Skype 4.0 Beta 2 for Windows
In June we announced the first beta of Skype 4.0, a radical departure from any other version we’ve made before. Since then we’ve spent a lot of time reading and analysing your feedback and we’ve made a number of changes.
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)
Today, I’m very happy to announce Beta 2. It includes a number of changes, and most noticeably we’ve brought back contact groups – although we’ve renamed it contact categories to avoid confusion with group conversations. We’ve also done a lot of work on resizing and introduced a view which behaves very much like older versions: compact view. There are also major changes to alerts and notifications – it’s one of my favourite aspects of Beta 2. You’ll be glad to see numerous other changes and bugfixes have been introduced as well.
Take a quick look at the video below to give you a little preview of what you’re about to download, then go and give it a test drive yourself.
Again, we’d really like to hear your feedback on Beta 2, so don’t hesitate to let us know what you like, and what you don’t:
We’ll launch a third Beta towards the end of the year to address your comments on this version and also add a few other features – History being the most notable.
Thank you again for your feedback and your patience in waiting for this new version – I hope you enjoy using it.
Hi Mike
URL-s in (esp. group) chat topics are supposed to be clickable… right? They are a crucial tool and are clickable I think in every other Skype version on at least Win-v3/OSX/Linux, except 4.0b Windows. Thoughts?
@lkraav: Hi there. URIs in chat topics should mostly work. We do have one or two issues with special characters or spaces in the URI parameters at the moment, which will be fixed soon.
Again, no SkypeMe, no upgrade for me. Looking foward to beta 3 and SkypeMe coming back.
@michael_bartlett: Mike, I have to report that in my scenario a simple https://myserver.net/project URI simply does not work as expected. there are no wack characters or anything. skype 4 b1 or b2 does not translate topic changes into a clickable link even inside the chat window, let alone the topic bar. ive tried re-setting the topic both from a os x client and the win 4b client, it doesnt make a difference.
now you guys also made the topic bar into a button, which opens a hidden drawer, i am not even sure how you can keep the URI clickability with that arrangement.
URI-s pasted during regular chat otoh work fine, so there is no generic problem here.
another question – there are no notification systems available for the comments/followups on these posts? i dont see an rss feed to the comments, the simplest solution.
@lkraav: I tested with the URI you provided in a group conversation and it worked just fine on my laptop. Note that the topic is somewhat displayed twice. Once in the grey strip at the top, and once in the white strip below it.
The one in the grey strip does not hyperlink – that is actually your local chat name and inherits the topic the first time it’s set. You can change it yourself and others won’t see it.
The white strip in a group conversation should hyperlink just fine. Can you confirm that’s working ok for you? I understand that if you collapse the whole Group Conversation participant roster that this disappears, which could be the root of your problem.
Note that group conversation will be getting some further attention in Beta 3.
OK 4 beta 2 is much better but still IM notifications (orange pop up windows) don’t work in compact view – and I would improve them by letting the orange pop up window there visible (when I am away from the computer) UNTIL (lets say 5secs after) I touch my mouse or keyboard. Also I miss personalised status icons possibility(known from other messengers), individual invisibility option (let’s say via right click – similarly to block contact option) and I would really welcome Identities (known from trillian) so that we can be connected both at the same time when using only one computer…
Another thing I would improve is that I would include the possibility to have skype out contacts under the Call Phones Tab. When I would click Call Phones Tab it would roll up (e.g. like in Spybot Search & Destroy) and there would be Call Phones Numbers (skype out/phone numbers) After that I wouldn’t need contact groups because I use contact groups just to separate skype and skype out contacts… And also it seems more intuitive to the user to have all phone numbers under call phones tab…
@mike: ive tested the uri clickability on another machine. it indeed works there, so i will investigate further on whats going on with the original machine.
but the whole topic/button thing is just not very good, no matter what. weve just been looking at it with your colleague janno t., and frankly, what and how janno has implemented this years ago on the os x client makes you windows guys looking like you’re trying to re-invent the wheel all by yourself. doesn’t anyone on the team use and/or study other platforms? in v4, you’ve essentially now finally implemented the mac drawer in windows anyway, how about you just go ahead and copy the way os x skype handles this chat topic thing. do you realize that when you click that mysterious-purpose “topic button”, you are seeing the same topic information in a triple underneath each other: window title, clickable button-topic, the “real” or whatchamacallit topic. where exactly is the logic or screen estate efficiency in having that? PLEASE, simply keep it as a SINGLE 24/7 url-clickable topic bar.
on top of that, the resizable areas you demo for a single contact chat window in the video above, apparently don’t apply to group chat window. when i expand the hidden area, i get the joy of lets say 3 huge mostly useless profile icons occupying half my screen, so there is no way im going to keep that area open. yet when i would like to click the link in the topic when its changed by someone… what do i have to do, pop open that ridiculous space eating profile icon area again.
thanks for reading!
Mike,
Thanks to you and the whole Skype team – GREAT improvements! Two things:
1. Still not getting incoming IM sound notification. Task bar blinks/turns orange, but no audio. Have audio when sending but not receiving.
2. Hotkeys still seem not to work int he beta, although not sure if others are having this problem. They worked in 3.8 and all previous versions.
@Toddtownsend:
Hi Todd, thanks I’m glad you like the new version.
On your IM sound notifications. If you go to Tools -> Options -> Sounds and scroll down to Incoming IM, is that checked? If you click the play button, does the sound play?
If not, what sort of sound configuration are you using? Analogue PC speakers or some sort of USB device?
Cheers
Mike
mike, i also now have a HUGE incoming message sound problem for the ACTIVE CHAT with b2. sound works for all background chats, but the active chat does not get sound. there is no option specific for the active chat, all other options seem to be correctly set. the sound plays fine in the options dialog.
Why I can’t close conversation windows with key ESC? I found the only way to close window – ALT+F4 but it’s closing conversation window and removes it from list of today’s conversation. I’m upset Please, allow to configure SKYPE to use ESC key for closing conversation windows.
@linash_nfq: are you in Default view or Compact view? I can’t reproduce your problem in Compact view if I hit Alt+F4 the Conversation window closes and the conversation stays in the Conversation list.
@michael_bartlett: I’m in default (extended) view. ESC is not working in extended view. CTRL+F4 is closing conversation window and removing conversion from list.
Compact view: ESC is working. CTRL+F4 is closing conversation window and removing conversion from list – same as in extended view.
hello everyone, i have to say that i love skype, but for me it has become a little bored since the skypecast are gone… and for this version y don’t see a skypecast button available… the whole comunity and i haven’t lost our hope for you to reintroduce this funtionality, so you said: “we continue to believe in the concept of skypecast”, so… we trust your word, and still waitting for you to put back this wonderful thing that are the skypecast.
Given the extraordinary about of controversy (not to say criticism) of Skype 4.0 Beta, it would be helpful if you posted several screen shot of Beta 2 — regular mode, compact mode, etc. That way, those of us who don’t have a lot of extra time or are not so adventurous, could at least get a preview without have to load, and perhaps then unload, 4.0. Thanks.
OK, Todd. I know the ability to login Skype via command line is supported by Skype 4.0 Beta2. But what’s the command format and relative arguments?
It seems that Skype doesn’t tell us how to use their new features. Has anyone tried it out?
Sorry Todd, it seems that I need to change my glasses. The last message is for Michael and every body, but I make a mistake.
OK, Michael. I know the ability to login Skype via command line is supported by Skype 4.0 Beta2. But what’s the command format and relative arguments?
It seems that Skype doesn’t tell us how to use their new features. Has anyone tried it out?
Much better now! Congratulations!
By the way, as far as I understand, high quality video is still restricted to some logitech cameras, right? Why’s that? A partnership between skype and Logitech? That’s not good for the user. I have a “generic” webcam with a Sonix chipset that can capture very decent 640x480x30fps video natively, and I’m not really willing to throw it away and spend money on a Logitech just because Skype doesn’t like it. I understand the technical requirement of a dual core processor and a fast broadband internet conection, but I just can’t take the Logitech part.
Thanks for your attention and keep up with the good work!
Am I going crazy or is Skype Prime gone? I can not find it anywhere in this Beta.
@jon.lieberman You can find a full set of screenshots over on our Flickr profile
@Expatforums: Skype Prime isn’t supported yet in 4.0, it will be available again in the Beta 3.
I also have the habit of pressing the “ESC” key when I finish writing a chat with somebody.
I’d expect Skype to hide its window when I press this key, but Skype 4 beta 2 doesn’t close.
Please fix this.
Oops, sorry for the double post.
Guys!!! I find it very frustrating!!! I press ESC and neither the conversation or the Skype window disappear!!! Please solve this!!!
Another issue: the double click on any left/right arrow in the profile of any contact should work as 2 separate click instead of an unhandled double click.
I mean the arrows that let you to scroll the information about the contact you’re chatting with (mood, gender, country, skype name, ecc.). If you click twice quickly, Skype consider this a double click and, as it’s unhandled, it does nothing.
Usability issue: when the contact whose I’m chatting EDITS a previous message, I see the little pencil under its last message. This creates the expectation he/her is writing a new message to me, but it’s not true.
You should solve this in 2 ways: hiding the pencil if the contact is EDITING an old message, or displaying the pencil near the message he’s editing.
Congrats on the new Beta 2!
Now – what I LIKED:
- the Compact mode (of course)
- the redesign of the chat window (user info on top shorter in width)
What I DID NOT LIKE:
- the User info in Chat window misses the seperate icons for accessing Phones, Info, etc. (there’s still place next to ‘Add phone’ button). Really, the Left/Right arrows are no good.
- in Chat window still cannot move the User info on the Right (Left) as in the 3.8 version
- Chat participants names can be optionally placed on top of the replies, instead on the left, when Chat window gets wider
- where’s the Detach chat option when in Huge mode ?!?!?!
- move Call/Video call buttons in the User info (and make Add phone button smaller)
- All Contacts/Conversations/Cell pgones/Etc tabs still too big
- New (Contact/Group)/Search row TOO BIG – we do not add contacts every 5 minutes
- Come oooon – the Compact mode is still TOO big
- Will we live an Auto-Hide/Always on Top functionality???
- Cell phones/Directory/Shops always open new Huge window? Come ooon – they’ll fit in the Compact window, too
Oh – I would like to see an Asterisk or Replies count on Windows Taskbar chat window buttons
Hm, the new notifications is good, but the blue colour might be back – it was more eye-catching than the new green with yellow dot. BTW, the missed events count is a very nice idea.
And I really miss the Detach conversation window. I used to have more important chats Deatched and the rest in Huge view
The option to “Leave the chat” when you’re invited in a multi-chat is hard to find. I’d prefer the button “Leave this chat” as I’ve seen in earlier versions.
Hmmm I would like to see the IRC-style chat back, it is more compact and I can see more lines. There should be an option to show chat notification as a separate minimised window appearing in the Windows TaskBar. The tray icon notification is good but not always, when the taskbar is in auto-hide, the notification is easily missed or when not looking! It could also be when in do not disturb mode, the notification is automatically limit to just Windows tray regardless of the settings – useful when in meeting. Finally, the request contact details option is missing.
The feature where part of the contact details are shown when a contact is selected was gone, and any details have to be view via the right click view profile. I think this is useful when trying to get telephone numbers quickly! Well it’s not hugely important, but it’s nice to have.
I really preferred those bigger contact pictures (when IM chatting) and it seems to me that in this new beta it is not possible to resize picture to 300x300pix. Could you fix that please? I really like to have the picture bigger… And also that ugly font used for New+ / Conversations / Skype Contacts / Call / Video Call buttons – pleaaase do something with it it’s really ugly. I would suggest Callibri font type or something similar… For small letters Arial is fine but for bigger sizes it’s nasty
PLEASE put a “HISTORY” section in Skype 4.0 I still can’t search to who have I sent a mp3/or to how many people/. I have to search in the particularly chat to see what have I sent. I want to have a “HISTORY” so I can simply just type “Let it go.mp3″(in the HISTORY ‘search field’ and see to how many people and when have I sent this audio file. I CAN’T do this with Skype 4.0… The only search is for “Contacts, Groups and Conversation Topics”. Add “Files” there too PLEASE.
I liked kamenlitchev’s post, so I will answer the same way.
What I liked:
- Compact mode
- Better call and video quality
What I did not like:
- New compact mode’s outlook. I want the interface to be exactly the same as with older skype because this new one is uncomfortable. So, do whatever you want with fullscreen mode for those 70% users, but make the compact mode as it was in Skype 3.
- Windows in compact mode do not automatically ‘attach’ to the sides of the screen. I have to put too many efforts to put them on the side by myself.
- This “You called to “, “Attempted call by ” in chat window. I do not need to see them there because I chat there and if I decide to call or somebody else decides to call me, then I know it, no need to write it to me.
- Interface when in call or video conversations. I liked the old one.
- New icons. They are too cartoon-like.
- I was used to seeing a user’s picture and “infobox” when I click on him/her in the compact mode. Now it is only a blue background and nothing changes. I might make mistakes by calling or writing to the wrong person!
Dear Skype, I have an offer:
Do whatever you want with Skype 4.0′s interface and let the users enjoy it. But, besides it, please, make some “Skype 4 Lite” with interface exactly like in Skype 3, just with algorithms improved. It would be so greatly appreciated. I really want to upgrade my Skype to newer and better version. But to upgrade from Skype 3 to Skype 4 is almost the same as to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista.
Do not follow the bad examples!
I feel a little guilty now for throwing so much critics on your hard and long work. I feel really thankful for the people doing this and the ability to use Skype for free. But I can’t do anything to like the new Skype although I am open to innovations.
70% of people who like the new version is a really good number. But Skype is the best program of this kind and it should aim to satisfy 100% users because 70% is just too low.
Ok, the compact view is better and more similar to 3.8. Not possible to send files to groups, IM to groups not possible, small IM windows to write in. We have problem with all version of skype with delay from a few hours to days in delivering IM (for 6-8 months)and we now have now changed to messenger beta. At least it funktion okey, skype does’nt.
I would improve the default view (big one) by making the blue right window automatically expandable upon clicking on a contact and wrappable (rollable back) after closing a conversation window… And this conversation window should be possible to unwrap to whichever side I want (left, right, top, bottom. So the default view would be kind of like a compact view but when I click a contact there would not be a new window but the conversation window would unwrap on a side I would choose in options… Of course I would add the possibility to close each conversation window (x button) to default view as well… So far it is possible to close only after making a conversation. not when you just click contact…
hi mike,
some times when i close chat windows. and if i get a message onto that chat window after closing i wont get any notifications about that. this happens frequently when i right click and close window and from close button top right corner.
lakmal
Skype Beta 2 is great! Keep up the good work. Just one thing that I’ve been missing in Skype since ever. An export functionality to export the chat history of a specific contact to a text or html file. That would be great.
Jan
I support mlakmal’s opinion. When I’m chatting with someone and I press ESC to close the windows the chat is still in “Conversations” and when this person sends me another message, there is no window notification for this message. The only thing I get is “1″ on the Skype tray icon. I’m thinking that you can’t do separate functions (Default and Compact View) in one Skype. So I’m supporting the kapax5′s suggestion:
[But, besides it, please, make some "Skype 4 Lite" with interface exactly like in Skype 3]
And another thing… I don’t think the “Conversations” section is a very good idea. My suggestion is for removing the “Conversations section and leave just the orange dot at the back of the chat users. That way when I press ESC and do something else on the computer, the same person who was chatting with me sends me another message, the notification windows will come up and I can notice that he is sending me a new message. I’m using Skype 4.0 Beta from about a month and a half. I can tell that Skype 3.8 is move comfortable for chatting and doing something else on the computer.
I know you didn’t get the thought that some users are playing games while using Skype. So when I close the chat windows and start playing the game, and the same person sends me a message I have to exit the game every 2-3 minutes to check the Skype for new messages from the same person.
I like to play and chat so I’m thinking of installing the old Skype again. I like the old AND the new version of Skype. I just don’t like(hmm I hate) the “Conversations” section and its uncomfortable function.
P.S. – I hope you understood me cuz my English is not so good (:
I’m loving the new beta, but like a lot of people I just can’t stand the chat window with history and status messages mixed in all over the place. Just take a look at this screenshot and tell me that’s readable. Left aligned, centered, bold here and there… and no icons anywhere to indicate what type of message (chat/history/status) each line is. This needs to be cleaned up!
@nlenkowski: The good news is that this is being cleaned up for Beta 3!
I love Skype I’m just sad my sales team and I will have to switch to SightSpeed because Skype STILL doesn’t have multi-party video conferencing. Really sucks.
I agree that multiple video would be a huge feature to add. I would rather stay with Skype due to its wide user base, but I have been looking at other programs to handle multi-party video chat. Other than that, keep up the good work!
Hello guys. I still cannot get used to that compact mode. I tried but I think the compact mode should be the same as normal 3.8… Otherwise I am more and more getting used to the default view… Please make it a little bit better e.g. put history there with price for each call in history next to the call date/time and duration… improve the orange notification pop up windows so that those will stay there on screen – until (let’s say) 1-3secs after I will move the mouse or press keyboard buttons… also put there closing button “x” for each conversation when I am still under contacts… the possibility to choose if I want Skype to start in tray or maximised in window… Thanks and keep up the good work, T.
I don’t know if this is a bug with the beta, or just something I’m not understanding on my computer…when someone starts a convo with me and the convo window is CLOSED, I’ll get the notifications in the Start Menu just fine…but when I click on any of them to open the Convo window…those new messages will NOT appear in that convo…only all messages from previous sessions and from that point forward.
I am running Vista 64 bit, I installed Skype Beta 1 and found it to work just fine but the was one drawback. I needed to enter an access number after the call was connected but it did not seem to support DTMF. Fortunately I also have Skype 3.8 running under Windows XP so I could use DTMF dialing.
I have since upgraded to Beta 2 but it still does not appear to have this feature.
Do you intend to add this version in future versions or am I in fact doing something wrong?
I have answered my own question by clicking on the keypad icon to the right of the call button.
Very pleased with the software.
Something that the community has been on about for some time is the ability to specify folder paths. I know paths for, say, pictures can be set in the Registry. But I mean the ability to set up the folder path for user accounts. This is very useful for shared networks or for transferring histories between desktops and laptops.
Will this be facility be included? I do think it is long overdue.
Keep up the good work.