All-New Skype Now Available

[Digital Puppy]

All-New Skype Now Available

LUXEMBOURG --(Business Wire)-- Feb 03, 2009 Skype today announced the launch of Skype 4.0 for Windows, the most distinctive new release in the company’s five-year history. Thanks to the feedback of tens of thousands of people, the new version offers full-screen video calling, crystal clear call quality and is easier to use than ever before. In addition, Skype users will find all of the features they have come to expect – free voice and video calls to other Skype users, instant messaging, SMS, as well as calls to landlines and mobile devices around the world at very low rates.

Face-to-Face Video Calling

“Video calling has emerged as a very popular way for people to communicate online,” said Mike Bartlett, director of product strategy for Skype. “Whether it’s saying hello to your daughter at college or reading a book to your child while you’re away on business—video calling lets you have the conversations that make a difference and it really feels almost as good as being there.”

With the all-new Skype, people can experience the benefits of free face-to-face video calling. It’s now easier to start a video call and experience full-screen video, which makes conversations more intimate and engaging.

Additionally, a new built-in bandwidth manager ensures that consumers have the very best Skype video calling experience possible even on a low-bandwidth connection. If you have a fast enough connection (recommended 400 Kb/s or higher), a dual-core processor PC and a Skype Certified High Quality Video webcam, Skype delivers up to 30-frames-per-second High Quality Video.

Improved Call Quality

Call quality is substantially improved in the new version of Skype. The new audio codec achieves wideband audio quality using 50% less bandwidth than previously required. Moreover, it introduces super wideband audio that delivers crystal clear, richer and warmer sound to those using a compatible headset and a high quality broadband connection. The bandwidth manager interacts with the codec to adjust quickly to fluctuating bandwidth conditions to produce the most reliable sound.

Easier Than Ever

Skype now makes it easier to set up your headset, microphone and webcam, so getting started is fast and simple to do in a few steps. The new Conversations Tab makes it easy to keep track of multiple conversations in one place, and you can switch seamlessly to your preferred communication method – free voice and video calls to other Skype users, instant messaging, SMS, as well as calls to landlines and mobile devices at Skype’s low rates. In addition, you can choose to use Skype in two different views. Default View has everything neatly contained in a single window or Compact View allows you to resize or put each conversation into separate windows.

“This is just the latest example of how Skype is continuing to innovate and improve its software to deliver an even better voice and video calling experience,” said Bartlett. “The combination of feedback from tens of thousands of users over the last two years of development has allowed us to create a truly amazing experience that puts the focus on bringing people closer together even when they are continents apart.”

For a more detailed explanation of many other features and improvements or to download Skype 4.0 for Windows visit: http://www.skype.com/go/download.

About Skype

Founded in 2003, Skype is revolutionizing the way people communicate around the world. Skype has more than 405 million registered users globally who use Skype software to communicate for free through voice and video calls as well as instant messages. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings, such as calls made to and from landlines and mobiles, voicemail, call forwarding, and SMS. Skype is used in almost every country on Earth, and people have made more than 100 billion minutes worth of free Skype-to-Skype calls. Conversations over Skype can take place on computers, mobile devices and Skype Certified™ hardware. Skype certifies and sells hundreds of hardware products from more than 50 partners, and works with hundreds of third-party developers who have created plug-ins to extend Skype’s functionality.

Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY). Learn more and download Skype at www.skype.com.

Access to a broadband Internet connection is required. Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and can not be used for emergency calling.

Skype, associated trademarks and logos and the “S” symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.

[Zenphic]

v4 has been in beta for a few months now. I was waiting for the final version to come out.
Will be testing it soon.

[stopthekilling77]

Downloaded and used it a bit today. First impressions are quite nice! Something about the layout and general feel I find to be more accessible.

[KnightRid]

Until they stop using my bandwidth for other things than my own use, I wont install Skype ever again

It should not even be an option to turn off, just get rid of it and use each persons bandwidth for their own use and thats it.

Mike

[DMB2000uk]

Until they stop using my bandwidth for other things than my own use, I wont install Skype ever again

It should not even be an option to turn off, just get rid of it and use each persons bandwidth for their own use and thats it.

Mike

What else do they use your bandwidth for?

Dan

[KnightRid]

Until they stop using my bandwidth for other things than my own use, I wont install Skype ever again

It should not even be an option to turn off, just get rid of it and use each persons bandwidth for their own use and thats it.

Mike

What else do they use your bandwidth for?

Dan

your bandwidth is used basically like a bitorrent client for transmitting other users video and audio data. If you have a network monitor program and run skype, especially on the weekend, you will see bandwidth being used by it even when you are not on.

Mike

They had that in their TOS - I will try and find it again - ahhh SUPERNODE is what it is called - http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showto ... width&st=0 - read the last page, last 2 posts - people are SILL having the problem if they let skype run all the time. In the FAQ skype says it will use 0-.5kbps, but others have found differently ;)