Software Update: Skype for Windows 4.1.0.179

On Monday, Skype released a new release of version 4.1 of its voip client for Windows. With Skype it is possible to communicate with other Skype users by means of text, speech or image, or a combination thereof, over an internet connection. In version 4.1, the option to share the desktop with the interlocutor has been added. Furthermore, it is now even easier to import new contacts from external sources, such as GMail, Hotmail, Yahoo and AOL, and the quality of speech and video has been further improved. In version 4.1.0.179 the following changes and improvements have been made:

screen sharing

• To start sending your screen, use the “Share” button in the IM typing area, or via the “Call” menu
• Currently only available on a one-to-one basis – you cannot share your screen to multiple users
• Can only be sent in one direction – it is not possible for two users to see each other’s screens simultaneously.

Accessibility

• Improved keyboard navigation
• Support for visually impaired users, using screen reading software such as JAWS
• Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) support.

Contact Importers

• Our current offering of 3 address books has been increased to include email and contact providers such as, Gmail and AOL

birthday reminders

• Alerts you when one of your contacts has their birthday date stored in their user profile
• The alert will appear at midnight (your local time)
• If you do not use Skype that day, then the alert will not be seen
• This feature was available in Skype 3.x version, and has returned by popular demand.

Send Contacts

• Drag-and-drop contacts from your contact list to the Instant Messaging area, or use the Conversation > Send > Contacts… option from the main menu
• This feature was available in Skype 3.x version, and has returned by popular demand.

Toolbars

• Highlighting of toll-free phone numbers
• Skype Name Recognition – identifies the names of your Skype contacts if they appear on web pages and allows you to communicate with them via Skype.

color scheme

• Improvements to the vibrancy of the background color scheme

Call Toolbar

• Some minor changes to the area shown during a call, containing the volume controls.

Installer

• Our installer for the Skype application and bundled optional applications now uses the standard Microsoft MSI installation methods.
• Only those applications or add-ons that you wish to install are downloaded.

password rules

• A change to our default password rules, making Skype user-passwords more secure.
• Existing passwords will still work, however when creating a new account, or changing a password, the new rules will apply, including minimum length, allowed characters, inclusion of numbers and capital letters, etc.

Invite your friends to use Skype

This feature is available when using the Find friends / Import contacts feature – when you generate an email to people you know, they will have a contact request waiting for them when they sign into Skype for the first time.