Skype 2.8 Gold for Mac out now

We’ve just released the final version of Skype 2.8 for Mac – it’s ready for you to download now.

Those of you who have already been using the beta version won’t notice any new features, but we’ve fixed a number of bugs. Raul’s post on the Garage blog has all the details.

For those of you downloading for the first time, here’s a rundown of the new features since 2.7:

Screen Sharing

Sometimes trying to explain what you are seeing on your screen to someone on a call just doesn’t work. With screen sharing you can easily show exactly what you are looking at by simply calling your Skype contact and sharing all or part of your desktop.

It’s great for sharing presentations with colleagues, or for showing off a killer move in a game. It’s easy to do, and totally free.

You can share your screen with anyone using a video-capable version of Skype, and screen sharing is also available in Skype 4.1 for Windows, enabling cross-platform collaboration.

Skype Access (BETA)

When you’re on your travels, connecting to WiFi hotspots can be, well, a right pain. Fiddling with your credit card, inserting numbers, etc. Skype Access removes that hassle – simply pay by the minute for the time you need with Skype Credit.

Please note: Skype Access is still in beta in the Gold version of 2.8. We’re keen to hear your feedback, so please let us know how you get on. Leave a comment below, or file an issue in our tracker.

Other new features

Improved chat management

If (like me) you’re in loads of Skype chats at the same time – my current count is 456 – you’ll welcome this one. You can now sort chats in the drawer and set priorities to chats, so you can deal with the most important messages first.

Quick Add

It’s now much easier to add people to chats. Click Add in a chat window toolbar, and the Quick Add window appears. Start typing and it’ll search your contact list. To add someone to the chat, click their name in the Quick Add window.

Mood message chat

You can use the mood message chat to keep up with your friends’ updates, and also update your own mood message. It’s a bit like Twitter, but don’t tell them we said that.

To switch on the mood message chat, check Show buddy mood messages in chat in the Advanced section of the Preferences window.

Large profile pictures

Just like Skype 4.1 for Windows, you can now use images of up to 256 x 256 pixels.

Hidden avatars in incoming contact requests

A small minority of Skype users have profile pictures which others may find unpleasant, and so they’re now hidden by default in contact requests.

Add notes to contacts

You can add notes to a contact in their profile window – handy for keeping track of who’s who.