Skype 4.0 Beta 1 for Windows
Hello! I’m Mike Bartlett, Director of Windows Product Management here at Skype.
Four and a bit years ago we changed the way people talked. Free calling is something that brings smiles to people all over the world, every day. We’re very proud of that.
Today, we’re announcing the most exciting change to Skype since inception – Skype 4.0 Beta 1 for Windows.
Over the years, we’ve added a lot of richness and functionality to Skype. It’s no longer just a little piece of software for making free calls. Our video calling experience, now enjoyed on over a quarter of all Skype to Skype calls, is starting to take centre stage alongside other great features such as instant messaging, group conversations, SMS & voicemail.
]]>
This video is recorded in HD – we recommend viewing it full screen (for those of you reading this in an RSS reader, you can watch the briefing video here – you can also grab the embed code if you want to use this video in your own blog)
A while ago we realised we had outgrown our home. There was so much to pack in, and Skype got a bit crowded. We learnt that people new to Skype had so much choice, they didn’t always know where to start or how to find things. So we decided to move into a bigger, better home. Skype 4.0 Beta 1 for Windows.
We’re sharing this beta with you a little earlier than normal because we know it’s a big change, and sometimes change can take some getting used to. We’re going to spend the whole summer listening to your feedback and making changes so that when we do launch the final version, we’ll make sure it’s perfect. Because we’re releasing it early, a few little things aren’t available in today’s beta: full history and contact groups are two examples.
This video is recorded in HD – we recommend viewing it full screen (for those of you reading this in an RSS reader, you can watch the introductory demo video here – you can also grab the embed code if you want to use this video in your own blog)
So what’s new then? We’ve given video calling the screen size it finally deserves, plus we’ve made it really simple to use. A single click on the Video call button and you’ll be seeing and talking. Video doesn’t start off really small anymore – it’s big and beautiful to begin with. You can also resize and move your own video window around the screen quite easily. Plus in one click, you can have an IM conversation alongside the video call.
Helping people juggle lots of conversations all at once is another reason behind the big changes in 4.0 Beta. We found people had to keep track of multiple windows in order to have a few conversations. In fact, if you had a High Quality Video call alongside an IM, plus you were sending a couple of pictures that was five windows! It’s now all in one window. Take a look at the Conversations button just above the Contact list. It’s a list of all the conversations you’ve got going on. Just click between them to pick up a conversation right where you left off. You can also pop your conversations out into separate windows if you prefer having different windows for different conversations.
This video is recorded in HD – we recommend viewing it full screen (for those of you reading this in an RSS reader, you can watch the advanced demo video here – you can also grab the embed code if you want to use this video in your own blog)
Finally, we’ve made working with Skype Certified hardware dead simple. We heard some of our users were having problems when plugging and unplugging new devices and sometimes people couldn’t hear them talking. In Skype 4.0 Beta for Windows, the first time you plug in your new device, Skype will automatically detect it and start using it. We’ll remember your devices so that next time, even if you switch headset mid-call, we’ll get it right.
OK, that’s enough from me. Go ahead and download it, try it out for a few days, make some video calls and then let us know what you think.
Update: Sten Tamkivi, the General Manager of Skype Estonia, has also written about the beta on his personal blog:
Yes, it has taken something like 2 years from first conceptual ideas being bounced around. I’ve been involved in Skype’s Desktop clients team since March and I have to tell you … I’m truly proud of what the hundreds of people involved have pulled off
Dear authors of Skype,
few days ago the change I have passed to the BETA4.0 it is radical but not excessively I practice the program too many visual one occupies in the monitor I would propose being the right part to disappearance with a click and leaving in first plan the contacts also with this quite winning new design Another thing that I would modify the menus on top would do to them like those msn style that is accessible at a single icon of the interface user who in whose turn opens a practical menu to blind. in this way skype would have a swift interface with the possibility of personalising at most the favourite visualisation.
Restore the visualisation for groups I would Invite the creators of Skype to study a system for the multicalls in audio with a quality similar to that one of TeamSpeak 2 (TS2) TS2 it lets regulate the codec used during the conversation to optimise it at best on the grounds of number announcing to the disposable call / side. and Volume of the microphone adds the function “PUSH TO TALK” for this conversation manner: it me is capitate what during the calls my volume in exit was reducing and even though I was going increasing it at the mixer of windows this proves to be again low also without speaking, at the end of the call the volume returns to my predefinite statement.
Restore “search user” as in version 3
Add send message to offline user or a mail notify when message (or event sent to him/her)
Add Birthday reminder and personal reminder, useful for meetings, work and celebrations
Restore SkypeME feature
Add personal tones option for each user
Add Invisible/Visible Lists
Add call recorder (audio/video)
Add dashboard for single/multichat window
Add Multi video call
without these features Skype 4 is unuseful.. but just a monitor cover
cheers best regards
Video mood: would it be possible to enter the Youtube library together daylymotion and Metacafe?
Associate a Blog for each user (freely and by requested by him/her) to give the chance of increasing the range of contacts and to describe better the own activities if necessary.
- the “give feedback” option in the bottom left doesn’t work, the right pane comes up with “you don’t seem to have an active internet connection”…I do, really.
- can’t get rid of the panel on the right. Agree with lot feedback, as the window can only be resized down to about 3/5 width of my screen. And that panel isn’t showing anything useful most of the time, just a waste of space.
- except the “Call Phone”..lol..could the buttons be any bigger?…but you can’t see the other thing you have put on the right…because I have resized my window down
- the active contact list is different to the ones on my 3.x version (I am still running on another machine). It would be nice to be able to prioritize Skype contacts at the top, rather than amongst the whole list on phone numbers. I use it mostly for this, not making phone calls.
- shop doesn’t work…and I really don’t want it there
- when I click a old contact, half of the right panel is taken up with a ? head picture…they don’t have a picture, and I don’t have one, don’t want to see one. No, Really. (just founf how to hide it…but if there isn’t one, why show it?)
- past conversations looks good. Would be nice if the slider on the right showed when conversations had happend (make the dashes bold or something)
- conversation search…oh, yes!
Haven’t even downloaded but by reading many of the comments I already know one thing.. it has a Full Screen Takeover mentality. This is NOT good practice. I have a larger monitor than most (it doubles as a movie screen on trips) 28″. I tend to put a browser on half the monitor and the other half is useful for chat programs, etc. right now Skype 3.8 sits next to the vista sidebar in its narrowest size. works well that way, i can always see the full program when i need it. With a full screen app I’ll never be able to do that, making that mode unacceptable. You may like it but that’s because your biased. Take a step back and look at it from a usability standpoint with other things you want on screen at the same time. You’d find that the full screen takeover really doesn’t work well with that desire. I have a dislike of any program that takes over the whole screen without my telling it to from the start. We need to have the ability to retrieve the 3.8 size for your more technically inclined users. Yes Grandmom and grandpa will love the full screen mode because of its ease of use with the larger icons and such. it makes it easier for them to click those points with the mouse. But thats the only ones who will really benefit from it.
I have read a lot of the replies here and I think everyone is jumping the gun just a little.
This is the beta and skype is looking for feedback on it. Nothing is final yet and there could be a lot of changes before the final release.
I am going to post my comments here but I am also going to post them on the official feedback page at http://www.skype.com/go/betafeedback
First when I downloaded the beta I to did not like the way it took up the whole screen
second I noticed that a lot of the functionality was gone such as then ability to organize my contact list into groups. If it was in there I couldn’t find it. and I couldn’t find other functions on it as well like “skypecast”
To me it appears that with the release of 4.0 skype plans to focus more on video chat rather than VOIP as they have in the past.
I seldom used video and I already use a number of chat programs that work well for me so I am switching back to 3.8 and I will wait and see what the future holds for 4.0
But when the final release does come out and if it is still focused on being another video chat program with limited functionality then at that time I will consider going with another VOIP provider.
hello i like skype3 it is cool! But version 4 its is one peace of… i don’t like that fact thatt its to dificult and big!!! BIG IT IS,THE BIGEST uncool program, howeaver meany new things are lovely smieley menu or new icons but I HATE that fackt that its to big IT STINKS! im planing uninstall skype and never use it agan!
When Skype 4 will be released in full (final version)?????
http://ayeweb.co.cc
hello everyone. I am thai .i am 20 years old.
SINGLE
A VoIP/IM application -Should be Heard, Not Seen-
Skype has been a favorite of in mine for 2yrs for professional & personal IM/voice needs, with the full spectrum of IM/VoIP/Video options, it’s perfect to interact with techno-phobes or -philes.
If you force a big, bulky advertisement magnet… I’ll be moving on.
I imagine you’re looking for ad revenue but this will kill Skype. There are other ways… eg. partner with LinkedIn or FaceBook or something like that that are full screen apps and really get folks connected real-time w/ Skype. Just a thought.
hi
after several days on beta 4, I started to like it. However, I would like to see a similar bonjour capability like in the mac version for windows and linux versions too. On our LAN we have a lot of skype users who would prefer to have an easy way to check if coworkers are available for chat/file transfers without the hassle of asking everyone “what’s your skype name?”…
I have been using the new Skype Interface for a few days. To be honest I do not use it much for chat. I use Skype for communicating with family.
I think there is some wasted space but I think it is desgined for a wider group of people that may not be as computer literate as others.
I like the fact I do not have to open separate windows while chatting.
but as to the comment as it should be see not heard. I have news for thsi guy,. Everything is gearing towards video. I want true HD two way conversation.
It keeps family 600 miles away much closer. Take away the monopolistic dedicated system requirements for HQ video.
Otherwise keep at it. This is only a beta. Lets take the best from both and make the best ever. Personally MSN Messenger with Skype call quality and vide would ROCK!
I have been using the new Skype Interface for a few days. To be honest I do not use it much for chat. I use Skype for communicating with family.
I think there is some wasted space but I think it is desgined for a wider group of people that may not be as computer literate as others.
I like the fact I do not have to open separate windows while chatting.
but as to the comment as it should be see not heard. I have news for thsi guy,. Everything is gearing towards video. I want true HD two way conversation.
It keeps family 600 miles away much closer. Take away the monopolistic dedicated system requirements for HQ video.
Otherwise keep at it. This is only a beta. Lets take the best from both and make the best ever. Personally MSN Messenger with Skype call quality and vide would ROCK!
I am downgrading this is boring already. Too big for me. I like small compact applications with neat UIs. I wish Skype was skinnable. This upgrade does not work for me and it an upgrade is not enforced I willl still with 3.8
I hope fring can develop application for PC
I was unable to last more than 1 hour with the new interface. It’s terrible. Simply terrible. Wastes a ton of real estate, making it impossible to work in parallel. They got rid of contact groups, so the list is a mess. For normal calls where DTMF tones are required, there are now many more key clicks than in the past. Heck, just making that SkypeOut call now requires switching screens, which it didn’t need in the past.
As a business tool, this interface is a failure.
hi all,
i have used the beta version for a while, it have some nice features but somehow i don’t like it, there is something wrong with it, i can’t tell what is that exactly , maybe that the picture and the information region too big
This beta version looks great and easy in all aspects BUT am wondering about having the ability to selectively accept video call automatically instead of being none or all!!!…i mean it will be great to choose from my list which one will be automatically allowed to see my Web Cam.
Its MISERABLE piece of overdesigned BLOATWARE. Despite what you think, 99% of users use skype for chat and dont want a massive window shoved in their faces displaying features they rarely use.
This smells of ex-microsoft Vista employee design.
What concenrs me is i know the SKYPE arent even listening. None of the betas have remotely changed based on the feedback so far. Given how committed they are, no UI team is going to back pedal without egg on their faces so 4.0 will be exactly what you are looking at now. A bloated mess from the 1990′s.
Next features:
Built in browser
Built in email client
Built in Word processing
Built in Graphics package
375Mb install.
I already posted a feedback.. but I wanted to post here as well because this is such a debacle.
I hate it.. as does everyone. Its not just bad, but its a step in the exact opposite direction from were they should be going. They should be concentrating on MINIMIZING skype as much as possible so that it blends in to the work surface, with the proper windows only poping up as needed (..and ideally as slickly and cleanly as possible…..IE. A video call rolls out a video screen, and an IM rools out a text window from a hidden side dock..etc)…
The more that it can just feel like an extension of your work flow, the more successful it will be. This current design is the the opposite “shove it down your throat version”.. and honestly I’m choking on it.
I hope skype can man up and realize this failure and not just try to make it work. I don’t like their ‘we are listening, but just give it a try’ attitude in their responses back thus far. The crowd is talking loudly and it shows me they aren’t willing to change it drastically enough to save it. Looks like skype could be a throw away for some time. I hope 3.X keeps working.
And let me say what no one else here has said. HONESTLY…THIS IS SUCH A MESS THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE FIRED HERE. A lot of time and money have been wasted going in the wrong direction.
I agree that WHILE you are chatting the big window is not a problem. Its on idle status that it gets really annoying. A simple hide button that hide/unhide the right part of the window surely cant be hard to implement. ONE SIMPLE BUTTON would satisfy all these happy users. FLEXIBILITY !!!!
A mimimize option cauding a very tiny window only online contacts and no additional buttons or menus would be GREAT !
Screen real estate is a precious thing that most people have high in their priorities list. I agree that the current skype cant be on your desktop while you are working.
Typing error. Sorry. Should have been:
“A mimimize option generating a very tiny window with only online contacts and no additional buttons or menus would be GREAT !”
Please don’t do this. Please don’t introduce a heeeeeee-uge right-hand pane that’s impossible to hide or close. Did you perform any kind of market/product research before deciding to expand the application window size? Did you??? I understand Skype has to make money in some shape or form, but if you start pumping advertising out to your user-base, there’s a real possibility there’ll be an exodus to another IM platform.
Please don’t let Skype 4.0 be the catalyst that destroys a brilliant piece of software. Drop the interface, modify it, make it customizable, give users an option.
Greetings from Bulgaria!
I love the new skype (BETA 4.0.0.161)! It’s really easy for me to manage everything I need in the new skye. I have a serious problem, though, so I must ask: While having a video talk (both sides have video) the conncetion is stopped somewhere between the 1-st and the 3-rd minute. Everytime I talk to my sister with video it happens, if I turn my video off, it doesn’t. The internet is not the problem, because it has never happened in 3.8. So please tell me it’s a bug that you’ll fix in the final version.
Cheers and thank you for this great software product, keep working on it, cause you have many customers counting on you!
S. Birov
Hi
you are saying we should stick a while with the new skype layout and we would love it…there is just one really big problem you didnt thought about yet! skype is exchangeable! with these ui people wouldnt even think about staying by skype…i promise you they will change the chat program in the moment they`ll see it. Me and my friends are using skype conference every single day but we´ll change the chat program in the moment skype 4.0 launches and I think most of the people will
Christ, this is awful. Design-wise, it’s the anti-Skype. Brevity is the source of wit, gentlemen; less is more. Smaller footprint, both in desktop real-estate and CPU memory resources are always first order of the day. I find it hard to believe a company so in-tune with what we wanted in the first place would submit this as an improvement.
It’s easy to see how excited Skype people were about those changes, but they have to face it: it didn’t work. Apparently they are the only people in the world who actually liked it. I’m trully sorry, guys. I know how frustrating it is when you work hard on something you believe is good, but the customers simply don’t approve, and that’s the case now. Anyway, there’s still time to fix it. For now, I’m back to 3.8 which, by the way, is a really great piece of software.
I have to agree with most above with the size. It is a bit large and doesn’t leave room for custom sizing. That isn’t the worst of it for me though. Skype Beta 4.0 does not allow for pressing numbers for the purpose of dial tone menus. Skype 3.8 did this just fine. My company currently pays for multiple subscriptions and skypein numbers and is actually about to drop skype as a possibility of using company wide because of the skypein issues and the deliberate lack of customer support. I can’t understand why you at skype can’t seem to get it together and are so slow at fixing bugs. By the way though thanks for finally putting subscription management in the business control panel. Something needs to change before skype is tainted in the business community.
Guys, I applaud the attempt but two issues.
First – Need a compact skin/version. I use all of my screen and to take it up with one app is down right silly. Please include a compact view – maybe even back to the original 3.x view.
Second – WHERE IS THE MULTI VIDEO CAPABILITY? Been waiting since 2005 and nothing yet. Ya the one on one is great, clean, smooth BUT I want to talk to all my friends (at least 4 at a time). I guess I am stuck using Tokbox as my party software with my business partners and friends.
Come on guys, get it together.. Google is listening to their customers. Please do the same.
Scott D.
I miss the multi video too, as my parents, my sister, my in-laws and I live each in a different city.
I’m sorry. But this is disastrous. Please don’t force me to use this new interface. I’ll switch IM if I have to choose. I think Skype really needs to dig out whose idea this was and who approved this idea, and fire them
Hello, guys! I just don’t see what you don’t like about this new beta version of Skype. It can’t be made to suit the needs of all the people around the world. It is made to suit the needs of the mass. Personally, I like it very much. It’s not a problem for me that it runs on full screen. Some of you say that they can’t enjoy the full options of the program. Well, that’s normal – it’s BETA! I want to ask only one question, though. When is the full version going to be released? Thank you in advance!
PS: About the program – it’s fantastic and it’s the best IM program I’ve ever used. ICQ, Yahoo and others just suck! Skype is really great!
Sincerely yours,
Vesselin
To be honest the only thing that I want in a new version of skype is better video quality and audio quality. let us non dual core people have HQ video!
I Loved the new beta version, think it looked very nice, but i cant use it, it just stop and stop all time have to call back after one min, sometimes 10 min so me and my boyfriend went back to 3.8 today and that worked perfectly.The sound and video quality is not good at beta. Miss a couple of things in beta 4 as always have the video on top of the other windows, miss that flag at the bottom if someone have called me. Hope it will be better because i want back to use beta 4….by the way i love skype
It’s HUGE and UGLY! WTF????
If you were going to do anything with the size of the interface it should have been to make it smaller!!!
I’m glad my colleague was the one who downloaded it first! Not impressed!
I downloaded but now I will not open and try it based on the full screen complaints. I strongly suggest you create a survey for users that includes graphics and demo videos so we “your dedicated users” can vent their preferences before you invest in software. Based on the complaints it feels like you folks don’t really know why we are dedicated to your product and how we use it. Before you scrap 3.8 for this beta, PLEASE try a simple survey of all current users to see what direction we would like you to go. For me I was amazed how you met my needs from the very beginning version. Please don’t change just to change.
I am a heavy user of skype, using it to manage teams around the world. I tried the beta 4.0 with high hopes… and i lasted all of about 4 hours before i gave up in disgust. Full screen is a horrible assumption on Skype’s part and the interface is not intuitive. I’ve uninstalled and gone back to 3.8. I hope it’s a long time before I am forced to leave 3.8.
I appreciate this is a beta, and I usually give them a chance, but this is truly dreadful. 1 hour and I was back to 3.8
Definately not a step forward, keep it simple!
As both a Mac and Windows user of Skype, who uses it for work and personal calls, I have to say I like the way the beta is going. The windows version looks much more like the mac version, and thank you for dumping the horrible tabs for the accordian menu structure. The call and video quality are also much improved, and I like how conversation notifications are handled, especially the orange “missed” dot that keeps track of the last time you selected the window. Also, the new color palette is much easier on the eyes.
Few issues:
1. I never use full screen video with Skype, and I probably never will. This is a great feature for some people, but its kind of pointless for me. I think the majority of user feel the same way. It would be great to be able to set a default resolution and possible screen location for video calls. I always (on my mac) re-scale the window and dump it in the top left corner. If that could be set as the default position and resolution, that would be awesome.
2. The minimum size that windows can be scaled down to is much too large for me. I usually have 10-12 different chats happening at the same time, and with the new layout, they simply do not all fit at their present size.
3. The active contacts in a chat don’t scale with the window. In my case, I have the chat window reduced to its smallest scale, with 3 participants. The 3rd participant is off the screen since the scale of their image doesn’t change with the window. So, in order to see who is participating, I have to rescale the window, or click on the contact. this has to be a bug, since I can’t imagine anyone would want this as a feature. Possibly dump the picture for a list of names if the window scales to small?
Also, for everyone complaining about the single window view, go View>compact view. This breaks the chats out into seperate windows from each other and the contacts. Also, History can be found in the “conversations” tab next to contacts. Yes, the name changed, but its the same thing.
I have read 50% of the comments and that was enough to convince me not to install Beta4. Usually i would happily just download anything from Skype as its an invaluable tool, however it appears skype either do not understand the concept of beta or have gotten so big for their boots they don’t need to listen to majority of client feed back. Overwhelmingly negative from what i read.
Its not just bitching its people who already use skype and looked forward to trying the new version only to experience a horrendous reversal in their otherwise good opinion of skype.
I wont be downloading Skype 4 after reading this lot of experiences. Consider myself warned.
Its quite a groundswell in here. Its wonderful to see such passion – this means you have created a strong and emotive brand. Your customers have spoken. And as a loyal Skyper I felt compelled to speak too.
1) Get this new update right and I will tell all my friends about how skype just got even cooler. Get it wrong and I might fall out of love with you.
2) I really hope “getting used to it” will take less than 5 seconds. In general, I don’t want my product manager to want me to get used to anything, I want him to make me fall in love (at first sight).
3) If there is something I really need to in the feedback link you sent, then it really should be in the post.
4) I am a basic user (don’t do video or multiple calls) and I am hoping that the final release will be easier for me…
Just bring Live Back (Skype Cast) and I will be happy!
As for the new interface I will go through the process of attaining a new voip-in number and start using another service if Skype has to be full screen. I actually prefer the Linux interface simply because it is more concise.
To Whom ever thought that this new bata version was a good idea,
HAVE YOU LOST YOUR EVERLOVEN MIND???
I HATE this new version and to boot it off I can find the old version anywhere!
Where do I begin?
First things First.
to flippen big. It seems like the creators was either had very small packages or was so self centered to think that this thing had to be as big as a city block for someone to use it.
Secondly if someone try’s to pm me and you in anther conversation you cant find the dang conversation someone was typing to you.
Group conversations when people log out there icon and information doesn’t go away
Why do I need a application as big as Texas? The designers can take this BS version and shove it back to the fowl depths of hell where all of the rest of this sort of crap came from. Its suppose to be a simple unassertive application no the whole reason to get on the computer.
Usability is horrible to say the least. It to cumbersome. it like a dang woolly mammoth that I have to drag around my PC.
DON’T YOU GET IT. YOUR PROGRAM IS SUPPOSED TO HELP ME CONNECT WITH OTHERS ON THE INTERNET. THAT’S IT. WE ALL USE IT TO SHARE WHAT WE FIND ON THE NET. THE BULKIER THAT IT IS THE LESS USE WE ALL HAVE FOR IT.
I would cruse this whole comment if I knew that I could get away with it.
This program makes me want to slap my grandmother and run over my only daughter.
For God sake give us back the old SKYPE just fix the glitches. Don’t change the way we all were able to interact with it.
For all of the people who like it………
you must a complete and utter Douche bags with little to no apparent skill or experience in working with the internet or websites. The rest of us use the program in our daily website design businesses.
Stop This Crap from ever happening be gain and take the Beta Mother Flippen BS program off line immediately Or we will all hunt you down strap you to a chair and Make you actually have to use it.
PS
Get Stuffed
I’ve been using Skype 4 for a while, and I totally agree, it needs slimming down.
The smallest window size still feels like a fullscreen Program.
I LOVE all the conversations listed on the side, and all the chats being together. nothing pisses me off more than multiple chat windows, but definately needs slimming down BIG TIME…