We now have 10-way conference calls on new Intel processors
Today, we announced that Skype supports 10-way conference calling on PC-s with new Intel processors. Specifically, this means Intel Centrino® Duo mobile technology-based laptop PCs, and desktop PCs based on Intel® Pentium® D processors, Pentium Extreme Edition processors and the recently introduced Intel Viiv™ technology. And 10-way conference calling means you can have up to 10 people in the call, instead of up to 5 as was the case up to now.
Support for 10-way conference calling on new Intel processors is available in the current public version of Skype 2.0. If you don’t have it yet, [download it from here](http://www.skype.com/go/download).
Note that only the conference host needs to have a new Intel processor — other users (conference participants) can participate in the call as clients with any platform and device that supports Skype conference calls.
Like Andy correctly notes, this cooperation is not only limited to 10-way conference calling. We are working with Intel to further optimize Skype on cutting-edge hardware. Video calling and mobile devices are two obvious examples. So going forward, we will definitely see more news about similar innovations from Skype and Intel. See also the [Intel's Skype gateway page](http://www.intel.com/go/skype).
hell why only intel? amd started the dualcore/multicore business on the x86 platform, and the two chips are supposed to be compatible. so why, if not just for political and evil reasons, lock out all the amd users deliberately?
way to go skype
I’m glad to see that you have a good relationship with Intel. In some ways this is off-topic, but do you have an idea when you will support the new Intel Macs (universal application/binary)? I’m about to get a new computer and Skype has become an important application for me.
Yay for “platform agnostic”, “consumer friendly” Skype, because an AMD dual core chip couldn’t *possibly* live up to the marketing hype of an Intel! So this is the type of money hungry profiteering we can look forward to in the future now that Skype has been bought by eBay.
because of ebay，skype will not sharing good again。
http://www.9skype.com
under this way go on，skype will lost users out
http://www.9skype.com
Interesting, anyways it’s nice to have 10 way conference. And I think you need dual core because of the high cpu demand(?) Anyways can’t wait to try it out
What about multiple video conferences? Will that ever be possible?
Skype should also add 10 way conference support for AMD X2/multicore chips. I cannot see why you’re limiting yourself to only Intel chips, considering that AMD chips could do the same if not better (besides, Intel chips can’t do 3DNOW, which is what I see as the weak point of the chips). I don’t see this as a fair move to us AMD users.
I cannot get this to work.
I have an Intel 945GNT motherboard using a 2.8 Ghz Pentium D (820) and no matter what I do, cannot get it to conference more than 5 people.
I have even tried beta 2.5 with no effect. What is the “Magic Formula” needed to get this to work?
Dan
In relation to ramchyld’s post 3DNOW is not actually a weakness of the intel processor. The thing is actually this: i know very few app developers use 3DNOW. 3DNOW is the answer of AMD to intel’s MMX instruction set which has stood as long as the pentium-mmx’s, 3DNOW just popped up when it came to (don’t remember the exact one) AthlonXP line. And MMX has been improved several times over. AMD HAS BEEN FOLLOWING INTEL WHEN IT COMES TO INSTRUCTION SETS (i’m not angry, just don’t want for others to miss it). Simply look at SSE2 which can now be found on Athlon64′s which actually were only in the P4 line.
Anyway, i think that this is more of a partnership between intel and skype. Possibly the reason(s) why skype likes intel is that, intel got to skype first than AMD, or there has been already an existing partnership. I think that Skpye partnering with both Intel and AMD would be insane as the other may demand the other to do this and that. I do think that AMD’s multi-core line would essentialy be supported although hardware optimizations would only be surely available on intel’s.
While this is great news for Intel owners, and some AMD owners will of course find this announcement annoying and no doubt it will cause an AMD backlash, I would like to address the REAL problem of Skype conferencing that no one from Skype is talking about openly.
When you make a call to someone on Skype, you use to be able to simply add another person to the call. Of course, you could add as many people as you wanted (which now appears to be 10), but that feature no longer works. In fact, it has not worked for over a month now.
Conference calling now means that you have to call everyone at the same time, which is absurdly primitive. Imagine 10 peoples phones ringing at the same time, the chaos of simultaneous “hellos” and operators asking you for your extension and automated systems giving their recorded greetings; all at the same time. It’s utter chaos.
When you rely on Skype for your company, you soon realize they are not a phone company when you put a support ticket in on a issue such as this, and you never hear back.
This is a serious problem for many users who bought unlimited Skype Out (like me), only to find that the reason they use Skype has suddenly been crippled.
The newest release of Skype still has that feature built into it, so one can only guess that Skype does not intend to remove the feature, but nonetheless it still does not work.
It would be great if Skype could respond to their users with an explanation of the problem, and an ETA of the solution, like every other phone service provider would do.
In MANY ways Skype is superior to more expensive services such as Vonage, but this conference handi-cap is giving this great application a black eye, IMO.
Thank you,
John Derrick
http://www.JohnDerrick.com
I would also like a response to the future of multiple video conferences… THAT would be a great feature.
is the conference calling limited only to audio or can one video conference call up to ten people?
I can and will cancel my paid phone calling in protest to the intel centric thought Skype is exibiting. You lock me out, then I will not support you.
I sell 90% AMD machines
I have in my office
1 Laptop, X2 Turion
1 Dual quad AMD,
1 dual core AMD,
1 single core AMD
1 intel dual core
Now you want to cripple all my machines except the intel? That is a pile of steaming crap. You are really misinformed when you team up with intel, they are just now catching up to the AMD techology.
What is your reason for locking out a group of your users ? is it Money? How much is intel paying you for your single focus.
You need to rethink your position imho or loose a large segment of the community, me included.
@videocreator this post dates from 2006 – you can now make conference calls with up to 25 participants, no matter what sort of computer you have.