Skype has announced that Skype for Windows 5.0 is now out of beta, bringing group video calling and Facebook integration to the popular desktop VOIP client
Skype have integrated Facebook into Skype for Windows 5.0, bringing the Facebook’s News Feed and Phonebook into the Skype App, allowing you to make calls to friends or it you have a business Facebook account, customers through Facebook’s Phonebook. The Facebook Phonebook in Skype allows users to call and SMS their Facebook friends directly on their mobile phones and landlines with just a few clicks. If your Facebook friend is also a Skype contact, you can make a free Skype-to-Skype call.
For business users, Skype’s new group video chat feature is now available in open beta with Skype for Windows 5.0. Group video chat will allow you to make free video conference calls to run virtual face to face meetings with clients or suppliers around the world. Skype’s video group chat feature will remain free during the open beta phase, however Skype may move to charge for the service when the feature is finalised.
Video calling accounted for approximately 40 percent of all Skype-to-Skype minutes in the first half of 2010. The dynamic view makes it easy to follow along on group video calls by automatically moving the focus to the person speaking on the call. With the eagerly anticipated introduction of group video calling, family, friends and work colleagues can do more things together whenever they are apart.
The new Skype introduces automatic call recovery, which lets you quickly reconnect calls that drop out due to Internet connection problems.
