Davey Winder
Monday, 23 June 2008 05:57
Business IT -
Technology
Page 2 of 3
"Helping people juggle lots of conversations all at once
is another reason behind the big changes in 4.0 Beta" Bartlett says,
adding "We found people had to keep track of multiple windows in order
to have a few conversations. In fact, if you had a High Quality Video
call alongside an IM, plus you were sending a couple of pictures that
was five windows!" Now it is just the one window, and that dear reader
is progress in my humble opinion.
There has already been much complaint from the
more vocal of Skype users about the one window approach, about the size
of the video screen, about the fact that the interface has changed. Yet
I found that while video does start in full-screen mode it can be
re-sized and moved around very easily. Equally, if you prefer your
conversations in different windows then you can just as easily pop them
into separate windows as well.
Some people might miss the tabbed buddy list window that has pretty
much been around in the same shape and form since the first Beta.
However, I quickly got to like the new simple toolbar approach to be
honest.
But Skype 4.0 is not all about the interface, it is about the
functionality as well. Under the hood there has been a lot of engine
tweaking by the Skype mechanics. Little touches that go a long way.
Little touches like fixing the way that Skype Certified hardware works.
No longer are the problems of Skype losing track when new devices are
plugged in evident, no more of the silent treatment from the software.
Skype 4.0 automatically detects your hardware devices the first time
you plug them in, and remembers them thereafter. Switching headset in
the middle of a call does not cause Skype to get its knickers in a
right royal twist any more.
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