RSSSkype 2.0 Brings Video, Partnerships
By Ed Oswald | Published December 1, 2005, 10:31 AM
Skype on Thursday launched a beta of the second major revision to its popular PC calling software, adding video support and announcing partnerships with Logitech, Creative and Web log software maker Six Apart.
The company plans to use these partnerships to both promote the software as well as enhance the user experience. Logitech will jointly market Skype with its QuickCam Fusion and QuickCam for Notebooks Pro webcams.
Creative has introduced a Skype-centric webcam called WebCam Instant Skype Edition, which bundles a headset microphone and offers a standalone microphone when more than one person wishes to talk.
Finally, Six Apart will promote Skype through its TypePad Web log service and enable users of the service to integrate their online status into their blogs and give readers another method of contacting the author.
"At Skype we want to make talking over the Internet the most natural, simple thing for people all over the world to do," Skype CEO Niklas Zennstrom said in a statement. "With the release of our new software, it's never been easier for people to talk to one another for free, and now they can see each other with video as well."
Other features of the Skype 2.0 beta include a simplified user interface; a self-expression feature that allows the user to communicate whether they are happy, sad, available to talk or do not want to be disturbed; personalization features; as well as integration with Microsoft Outlook through an an optional toolbar.
The "Skype-certified" webcams will be made available through Skype's online store, and through retail partner RadioShack, which recently announced an agreement with the VoIP provider to sell starter kits for the service.
Skype 2.0 beta for Windows can be downloaded from FileForum. A video-enabled Mac OS X version of Skype is coming soon, the company said.
(Skype + Hype + Problems) - Customer Support = Sk-Yikes!
Sk-Yikes! has to be one of the best marketing con jobs I've seen in years. I've had their fee-based services for two months now, and they've never worked very well at all. Almost invariably, calls drop in a minute or so.
Inquiries to customer/technical support do nothing. They often don't even generate an automated response.
The one time I was contacted, I did exactly as they asked and sent in logs, but I have still not heard another word back--and after writing to them twice again. Over a month has now passed with no help from Sk-Yikes! and nothing changing.
We're looking at a $4.5 billion dollar company that still relies on sometimes ill-tempered and untrained [in customer service] volunteers to assist customers in its forums. The relatively few *paying* customers clearly stand in the same long line for help that the millions of non-paying ones do, too.
Want value for your money? Use VoipBuster. Skype is truly nothing more than a great deal of hype.
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|I don't see the relevance of any software that is not made for MacOSX.
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|Wonder how much eBay had to pay now :shrug:
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|Woo and yay... :P
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|Now if logitech would release drivers for my webcam in x64, I might actually be able to try this. I guess I'll have to keep using Linux for video chat and wait for a Linux version.
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|hope we get a linux version soon i have waited ages to gain the knolage to actualy get my webcam working with linux and would like the opertunity to use it more
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|Skype-certified web cam?
What exactly does that mean?
Once they release an OS X beta can I not hook up my MiniDV via firewire and pipe it through Skype as I currently do with iChat?
Looks like for now the beta is only for PC.
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