Microsoft Brings Real Time Captions And Subtitles To Skype.

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Skype with Live Captions and subtitles

An accessibility feature that most visual media devices provided for differently abled people, which also happened to be launched on United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities would be much appreciated by people who needs them. The real time captions and subtitles means that Skype will use voice recognition to display the text of the conversation a voice call. 

If you are a Skype user, to enable the feature, use the following steps:

1. During an audio or video call, select the more + button.
2. Select Turn subtitles on.

To enable live captions and subtitles as the default for all Skype calls:

Select your profile picture.

1. Select Settings.
2. Select Calling.
3. Select Call subtitles.
4. Toggle on Show subtitles for all voice and video calls.

Dreams Do Come True, Skype Proposal

Skype Proposal,

A proposal, offered via Skype, wonder acceptance and tears of joy, All with a single Skype call, captured by Mandey

Call Mexico For Free With Skype, 100 Million Minutes Free

100 millones de minutos de llamadas gratis a celulares y teléfonos fijos en México
As of now it is 92 Million.

Stop 2014 Skype Automatic File Transfer

Skype 2014 Automatic File Transfer.
The new Skype, the default is to accept files sent to you automatically, without your acceptance. This is great if all you have on your Skype are your trusted people. But even trusted people could send you bad files. WHat if your trusted friends computer is infected with some kind of Skype worm. So we think it is better to make sure you approve what you get and where to save them, even if you did ask for the file.
To change your settings for automatic file transfer:

1. Open Skype.
2. In the menu bar, click on Tools > Options…
3. Click on IM & SMS
4. In the IM settings pane, scroll down to When I receive a file…

Select an option for your transferred files’ location and uncheck Automatically accept incoming files.
You will be a bit safer.

Microsoft Renames Lync, Skype For Business.

Microsoft Skype for Business.
Someone at Microsoft is recognizing the brand value of Skype and that only a few will know what Lync is. Viola, Lync is getting renamed Skype for Business. They also recognizing that Penguins (Linux?) are an important factor, see the prominence it gives penguins in the above video. I use Lync everyday and it serves the corporate needs. So at least I do not have to learn another Microsoft product, it just a label change. Skype had this idea of Skype for Business, in 2008.
I guess now I have to write another post, How to uninstall Skype for Business.

Blackberry10 To Add Skype, Amazon Kindle And Others 70000 Apps

Blackberry10 http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Blackberry10 will add 70,000 apps to Blackberry world, more than any of the first generation mobile OS platform at the first go. Then again, it is thanks to all those other mobile OS platforms that attracted developers to develop ads for them, RIM is able to boast about 70,000 apps.
I will not predict about RIM gaining the top spot it had for years in the smartphone arena, but if there is any chance for it to survive, in the competitive mobile market this is it.
But if there is anything to the BlackBerry, this is how RIM wants to portray it (Click on the video to see it larger);

Skype Says "We do not provide voice services for Facebook Messenger free calls"

Skype http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Since Skype is powering Facebook's video chat and video conferencing, on the desktop apps, it was natural to assume that Skype is providing the Click to Call or tap to call services for mobile phones, the new Voice over WiFi from Facebook.

But if you assumed so, just like I did, we are wrong. In an statement to Slashgear, Skype has confirmed that it is not providing the backbone services for Facebook, tap to call over WiFi.

Skype - Facebook integration on desktops have gone far but the mobile front has not seen much progress. On the desktop apps, Facebook users could click on a Facebook user name instead hunting for his / her Skype handle to initiate a video call.
I guess it is more important for Microsoft - Skype to push their own mobile Skype apps, just like the recently released Skype for Windows Phone.

Skype on Windows 8 Phone

Well we have to find out who is providing the backbone voice services for Facebook!

Via Slashgear
Skype on Windows 8 Phone is here

MagicJack iPhone App Debuts

MagicJack iPhone App http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Welknown and also well used magicJack, the VoIP service that is offered with a USB device providing free calls for the cost of the device and a yearly fee of $19.99 to users in the U.S. and Canada. Each device purchased Magicjack or Magicjack Plus includes one year service. So the free calls is a kind of misnomer.
It is also very difficult to find any pricing information at the Magicjack site easily. Positive side of this is the happy users. I have a coleague who uses Magicjack and you would not know he is calling you via a VOIP service.
But the news today is that Magicjack has released an iPhone app. magicJack app came to the iTunes App Store this week and lets users make free calls to numbers in the U.S. and Canada and to other magicJack users anywhere in the world at no charge. The app works on all iDevices provided that have iOS 4.0 or higher.

magicJack is not alone in the Free VOIP calling space on the iTunes App store, it  joins the likes of Skype, Viber, netTALK.
Unlikewith the Magicjack devices described above, magicJack App does not require you to create an account before you can start making those free phone calls, (out going only). The App offers you the option to skip account creation and go right to the dialer shown above. By creating an account to get voicemail and a designated magicJack phone number, or information from an existing account one can receive calls through magicJack without using minutes on your cell phone plan. In the U.S. incoming calls count against your cell phone plan).
I have not tried the app yet and many of those who tried praise the app and it's abilities. Many have made calls over wifi and 3G and seem to be satisfied.
iTunes App Store

Skype Launches An Appstore, Calls It App Directory!

Skype Launches An Appstore (App Directory) http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Perhaps influenced by the soon to be parent company, Microsoft, Skype is getting friendly with developers again. A few years ago, they wanted to have everything for themselves and canned the Skype Developer Extra program. Skype App Directory, or the Skype version of the Appstore is live now supporting regular and business customers. The developers seem to be happy about having a place to publicize their apps the the vast Skype community.
There are, as usual, free and paid apps in various categories and I found a few apps to write home about. We will certain to cover some of the more appealing Skype Apps, like VodBurner Video call recorder, which is free.
Just like any other appstore, Skype App Directory provides a landing page for apps and there you will find more information about the app. These include screen shots, features comments and ratings by other users. If you select to get / buy the app, one is sent to appropriate place, like in the VodBurner case above, to their home page.
Like an appstore should be, Skype App Directory allows you to search by Platform (OS), price, language and keywords.

GroupMe, Group Calling Service To Be Acquired By Skype.

GroupMe, To Be Acquired By Skype http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
A year old GroupMe, which was born at a Techcrunch Hackathon, has become the target of acquisition by Skype.
Pricing and the terms of acqisition was not revealed but GroupMe got $850,000 in round one funding and later $10.6 Million from Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst and previous investors. Skype CEO Tony Bates have indicated the GroupMe acquisition was in the talks even before the Microsft's interest on Skype. (The Skype Microsoft deal is still pending)
"“The group messaging space in general is one of the most important markets for Skype, GroupMe creates a very sticky instant feeling. Like Skype, it is an everyday interactive form of communication. Skype’s goal is to get to 1 billion users. Mobile is the place to do that.”" told TechCrunch
Hackathon

Group Chat, New Design, Video Chat (Skype) Makes Facebook Awesome! Mark Says

Awesome, Facebook, Group Chat, New Design, Video Chat,Skype http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Mark Zuckerberg says that three things announced today will make the Social Infrastructure that he built solid, and will pave the way forward for years to come.
The tree things announced today, Group Chat, New Design, Video Chat (Skype) are not new nor awesome. But all of them plus the Facebook will make it awesome.
During the event Mark shared that people on Facebook are sharing 4 Billion things a day and certainly that is a lot of sharing.
Video calling demoed by the Facebook Seattle team and we were told that it is deployed to millions of users. They were pretty happy about one click video calling. The combination of Skype and Facebook is certainly a plus for millions of users of either service or both.
The Group Chat will have a new feature to your usual Facebook chat feature, you can add friends tot he chat and that is not much different from Group Chats we have seen over the years like GoogleTalk Group chat.
The new design, yes I am yet to see if it makes my Facebook experience awesome.
Now the Microsoft's Skype purchase seem less crazy!

Facebook "Awesome" Is It Facebook Skype?

Facebook Skype Googleplus http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Looks pretty awesome the anticipation of the crowd waiting to hear the real thing behind the Facebook Awesome and everyone seem to think it is some thing to do with Facebook on screen communication / messaging developed with Skype, which was acquired by Microsoft recently.
May be it is a jab at Google+, But wait for 10 min and we will see.

FTC Approves Microsoft Skype Deal!

FTC Approves Microsoft Skype Deal! http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
The long waited and most discussed tech deal in the recent past has got approval from The U.S. Federal Trade Commission today. The unprecedented $8.5 Billion dollar deal has made people wonder about the feasibility of the deal. Most thought this will be the end of M$ big honcho Steve Ballmer. Well now we have to wait and see.
Microsoft already got the blame for Skype's recent spotty service, even though it had nothing to do with Microsoft.
We can in any case expect Skype to pop up in all things Microsoft like XBox, outlook and possibly it's partners.
We will just have to see, if Microsoft can Kill Skype but who is there to take the place? Google Voice? Possibly.
Reuters

Skype Down Again, "For Small Subset Of People"

Skype Down http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
The multi Billion dollar Microsoft purchase seem to affect Skype, at least according to Skype users on Twitter. Skype of course is telling, as always, it is a small subset of users.
The last message from the Skype Heartbeat is that they have sign in issues but other components are working;

We are continuing to address today's problems, and are seeing indications that the situation is improving.

If you were disconnected from Skype earlier, you shouldn't need to manually sign back in to Skype - it should reconnect automatically when it's able to do so.

We apologise for the disruption to your conversations.

Well I hope this will not be like the last December Skype outage, (Supernode failure) there are too many users who depends on the service.
If you are affected, keep on monitoring the Skype heartbeat.

How Not To Be A Skype / Microsoft Supernode, Updated

How Not To Be A Skype / Microsoft Supernode http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
We have updated one of our favorite posts;  "How to be or not to be a skype supernode?" has been given a long due update to reflect the Skype 3.0 or newer capability to disable the supernode capability. You still need to go about hacking the registry.  It is simple though. Follow the link to get information as how to change your registry.

How to be or not to be a skype supernode?

Skype (Microsoft) Drops Asterisk Support, Ending Skype For Asterisk

Skype ends Asterisk for Skype Agreement http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Within two weeks of acquiring Skype, Microsoft is set out to cut all Open Source ties to Skype, begining with Asterisk, the best open source IPPBX in the world.

According to a letter from Digium to it's customers, Skype will not renew its agreement with Digium that allowed Asterisk to be integrated with the Skype service through Asterisk for Skype, a product by Digium..

"It includes proprietary software from Skype that allows Asterisk to join the Skype network as a native client. Skype has decided not to renew the agreement that permits us to package this proprietary software,” according to the letter.

Skype for Asterisk sales and activations will end on July 26, but Skype has promised to continue supporting and maintaining the software for two more years. Skype may extend this time period “at their discretion.”
But I love what Digium's Danny Windham has to say about the whole issue of Skype;

Is the acquisition good for Skype? Given the valuation, it’s certainly good for the Skype shareholders. But what about the service itself? In a word, no. History suggests that Microsoft’s tendency towards notoriously proprietary tactics will slow the development of Skype as a business tool. Will Microsoft wall-off Skype from competing products, completely? Or, at a bare minimum will Microsoft ensure their products work much better with Skype than those from competitors? Time will tell.

This transaction has attracted speculation from around the globe regarding the future of Skype, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, incumbent phone companies, VoIP, video communications, Apple, the Iphone, Andriod, and I’m sure even pork belly futures. Regardless of your view on how the merger will ultimately shake out, it’s hard to deny at least this one fact: disruptive communications companies and technologies are changing the world at a rapid pace – and in this case, they are generating gigantic value for their shareholders in the process.

Digium Blog

Microsoft Agrees To Buy Skype For $8.5 Billion!

Microskype ? Makes me wonder! http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
The deal was good for US stock market as it drew encouragement from Microsoft's $8.5 billion deal for Skype Technologies and from signs of strength in the U.S. economy and overseas.

But on the whole I wonder what Microsoft will do to Skype, 8.5 Billion or not because first thing I heard about the deal was that M$ was going to integrate Skype capabilities with XBox. Time will tell.

Skype Outages And MAC Client Woes!

Skype http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Yesterday I watched a video (See Below) interview of a Game developer CEO, Jason Asbahr from Montrous . It was all about why the game developers dropped Skype for MAC 5.0 and went back to Skype for MAC 2.8. Since I use my Skype mostly on PC's and Mobile phones, I have not experienced the problem nor I knew what the real problem was. Until I read VoIP Watch that is.
The MAC client problem seem to lead to an departed exec who could not get MAC right and wanted Skype for MAC to be like windows client. Well now you know where that went. I hope Skype will come up with a new client. 'Cos I will be ditching my windows / Linux note boot to a MACbook pro with MAC OS X and windows. The current notebook will stay on my desk and run Linux only.

Then there was signing in and call receiving problems on 30th. I was not very happy but Google Voice was there to save the day, It is not as big as the Supernode Crash. In any case I stopped being a Skype supernode long time ago, ever since I started paying.

Skype Available On Verizon Vireless Palm Pre 2

Skype Available On Palm Pre 2 http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Skype just announced that it's service is available on  the Palm Pre 2 from Verizon Wireless.

To get Skype on your Palm Pre 2 from Verizon Wireless, visit skype.com/m on to find out how to get started.

Low Bandwidth Skype For Mobile Markets With Low 3G Penetration.

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
This week, Skype announced a low-bandwidth version Skype, for mobile markets in parts of the world where 3G service is not available or sparse. Skype describes it's mobile solution as a simple carrier solution utilizing purpose built client-server solution. The optimization of software for low bandwidth is certainly a plus for VoIP IP Telephony provider.

"We see a growing demand for differentiated services from mobile operators across the world , Our mobile operator program will give operators in emerging markets the possibility to tap into the global Skype community while providing a great user experience on a variety of mobile handsets." said Russ Shaw, vice president and general manager of Mobile at Skype.

Even though we complain at slightest dip in our bandwidths, be it mobile or land line, there are many parts in the world where getting a service is the issues rather than the bandwidth. With wired lines being costly to deploy in far interior villages, like in certain parts of Asia and Africa, mobile networks are pushing forward in providing much needed communication services.

LUXEMBOURG, 14 February 2011 – Skype today announced a Mobile Partner Program for operators in markets with low 3G broadband penetration. The program aims to bring the Skype experience to a broad range of mobile users and will enable carriers to differentiate their offerings in a competitive market environment. This program follows the successful operator partnerships that Skype has already launched with Verizon, KDDI and Hutchison 3.
The Mobile Partner Program from Skype is a simplified operator program that utilises a purpose built client/server solution. The solution developed specifically for operators, enables use of Skype on a broad range of handsets including smartphones and feature phones. Optimised for efficient bandwidth usage, it keeps users connected with minimal impact on battery life and data usage.
Operators taking part in this program will be able to offer their customers a fast, easy Skype experience that runs on a range of OS platforms covering more than 100 different smartphone and feature phone handsets. Through Skype their customers will have the ability to make free calls and send instant messages to other Skype users. In addition, their customers can take advantage of Skype’s low rates to make affordable calls to mobile phones and landlines virtually anywhere in the world.

“We see a growing demand for differentiated services from mobile operators across the world,” said Russ Shaw, VP and GM of Mobile at Skype. “Our mobile operator program will give operators in emerging markets the possibility to tap into the global Skype community while providing a great user experience on a variety of mobile handsets.”
Operators interested in this program can contact Skype’s mobile business development team at: mpp@skype.net.

Skype