfix: Don't show the option to invite to a conference call when we are not the host.
* bugfix: Escape should close Invite user to chat dialog.
* bugfix: Escape should close error dialogs.
* bugfix: Event history filter type is forgotten when switching between contact list and event history.
* bugfix: File transfer widget didn't update the number of people sending to when removing a transfer.
* bugfix: Use 'Call Failed' notification when Voicemail fails or is cancelled.
* bugfix: Fix a bug with speaking indicator conflicting with Call on Hold status messages.
* bugfix: Fix a regression with Shift-Arrow/Ctrl-Arrow in main list.
* bugfix: Fix crash in Rename Widget when trying to change to a PSTN number that's too short.
* bugfix: Fix crash on incoming conference call.
* bugfix: Fix crash when entering short phone number in Add SkypeOut dialog.
* bugfix: Fix escaping issues in Profile Viewer.
* bugfix: Fix for a layout drawing bug in transfer window when adding to expanded transfer groups.
* bugfix: Fix for issues with holding calls and duration continuing
* bugfix: Fix for listview layout breakage when window is sized at minimum.
* bugfix: Fix for menus appearing below the mouse cursor on buttons.
* bugfix: Fix for tooltips disappearing elsewhere in the client during a call with technical call info enabled.
* bugfix: Fix for topic editing bar remaining open after window switch.
* bugfix: Fix minimum size being invalid in Invite users to chat dialog.
* bugfix: Fix mute button and tooltip in fullscreen video widget.
* bugfix: Fix some memory leaks and crashes related to historical calls.
* bugfix: Fix stray selection area visible after clearing selection in chat.
* bugfix: Hide Video button during a conference call.
* bugfix: If you hangup on a conference call participant whilst sending them a voicemail, they couldn't be invited again.
* bugfix: Invite user to chat dialog should be centred on the chat.
* bugfix: Listboxes in Options Dialog should stretch.
* bugfix: Maintain avatar background colour during a sending-only video call.
* bugfix: Make Ctrl-Space toggle the selection of the current contact on the contact list.
* bugfix: Make Ctrl-V work when opening Call Ordinary Phones dialog.
* bugfix: Make Speaking indicator a bit more reliable during status changes.
* bugfix: Mouse cursor needs to be updated after moving over a link in chat and using the mouse wheel to scroll.
* bugfix: Numbers in Skype chats open in user's browser instead of calling in Skype.
* bugfix: Open file paths in file browser, not Web browser.
* bugfix: Pasting a new mood message with the middle mouse button wouldn't save.
* bugfix: Prevent empty new events panel bug to do with Calls/Birthdays.
* bugfix: Ringing sound may not stop if inviting an incoming call to a conference call fails.
* bugfix: Remember file transfer window location and size.
* bugfix: Remove 25fps video send limit due to uvc driver fix.
* bugfix: Remove over-complicated contact menu call actions.
* bugfix: Removed b) emoticon definitions.
* bugfix: Scrollbar shouldn't be scrollable when the chat window is empty.
* bugfix: Search dialog could be resized below valid minimum size.
* bugfix: Select previous name in Rename Contact when opening dialog.
* bugfix: Sending an empty message to the API could crash the client.
* bugfix: Show contact's name instead of ellipses when shortening chat history.
* bugfix: Show if a 1:1 call is held in the window title.
* bugfix: Turning Auto-Away/NA option off would not save correctly. (#SCL-308)
* bugfix: Update chat window when message is delivered/undelivered to correctly redraw layout.
* bugfix: Update video preview to new device if applying changes in options dialog.
* bugfix: Wrap words correctly in chat input box.

Today Skype has released a updated version of Skype 3.6 for Windows.

This hotfix release addresses many issues found in the previous version, including the cross-zone vulnerability and API programs intended to fool users.

It's recommended for everyone to upgrade to the newly released build.

Download it from straight here while reading what's good in it.

3.6.0.248 changes in comparison with previous release are:

* feature: Public API access whitelist/blacklist
* improvement: Improved connection speed to Skype network from restrictive network environment
* bugfix: Skype cross-zone scripting vulnerability
* bugfix: Skype crashed sometimes when leaving groupchat
* bugfix: Skype crashed when current Skypename field was empty
* bugfix: Contacts were occasionally lost when synchronisation failed
* bugfix: MySpace tab was not reachable via keyoard navigation
* bugfix: Editing avatar resulted "Cannot focus a disabled or invisible window" error
* bugfix: It was not possible to answer second incoming call
* bugfix: Dynamic Content message overlaying contact list toolbar and group controls on reduced Skype window
* bugfix: Check update web link was incorrect
* bugfix: Call on hold image was wrongly displayed
* bugfix: USB webcam plugged in while on call did not allow to start video
* bugfix: It was not possible to open video settings panel while on video call
* bugfix: Skype crashed sometimes when expanding chat history
* bugfix: Presence were shown wrongly to conference call participants sometimes
* bugfix: Incorrect message was shown when when sender cancelled file transfer
* bugfix: Voice Mail greeting playes again when viewing profile
* bugfix: Wrong flag was displayes for Democratic Republic of the Congo
* bugfix: File Transfer relayed message was displayed after File Transfer had finished
* bugfix: Language name for Belarusian was wrong
* change: Language files updated

I would like to thank everyone who have been reporting to us their finds and feelings on Skype for Windows. Please continue to keep us posted with your comments and discussions on Skype forums and report hiccups on our public issue tracker Jira.