Skype have released version 5.8 of the popular free phone and video calling software – actually they released it 2 weeks ago but they don’t seem too keen on existing users getting it!
When I check for updates from within Skype 5.6 there are none – a message states that I already have the latest version of Skype when I obviously don’t – because Skype 5.8 was released on 2nd February…
Why Are Skype Not Offering The New Version To Everyone?
According to Skype Support it is to ‘compare user behavior’. Presumably they want to see how people react to each version but this is really annoying as it means you may miss out on important new features, fixes and updates for a number of weeks.
New Features And Improvements In Skype 5.8
- Full HD video-calling – works with the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920
. With Logitech c920 the video encoding is done inside the camera which enables full HD or HD video quality with older computers – requires at least a 2 Mbps upload/download speed
- Support for Facebook audio and video-calling (beta) – make video calls with all of your friends on Facebook, even if they aren’t Skype users
- Group screen sharing – allows users to share their entire screen or a single application window with other participants on a conference call while continuing to stream video
- Hide offline Facebook contacts
- Push to Talk – allows users to set a hotkey to toggle microphone muting on a Skype call
- Skype updater service
- Bing Bar integration
Fixes In Skype 5.8
- Active call plus menu focusing was not correct
- Seldomly in compact mode call duration was not displayed
- It was not possible to add a phone number to a group which belonged to a Facebook contact
- Proxy settings in client were not disabled when proxy was set using registry keys
How To Get The Latest Version – Skype 5.8
If you have an earlier version and check for updates from within Skype you may not receive any – it may tell you (wrongly) that Skype is up to date. You will need to update manually:
- To get the latest version of Skype 5.8 (currently 5.8.0.154) – download the full offline installer version from http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-full.
- Close Skype completely (i.e. quit it, not just minimize) and then install this new version – it will upgrade your existing Skype to the new 5.8
Skype 2.7 For Android Released
Yesterday also saw the release of a new version of Skype for Android. The new features and improvements in Skype 2.7 are:
- Calling interface updated
- Improved quality
- Enabled video calling for Samsung Epic 4G Touch
The following fixes were made:
- Help button now linked to mobile-optimized support site
- “Add Contacts” was doing local contact search instead of searching for other Skype users
- After sending a contact request the user was not taken back to previous view
- Skype did not stop ringing if the user answered the call on other device, like on desktop, with same Skype user
Upgrade to the latest version of Skype for Android from the Android Market.
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