Skype 3.5 Goes Gold
Earlier today Skype released the Gold version of Skype 3.5 for Windows. While we have discussed some of the new features previously, a quick summary includes:
- Skype video snapshot: capture a snapshot of your remote party during a Skype video call
- Share videos via your mood message: download videos from independent video-sharing sites Dailymotion and Metacafe for inclusion in your Skype mood. Or create your own video for sharing via these services.
- Include video content in Skype chat.
- Call Transfer: Skype to Skype Call Transfer is free; requires Skype Pro subscription for Skype to SkypeOut or SkypeIn to Skype call transfers.
- Auto redial: redials a busy number every minute automatically until a call is answered. (Redial delay can be reset in Options | Calls | Call Settings | Show Advanced Options.)
- Privacy issues: Your home/business/mobile phone numbers are only displayed to your accepted Skype contacts, and not to everyone on Skype, when viewing your profile, etc.
- Option to automatically start the Extras Manager when starting Skype.
Full press release with Skype's perspective on the new video features.
I was able to upgrade quite smoothly via the "Help | Check for Upgrades" menu item in my Skype 3.2 client; however, it you need to start fresh download Skype 3.5 here. Release Notes.
(Note toSkypeMe users on Facebook: on upgrading to Skype 3.5 you will have to reset "Allow my status to be shown on the web" in the Skype 3.5's Options in order that SkypeMe shows your status.)
Tags: Skype, Skype 3.5, Skype video, call transfer, Dailymotion, Metacafe
Skype and Dailymotion news releases below...
News release...
SKYPE TAKES VIDEO ONE STEP FURTHER
LUXEMBOURG, 7th August, 2007 – Skype has announced its users can now make conversations even more fun-packed by sharing video content with their friends and family across the world. Following new partnerships with leading independent video sharing sites Dailymotion (www.dailymotion.com) and Metacafe (www.metacafe.com), Skype™ 3.5 for Windows lets you download your favourite videos from these sites and add them into your Skype ‘mood’, giving colour and personality to your online profile.
User’s moods are a way of sharing your feelings with friends and family and are becoming increasingly popular in the Skype community because they are a simple, more personalized way to share all sorts of things with other Skype contacts.
“People thrive on sharing stuff with one another. A little over a year ago, we had 100 million registered users worldwide and we’ve more than doubled in size in the space of twelve months. This is because we continue to develop Skype and come up with amusing things to do. User-generated and licensed video content are incredibly popular. Working with Dailymotion and Metacafe means everyone can try out downloading their favourite clip and putting it in their online profile. Video content is a great conversation starter because people love talking about video clips and especially the ones that are personal to them.” said Carter Adamson, general manager, desktop products for Skype.
In addition to sharing video in your mood, people can now also include video content in online Skype chats, making it easy to discuss the latest viral videos with friends and family around the world.
“Video mood messages provide members of the vibrant Skype community a great way to express themselves by tapping into the original and entertaining videos available on Metacafe, including those in our Producer RewardsTM program that pays video creators for their best work,” said Erick Hachenburg, CEO of Metacafe. “Online video has become so popular over the past couple of years in large part because it’s fun to find something entertaining and forward it to a friend who’s likely to enjoy it. Videos placed into Skype mood messages make this process even easier.”
"With this partnership, the online global community is really coming together to create a new experience in video sharing," said Benjamin Bejbaum, CEO and cofounder of Dailymotion. "From now on, Skype users will have access to more than 3 million videos, including premium content and exclusive artwork from our MotionMakers.”
Skype also lets you take still photos when making a video call. Moments such as showing off a newborn baby via webcam or having a far-away friend wave ‘hello!’ can now be permanently captured and shared.
Skype 3.5 for Windows lets users transfer their incoming calls to another person or a group of people on Skype (or, for Skype Pro subscribers, to a landline or mobile phone number).
In addition, auto redial has been introduced, where if the number being called is engaged Skype can automatically redial it every two minutes, until the call is answered. These new features make it even easier and more convenient to keep in touch over Skype.
About Skype
Skype sets conversations free by providing new and easy ways to stay in touch over the internet. Millions of people every day make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls and send instant messages using our software. Some pay a little per minute for long-distance and international calls to phones and mobiles and for SMS, voicemail and call forwarding, or they buy subscriptions that give unlimited calls nationwide.
We certify and sell hundreds of hardware products from more than 50 partners and work with third-party developers to create software to extend Skype's functionality. Skype has been downloaded more than half a billion times and over 220 million people from almost every corner of the globe have registered. Make your world a smaller place: talk, share and do more with Skype.
Skype is an eBay company (NASDAQ: EBAY), and you can learn more and get Skype at www.skype.com.
Access to a broadband Internet connection is required for Skype and all Skype Certified devices and accessories. Skype is not a replacement for your traditional telephone service and cannot be used for emergency calling.
Skype, SkypeIn, SkypeOut, Skype Me, Skype Certified, Skypecasts, associated logos and the “S” symbol are trademarks of Skype Limited.
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The Dailymotion news release...
Dailymotion and Skype Launch Mood Channels using
MotionMaker Creative Content
- Dailymotion video Mood Channels make debut as new feature in newly launched Skype version 3.5 for Windows
- Innovative channels highlight videos evincing a variety of moods, with automatic localization provided by Dailymotion
- Content from MotionMakers, high-impact creative user videos, is programmed by mood for easy access by Skype users
New York, NY- (July 31, 2007) - Dailymotion, the world's largest independent video sharing site, and Skype, today announced a partnership that will establish a Dailymotion channel on Skype and grant access to exclusive video content from the popular site. The new agreement provides Skype users with the ability to share creative video content from Dailymotion's new video Mood Channels. The Dailymotion channel will also facilitate viewing and discussing all of the latest user-generated content as well as professional video entertainment and other shared video files. Video clips can easily be included in a Skype mood message or any user's online profile.
The collaboration between Dailymotion (www.dailymotion.com) and Skype 3.5 for Windows provides users with a special selection of content chosen by Dailymotion's creative programming team. This content is divided according to the different moods reflected by Dailymotion's Mood Channels. The creative content for these channels is selected from submissions received via Dailymotion's innovative MotionMaker program, which identifies and rewards outstanding contributors to the Dailymotion creative community.
Following Dailymotion’s global strategy, Dailymotion’s Mood Channels will be localized for its key markets around the world including the US, Germany, France and the UK. Same as with its website, Dailymotion will be offering market specific channels. The user of the Dailymotion service will be directed to his/her local version.
The mood channels will feature creative content from Dailymotion's MotionMaker program. The newly launched MotionMaker program provides mentoring and tools to the most creative video creators and is running in France, Germany, and the US.
"With this partnership, two of the largest online global communities have come together to create a new experience in video sharing," said Benjamin Bejbaum, CEO and cofounder of Dailymotion. "From now on, Skype users will have access to more than 3 million videos, including premium content and exclusive artwork from our MotionMakers. Skype users will discover that creativity is one of our core values."
"Dailymotion is pleased to partner with Skype. Through this agreement, MotionMaker creators will have access to the entire Skype community of 200 million users," said Dailymotion's US General Manager, Joy Marcus. "This agreement increases the reach of our original creative content and also allows our programming partners to provide their content to a whole new audience."
Recent Dailymotion initiatives augmenting original programming on the site include a recently- announced first-look original content deal with RDF, a now-completed sketch comedy competition in conjunction with renowned comedy producer Jim Biederman and a current contest with The Weinstein Company to promote the upcoming movie FANBOYS.
About Dailymotion
A top 50 website worldwide (source: Alexa), Dailymotion is the world's largest independent provider of premium user-generated and licensed online video entertainment. Every day, 20,000 new videos are uploaded into Dailymotion's global network of video entertainment sites, where a programming team turns the user-generated and licensed content into high-quality entertainment for over 4 million daily visitors. Using the most advanced technology available to both users and content creators, Dailymotion provides high-quality video in a fast, easy-to-use website that also automatically filters infringing material. Dailymotion's mission is to provide the best possible entertainment experience for users and the best business experience for content owners.
