Skype 2.8 Beta for Mac is
now available with new features only available on Mac OS X, the company announced today. Other operating systems will receive them later this year.
"The goal of the major new features in Skype 2.8 Beta for Mac is to make Skype easier to use everywhere," said Skype chief operating officer Scott Durchslag. "Skype Access is perfect for those times when you need to make a few Skype calls or send some instant messages or emails while you're on the go, and screen sharing is a productivity tool that enables collaboration between two parties, regardless of their location."
Skype has partnered with Boingo Wireless for Skype Access, a worldwide, pay-per-minute WiFi hotspot access network. Skype users will have more than 100,000 Boingo hotspots to choose from worldwide. Payment of $0.19/minute is taken care of with Skype Credit, no credit cards or log-ins necessary. A record of your usage is available when you sign into your account on skype.com.
According to the company, screen sharing is similar to a Skype video call, and it works by "capturing, encrypting and transferring the content of the screen" to the other person. Screen sharing with Windows and Linux users are one-way only in this beta, but later updates will enable those users to send their screens to Mac users in a two-way session.
Other features:
- Sort chats in the drawer and set priorities
- Quick Add simplifies adding contacts
- See mood message updates from friends as chat messages
- Profile pictures of 256 x 256 pixels now supported (joining Skype 4.0 Beta 2 for Windows)
- Profile pictures now hidden by default in contact requests because "a small minority of Skype users have profile pictures which others may find unpleasant"
- Add notes to a contact in the profile window
Skype 2.8 Beta for Mac is a 42.2 MB file now available for
download.
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