Download Skype for Windows 4.0.0.176 beta

Skype today released the third official beta release of Skype for Windows 4.0 with version number 4.0.0.176. According to the developers, a lot of thought has gone into making using Skype even easier. For example, version 4.0 has been given a new look, the screen has become a lot larger, finding new contacts and sending files should be easy. A ‘compact view’ has also been added, so that Skype can look like before. on this page you can find more information and a video where the new possibilities are explained. Below is what has changed in this release:

New features:

• Abuse reporting – allow users to report unwanted contact requests and Spam
• Call Quality Feedback button
• Skype Prime payments support
• Outlook Contacts
• Custom Chrome
• History
• My Account in Client 2

Improvements:

• Options panel updated
• improved layout of profile area in group conversations
• Instant Messaging Display
• Call Toolbar
• More visible button to switch between default and classic view
• Improved bandwidth allocation methods
• Changes to file sending design

Changed:

• Getting Started Wizard improvements
• Extras Manager updated to version 2.0.0.65
• Removed AMR-WB audio codec

Bug fixed:

• Skype occasionally crashed on login on Windows XP SP1
• When entering the symbol & into your mood message then it changed to &ampamp
• Call cost for calls to phones was not displayed
• When resuming download wrong estimate was shown
• The confirmation page for Adding a phone number contact showed html code
• Light Installer did not show plugin installing options on re-install
• Right hand blue canvas placement fixes
• Instant message sound notifications did not always play
• The duration of your voicemail recording was displayed incorrectly
• Jpeg error was shown when viewing profile
• First character in Cyrillic was displayed incorrectly in quickfilter
• Instant message windows in compact view were not always in focus
• High Quality Video call logo overlapped some call controls
• Webcam not available message not displayed
• Links to webpages which contained @ were not clickable
• Incoming message notifications did not always clear
• In compact view, instant message windows sometimes popped up when they shouldn’t
• In compact view, new incoming instant messages did not pop up
• Local network contacts online status showed incorrectly on occasion
• Japanese language input was problematic
• Web links caused “unable to launch web browser” error for people who have AOL broswer installed
• Group conversations did not act consistently with contact categories
• Occasionally Skype crashed on login

Features not supported in 4.0 Beta 3 for Windows:

• Skype Prime provider setup
• Accessibility (keyboard navigation and screen reader functionality)
• Call transfer
• Creating new Shared Groups
• Sending contacts
• Send Money
• Partner alerts (eg eBay, Paypal, Free411)
• Public chat (IM)
• car redial
• IRC chat style
• speed dial
• MySpaceIM with Skype

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