Software update: Skype 1.2.0.21 beta

The developers of Skype Technologies SA have released a new beta version of Skype for the Windows platform with 1.2.0.21 as the version number. With this program it is possible to make calls via the computer with other Skype users or to pay to normal telephone connections. The changelog of this new release looks like this:

Features:

• Central Contacts List
• Voicemail
• SkypeIn
• Getting Started Wizard
• Promote Add To Contacts
• toolbar added to call tab
• File Transfer – ability to select multiple files to send
• putting SkypeIn and SkypeOut calls on hold
• Import/Export contact list from/to vCard
• API: possible to initiate conference

Changes:

• improved voice quality
• improved connectivity on XP SP2
• Options dialog – usability improvements
• new sounds
• API: commands BTN_RELEASED UP and BTN_RELEASED DOWN
• notification on entering SkypeMe mode changed to confirmation
• file transfer: increased relayed transfer speed to 1500 bytes/sec
• Send Contacts: possibility to send PSTN numbers
• Send Contacts form closed when all selected contacts added
• content of user profile phone fields is displayed in Contact List as links only if it’s valid Skype contact identity
• prank call warning redesigned
• the number of simultaneous File Transfers limited to 50
• added items to context menu
• user selectable font size, type, color in chat
• Import Contacts – bundled MSN, Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express and Opera Contact Importers

Bug fixes:

• improved ‘Automatically check for updates’
• My Skype Picture — files with jpeg extensions were not shown
• API: “AUDIO IN” and “AUDIO OUT” commands did not read double byte driver names correctly
• ‘accept authrization’ buttons were not translatable
• in some cases API did not deny access properly
• API: command BTN_PRESSED E failed with error 71 invalid key
• API: command IMHISTORYCHANGED didn’t work
• mute from UI is communicated to API
• API: No notification were shown when the user changed audio device
• handling URL links in chat improved
• Send Contacts: Add Selected button disabled, if contacts are unchecked
• Send Contacts: username was displayed twice, if fullname was not chosen
• Send Contacts: username and fullame were placed differently on sender’s and receiver’s side
• unchecking Show Emoticons hides emoticons toolbar in IM windows
• override old default sound name
• addressbar quickfilter did not show all matches on some cases
• avatar browser: select added image by default
• doubleclicking on last (partially visible item in contactlist) acted on wrong contact
• when conference call host runs out of skypeOut credits during call correct error messages are displayed
• SkypeIn/SkypeOut error codes are displayed during conference calls
• improved SkypeOut links handling in Chat window
• installer now tries to shut down skype 10 times instead of 1 during install and uninstall
• does not ask auth when adding SkypeOut contacts
• possible to add conference participant from addressbar with conference button
• going automatically to ‘Not Available’ status was not working if AutoAway was set to 0
• installer uses command ‘getnewestversion’
• uninstaller behavior improved
• timestamps added to ‘click here to see previous messages’ link
• calltab subtoolbar is now white on windows 2000
• added exitsurvey when Skype is uninstalled
• some installer web requests contained invalid data
• installer reuses language selection
• avatar browser did not work with multiple accounts
• unicode character sorting was inconsistent
• sometimes after a person had left Multi Chat she was still shown in participants list
• default style emoticons have timestamps
• sometimes number of copied chars were calculated wrong in chat
• file transfer notification had missing content in some cases
• text highlighting in chat improved
• chat ‘/alerts* mode’ does not react to display names
• when chosen ‘/alertson’ mode paints the taskbar button orange
• if file was renamed before saving, old filename was shown in dialog
• user online notification sounds are played to ringing device now