Skype Releases New Software, Integrates with Facebook
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, October 18, 2010 · 
Late last week Skype launched a new version of its PC software, Skype 5.0, available now for Windows machines. The VoIP application has a new “revitalized look and feel” in addition to new functionality. (See the video after the jump.)
As predicted, Skype is now integrated with Facebook. The new software allows Skype users to login to their Facebook accounts and perform a variety of Facebook tasks from within the Skype interface. By meshing the Facebook News Feed and Phonebook contact list with the Skype interface, users are able to view and post messages to their Facebook activity stream, comment on others’ posts, and communicate via SMS, phone and the Skype VoIP service.
In addition to the Facebook integration, Skype 5.0 also introduces a free trial of group video calling. Skype users are increasingly connecting via video, accounting for approximately 40% of all Skype-to-Skype minutes in the first half of this year, according to the company.
Skype also says it has improved the quality and stability of its audio and video connections. Automatic call recovery, another new feature, helps reconnect calls that are interrupted due to Internet connection problems.
This new partnership is notable as it unites leaders in the social networking and VoIP arenas. However, the Facebook-Skype integration is not the first of its kind. Facebook also offers integration with Skype rivals AOL AIM and Yahoo Messenger, while Skype has partnered with Facebook competitor MySpace for the last few years.
For more, see this Skype blog post.
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