Software update: Skype for Windows 2.6.0.44 (public beta)

The first preview of Skype for Windows version 2.6 was released yesterday on the Skype developer forum. This is an early beta release, so there is definitely a chance that some issues will arise. This version uses a new audio library, which may no longer work (properly) with some hardware. At Skype, however, they believe this development is necessary to guarantee sound quality in the future. However, whether the new audio library has anything to do with a Chinese company’s claim that they have cracked the Skype protocol has not been disclosed. The release notes for this version look like this:

Changes in build 2.6.0.44:

• feature: New Sound Audio Lirary
• feature:Voice access API
• feature: IE and FF plugins integrated (phone number recognition on web pages)
• feature: Clickable links in mood messages
• feature: Avatars clickable in chat windows
• feature: Added “Clear all missed events” in events panel rightclick menu
• change: quickfilter searches from beginning of words only
• change: avatar drag and drop ability
• bug fix: country list was not sorted in search window
• bugfix: Shared Groups: when contact leaves group the text is overlapping with moodmessage
• bugfix: Mute text should be “unmute” when muted
• bugfix: answering conference from conf calltab did not cancel traynotification
• bugfix: Call tab: video start/stop button dissapeared when used during a held call
• bugfix: Conf call: participant on hold was shown only to host
• bugfix: Country select list doesn’t disappear when clicking somewhere else
• bugfix: Localized country names in search window did not change, if you changed languages
• bugfix: Start Video via context menu did not change video button text
• bug fix: Ending video call did not show avatar again
• bugfix: There was no way to bookmark chats without a mouse
• bugfix: FT dialog opened in DND mode
• bug fix: “011” area code disabled country selection
• bugfix: Chat message is might have got lost when other party uses embedded device
• bugfix: Mousewheel scroll did not work when chat memberlist hidden
• bugfix: notification parameters did not support unicode
• bugfix: Call tab info was wrong when Skype contact’s PSTN number called
• bugfix: Import Contatcs: some text in Russian was not displayed on last dialog in import contacts flow

API changes:

• feature: USER property NROF_AUTHED_BUDDIES
• feature: CALL properties FORWARDED_BY and VAA_INPUT_STATUS
• change: API: moved PONG reply to PING into library thread – now asyncronous

Known Issues

• There may be some problems or incompatibility with specific audio devices, which have been working on earlier versions of Skype. Please report all these problems.
• User may experience errors with Internet Explorer Beta 2 installed, we recommend to upgrade to Internet Explorer Beta 3.
• Video is not enabled when plugging in camera while on a call.
• There may be echo problems when using 2 sound devices.
• Firefox plugin will be reinstalled on next Skype installation, even if user has uninstalled it.

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