Skype for Windows beta

We are proud to present the beta version of Skype 3.8 for Windows. This new version brings to you mainly quality improvements and slightly reduced installer size.

This is beta software, which means that we are still working on it. So it may not always behave as it should.

Download and try it out.

In case you see anything which is not behaving as you’d expect then please let us know in the forum for Skype 3.8 beta or report an issue in our public issue tracker Jira.

We are very thankful for all kinds of feedback.

Major changes in this version are new implementation of UPnP, improved audio engine and the new Extras Manager. In addition to these new things we have fixed numerous video-related bugs.

Read more about our new independent UPnP implementation here.

There is also one known issue in this beta version: you cannot send voicemail to people who have not authorized you. We are working on fixing this in time for the public version.

Full list of changes for 3.8.0.96:

• known issue: Sending Voicemail to not authorized user fails
• feature: New UPnP implementation
• feature: Extras Manager 2.0
• feature: Profile picture hidden by default on authorization request
• Improvement: Audio call quality
• Improvement: Internet Explorer add-on updated
• Improvement: Firefox add-on updated
• Improvement: Skype4COM updated
• change: Default video resolution for Pentium 3 and slower computers is 160x120 pixels
• bugfix privacy leak: Moodmessage and online status exposure to web browser via internal interface
• bugfix: Rarely contacts were lost after upgrade
• bugfix: Public chat links did not work on Vista
• bugfix: My video was froze on video call for some users
• bugfix: Call went to Voicemail even if not selected it in options
• bugfix: Sometimes video was black for receiver
• bugfix: Sometimes video preview was frozen
• bugfix: High Quality Video was not possible with Core2Duo E8200 CPU
• bugfix: Users who have not logged in for long time were not found with search
• bugfix: Skype sometimes crashed during file transfer
• bugfix API: It was not possible to forward call if username had a comma in it

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

First of all we would like to thank everyone who has given their feedback to us on the initial beta version of Skype 3.6, keep up the feedback, as it helps us to make Skype even better for you.

You can leave us feedback on Skype forums or file a issue, reports in our public issue tracker Jira.

You can download the new version from right here.

The updated beta release, 3.6.0.159, incorporates two new features in connection with recently announced co-operation with MySpace:

• Linking MySpace profile in Skype
• Display MySpace avatar in Skype

In addition to those two new features we have also made some bug fixes and improvements to Skype, they are:

• Improvement: Improved audio quality on low speed internet connections
• Improvement: Improved presence
• change: Computers with Dual Core CPU’s will send 640x480 by default on video call.
• bugfix: Audio settings not displayed correctly
• bugfix: Microphone level adjustments made during the call were not remembered for next calls
• bugfix: Full screen video windows was movable
• bugfix: Skype crashed when user enabled and disabled video many times in short timeframe

Today we have released a new version of Skype for Windows.

Skype 3.6 for Windows is currently in a open beta state which means that we are still working on it to make it ready for production level use and nail down possible rough edges.

This new release is all about video, it introduced new quality standard for video calls, you can now make video calls with resolution of 640x480 and up to 30 frames per second.

To make such high quality video calls you need to have following configuration:

• A computer with dual core processor
• A Logitech High Quality webcam, with latest webcam software from Logitech
• Sufficient bandwidth (we recommend upload bandwidth 380kb/s and above)

See more info in FAQ’s.

Download it right now.

We would like to encourage you all to give us a feedback how your video calls are going and how Skype 3.6 Beta for Windows generally is behaving, so we can make it better for all of you.

You can leave us feedback on Skype forums and report issues with Skype on our public issue tracker Jira.

Continue reading "Skype 3.6 for Windows Beta, High Quality Video" »

We have just released an updated version of Skype 3.5 Beta for Windows. This update introduces some new improvements and bugfixes.

If you are experienced user and you are not afraid of some possible problems, then you are more than welcomed to try it out and leave us your feedback on it so we can make Skype even better for you.

You can download the updated beta version of Skype here and leave us feedback through Skype 3.5 Beta forum in our public issue tracker Jira, to learn more how to leave us feedback please visit our Skype for Windows development page.

Continue reading "Skype 3.5 Beta for Windows update" »

We have just released a updated version of Skype 3.5 Beta for Windows. This update introduces some new cool features.

If you are experienced user and you are not afraid of some possible problems then you are more than welcomed to try it out and leave us your feedback on it so we can make Skype even better for you.

You can download the updated beta version of Skype here and leave us feedback through Skype 3.5 Beta forum in our public issue tracker Jira, to learn more how to leave us feedback please visit our Skype for Windows development page.

The new release accommodates following new features:

• Add video to mood and chat message
• Video snapshot
• What’s New Guide
• Support for Firewire Digital cameras

Continue reading "Skype 3.5 Beta for Windows update" »

Today we have released Skype 3.5 Beta for Windows. It includes many new features in comparison with Skype 3.2 for Windows.

This is a beta release which means that we are still working on it and that it is only recommended for experienced users to try out new bleeding edge features. Read more about meaning of beta release.

You can download the new beta version of Skype here.

As always we are more than happy when you will give us feedback about our product. You can do it on our forum for Skype 3.5 Beta for Windows or in our public issue tracker Jira, to learn more how to leave us feedback please visit our Skype for Windows development page.

The newly released version of Skype, 3.5.0.107, hosts following new features and changes in comparison with latest 3.2 release, in addition to those it has numerous bug fixes:

• feature: Auto redial
• feature: Call Transfer
• feature: Device Indicators
• feature: Edit chat messages
• feature: Message history loading granulated
• feature: Private Telephone Numbers
• feature: Send contacts inside chat
• feature: Visual indicators for Audio In / Audio Out in options
• feature: Show examples of notifications / alerts in options
• feature: Added Latvian localization - Intars Students
• feature: In-Client Hardware store button
• change: Extras Manager updated to version 1.2.0.261
• change: Options categories smoothly slide open and close when changed
• Updated language files: Arabic (Eriksen Translations Inc.), Bulgarian (Nikolina Filipova & Nikolay Filipov), Czech (Petr Silon), Danish (Eriksen Translations Inc), German (Claudius Henrichs & Dick Schiferli), Estonian (Eve Loopere), Greek (Panagiotis Sidiropoulos http://www.magenta.gr ),French (Fabrice IMPERIAL & Bruno Lépaulard), Italian (Daniele Conte), Japanese (Mayu Shimizu), Hungarian (Mark Bender & Laszlo Koncz & Gabor Stefanik),Latvian (Intars Students), Lithuanian (Viktoras Kriukovas), Norwegian (Stig Auestad), Dutch (Kees Koenders), Polish (Karol Szastok), Portuguese-Portugal (Francisco Ferreira, Portuguese-Brazil (Leslie Predrotti), Finnish (Heino Keränen), Swedish (Anders Olsson), Russian (Eriksen Translations Inc), Romanian (Péter Henning and Mónika Iancu), Turkish (Ömer Emin Dede)

Today we have released new beta update for Skype for Windows 3.2 Beta version.

First before giving detailed info about new release I would like to thank everyone who have been giving us feedback , keep it coming towards us.

This newly released update includes call forwarding improvements and options overhaul as major changes to Skype client. In addition to those it hosts many bug fixes.

Unfortunately four known bugs have managed to slip into this release build:

• Options - some incoming calls from people who haven’t been authorized
• Options - Audio settings sliders and feedback indicators not working correctly
• Options - Advanced settings sometimes return to Basic settings next time you go into options
• Options - Start Skype when I start Windows doesn’t match with settings on Sign-In screen

Build released is 3.2.0.115 and it hosts following changes compared to previous release build 3.2.0.82:

• feature: Call forwarding improvements
• change: Options overhaul
• change: New offline warning banners for 1:1 chats
• change: New RichText based hint window
• bugfix: Calls between Skype 3.2 beta versions had during silence strange background noise
• bugfix: Myself capture buttons were misplaced
• bugfix: Call duration was showed wrongly for very long calls
• bugfix: Chat guidelines were messed up when using double quotes in them
• bugfix: Importing Gmail contacts for non-English Gmail failed sometimes
• bugfix: File size was not displayed before accepting File Transfer
• bugfix: Skype changed IE6 text size to medium automatically
• bugfix: Link in chat topic was not clickable sometimes
• change: updated language files

Like always you are more than welcomed in sharing your thoughts, comments and issues with us, you can do it through Skype for Windows 3.2 beta forum or file in issue in our issue tracker Jira, read in our Windows version development page how to do it.

Today we have released beta update to Skype for Windows 3.2.

It solves numerous issues found in previous beta version and thus it is recommended to update your client.

In addition to bug fixes it has also improved video user interface and and installer is now based on MSI.

Unfortunately this build has one known issue in audio calls between Skype 3.2 beta users, during the time when there are not talk in the call, there will be odd background noise.

Version released in 3.2.0.82 and full changes list is:

• known issue: On calls between Skype 3.2 beta version on during complete silence there is odd background noise
• feature: MSI installer
• feature API: New command OPEN LIVETAB
• improvement: Video user interface
• bugfix: Skype crashed when doing quick logout after login
• bugfix: On one to one call receiver could not add third party to call
• bugfix: Quickfilter added country prefix to contacts search
• bugfix: Contacts card displayed wrong information after quitting conference card to conference partners
• bugfix: Rich mood message line breaks
• bugfix: Contact List was messed up on some occasions
• bugfix: Skype crashed on conference call when it was turned into regular call and then back to conference call
• bugfix: Skype crashed on Vista when unplugged USB headset during a call
• bugfix: Audio handling on Vista improved

I would also like to thank everyone who has already given their feedback to us and encourage other to do it. You can leave us feedback through Skype for Windows 3.2 beta forum or then file in issue in our issue tracker Jira, read in our Windows version development page how to do it.

Today we have released hotfixes for Skype 3.1 and 3.2 beta versions.

These fixes address many important issues in our latest versions and I would like to then everyone who has been helping us on getting them fixed .

Keep feedback coming. You can leave us feedback through our forums, on our Windows version development page or just comment this post.

Released versions with changes compared to previous version are:

3.2.0.63 Beta

• change: Extras Manager updated to version 1.1.0.246
• bugfix: Deleting history sometimes gave “List index out of bounds” error
• bugfix: Skype crashed on some occasions when deleting history
• budfix: Rich mood message formatting was lost on some occasions
• bugfix: File transfer was not resumed correctly sometimes
• bugfix: Skype crashed on some occasions when logging out right after login
• bugfix: Skype may have crashed when disabling Live Tab
• Updated language files for German, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, English, Estonian, Spanish, Hungarian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Turkish and Chinese-traditional.

3.1.0.152

• change: Extras Manager updated to version 1.1.0.246
• bugfix: Skype crashed when playing some wav files
• bugfix: Skype may have crashed when disabling Live Tab
• bugfix: Rich mood message formatting was lost on some occasions
• bugfix: Skype crashed on some occasions when logging out right after login
• bugfix: Receiving call from unknown number resulted false notification message
• bugfix: Skype crashed when changing chat picture on some cases
• bugfix: API ACL dialogue did not support Unicode characters

Today we have release hotfix for our Windows release version 3.1 which addresses bugs found there and a new Skype for Windows 3.2 which has many new great features compared to previous version.

You can read more about 3.2 new astonishing features at our main blog and download it here. All feedback is more than welcomed which will help us to improve Skype.

You can leave us a feedback on Skype forums or though Skype for Windows Development page.

Released build is 3.2.0.53 Beta and it has following changed compared to Skype 3.1:

• feature: Send Money
• feature: Skype’s own audio codec
• feature: Skype improved conference mixer
• feature: Skype Jitter Buffer and concealment
• feature: Skype audio preprocessing components
• feature: Account in Client
• feature: Import Contacts from MSN Hotmail, Yahoo! and GMail added
• feature: Multi-Device presence
• feature: Myself Capture
• feature: Call Quality feedback in client
• feature: Voice Mail playback pauses Winamp

Continue reading "Skype for Windows 3.2 Beta release and 3.1 hotfix" »

Today we have released new updated version of Skype for Windows 3.1 beta.

Updated version includes one new feature “Skype Prime” and multiple bug fixes.

Newly released version is 3.1.0.134 and it has following changes:

• feature: Skype Prime
• change: Plugin Manager updated 1.1.0.237
• bugfix: SkypePM.exe may have shown a ‘DLL Initialization Failed’ error message on shutting down Windows.
• bugfix: SkypeFind: search for umlaut characters from tab did not work
• bugfix: SkypeIn call trayalert was wrong
• bugfix: Typing indicator: behaviour incorrect when typing was stopped
• bugfix: API: sometimes GROUPS gave wrong data about USERS and NROFUSERS

You can download it here and leave us feedback through Developer Zone.

Your feedback will help us to make Skype even better product!

Today we have released Skype for Windows 3.1 Beta.

Release notes for the new version are:

• feature: Skype Find
• feature: Account Panel redesign
• feature: Alerts Platform

• feature: Typing indicator

• feature: API: possible to get contact’s avatar and get and set own avatar

• feature: API: GET CONTACTS_FOCUSED
• feature: API: SET RINGTONE STATUS ON|OFF
• feature. API: GET PREDICTIVEDIALERCOUNTRY
• feature: API: CALL property TARGET_IDENTITY
• bugfix: API: after joining calls to conference VIDEO(SEND|RECEIVE)STATUS RUNNING was erroneously sent
• bugfix: API: ongoing call was not put on hold while answering another incoming call

• bugfix: API: notification of clicking MENUITEM in Tools returned userid

• Known issue: SkypePM.exe may show a ‘DLL Initialization Failed’ error message on shutting down Windows.

You can download updated version from here and leave us feedback trough Developer Zone or Skype forums.

Your feedback is invaluable to us!

Today we have released update for our Windows software both 3.0 Beta and 2.5 Gold.

Skype for Windows 3.0 beta has been updated to version 3.0.0.154, it includes following changes:

• known issue: Video Calls between 3.0.0.154 and older 3.0 betas do not work.
• change: Extras Manager updated
• bugfix: Uninstalling Skype before upgrade disabled Extras Manger in installer
• bugfix: some HTML was visible in profile window
• bugfix: displayname in Skype add uri did not work

Skype for Windows 2.5 Gold got some cosmetic changes and is now version 2.5.0.154.

You can download updates here:

• 3.0 Beta
• 2.5 Gold

We always appreciate your feedback!
You can leave it through Developer Zone or Skype forum.

We have a known issue in the 3.0.0.137 Beta Update.

Users are prompted to ‘Buy Extras’ when trying to use a previously installed Extra.

We apologize for this inconvenience and will have this fixed in the next Beta Update. Please understand that issues like this are common in early beta products.

Here’s what you can do to resolve the issue yourself:

1. Uninstall any applications you have installed in ‘My Extras’ in Skype Extras Manager

2. Go to your “C:\Program Files\Skype\Plugin Manager” folder and click on “unins000.exe” to unsinstall the Skype Extras Manager.

3. Go to your “C:Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Skype” folder and delete the “Plugins” folder.

4. Re-Install the .137 Skype Beta from: http://www.skype.com/download/skype/windows/skype3beta.html

Agree to the terms. Click on the “Options” button and make sure “Install Skype Extras Manager” is checked.

1. Re-install any of the Extras which were prompting you to BUY them.

2. You may see a warning message about a mismatch, this is a known issue and will be fixed in a future release.

Today we released Skype for Windows 3.0 Beta update.

Release notes compared to first beta version are:

• change: new button for ‘leave’ in chat window
• change: Do More Menu active even when Extras Manager not running
• change: updated all translations
• bugfix: in some cases there was low voice quality in a video call
• bugfix: http/socks proxy connections did not work
• bugfix: sometimes video was not shown in incoming video call
• bugfix: Sometimes Extars Manager produced an Access Violation on start up
• bugfix: ViewProfile: divider was missing before contact count
• bugfix: LOGIN: no user name was selected and password field was not focused by default when Skype started
• bugfix: Public Chat: Wrong timestamp for remove message action
• bugfix: Sometimes there were overlapping phone numbers in contact card
• bugfix: Accessibility: MSAA for tab control added again
• bugfix: wrong flag was displayed for Ireland
• bugfix: Public Chat: Chat not ended if a promoted Host chose ‘End Chat’

This build has one known issue:

• Extras Manager: Installer shows an error message if some of the components that have to be rewritten are locked

You can download it here and give us feedback through Developer Zone or in related Skype forum.

Your feedback is invaluable to us.