Skype 5.3 for Mac Adds HD Video Calling and Full OS X Lion Support

[Baumi]

I'm almost afraid to say so, but I actually like the 5.2 UI. (Didn't try 5.3 yet.)

I use Skype for video calls to my girlfriend from my MacBook, during which we'll sometimes write short text bits or transfer files. Pre-5.x this was a pain, because the chat and file transfer windows invariably would get obscured by other windows and I'd have to hunt for them. The single-window UI makes it all much more convenient.

I can see how it might be a pain for non-video uses, and I don't know how well the contact list works (because I on't have many Skype contacts), but my use case might be one of the few for which the new UI is suited better than the old one.

 

[DavidLeblond]

Versioning is arbitrary and has some loose guidelines. That's reality.

I guess you can approach it as law for you personally, but observe that the world doesn't and versions are made at the convenience of the software developer.

I remember the early days of the App Store when the Google Mobile application would get an update with the only "fix" being "Updated version number."

 

[brainzilla]

Right - that's what we need:
A skype version to waste even MORE space on the desktop.

 

[JHankwitz]

It's the GUI stupid!

Skype released Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X , a significant update bringing full support for OS X Lion, as well as new support for HD video calling.Just last month, Skype 5.2 for Mac added group screen sharing for customers with premium subscriptions, as well as a revamped call control bar with support for video calls. Skype has also been hard at work on its offerings for Apple's mobile platform, finally releasing Skype for iPad one week ago.

Skype 5.3 for Mac Adds HD Video Calling and Full OS X Lion Support

First and foremost, Skype needs to clean up its GUI. Its designers have to be real nutcases. Everything's totally illogical. But then, most computer geeks have a reversed perception, like push a red "send" button on your older cell phones when you want to start receiving a call, push the 'Start' button to stop your computer, slide the scroll bar up when you want the image to go down, and so on. Problem is that Skype does this with every item it displays.

 

[cdembek]

Going back to the old version...

 

[steelmarco]

Even worse GUI

Hi everyone, just installed Skype 5.3... Well the GUI doesn't look just as awful as 5.1/5.2, it's even worse!
There's no way I can like this space-eater and ugly window on my screen.
And you can't custom anything about the view or contacts' list but just set as name list or avatar list, which are both graphically awful.

 

[Pegamush]

if with the new skype I get a free 27" display, maybe i will think about upgrading..

 

[andreiru]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; ru-ru) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Skype is platform-diverse, but video and sound quality has plenty of room for improvement. Especially in the iPhone - OS X calls field.

 

[cdavis11]

Upgraded today and tested this evening, wife's laptop (2011 MacBook pro) to my desktop (early2009 24" iMac) - video noticeably better at fullscreen...was very pleased even with the still lousy UI.

 

[ThomasJL]

Skype @$$holes, give us a version 2.8-like 'classic' UI OPTION!!!

Has the atrociousness that is the UI revamp been fixed?

Amen! WHY THE HELL doesn't Skype offer a version 2.8-like 'classic' UI viewing mode in their new versions??? That would be extremely easy to implement, it would take up a tiny portion of desktop space, and make everyone happy ("everyone" meaning the overwhelming majority of people who prefer 2.8's unobtrusive UI, as well as the small minority of people who prefer the horrendous new UI).

LISTEN UP, YOU SKYPE JERKS: WE DON'T NEED TO SEE AVATARS IN OUR CONTACT LIST! Just stick to usernames only in the contact list, just like in version 2.8.

How dense are the people at Skype??? They solicit feedback, and every version since the 5.0 beta has generated loads of feedback, most of which complains about the UI. DAMMIT, Skype, just give us a 2.8 'classic' UI viewing OPTION!!! Hell, if you morons at Skype prefer the new full-of-useless-whitespace UI, so be it, keep it as the default, but please give us a viewing OPTION!

 

[Aniday]

What happened to Skype's contest to improve the UI?

 

[ciociosan]

i'm assuming this requires a new mac with the hd facetime camera?

 

[xdhd350]

LISTEN UP, YOU SKYPE JERKS: WE DON'T NEED TO SEE AVATARS IN OUR CONTACT LIST! Just stick to usernames only in the contact list, just like in version 2.8.

Except that people can change their usernames and then you have to hunt all over your list to find them. At least with an avatar, I can spot them faster...if they haven't changed that as well.

As to quality... I have yet to find any VOIP software, including Facetime, that has audio quality as good as Skype.

 

[wegster]

The UI is still bad but at least you can now pin contacts to the sidebar! It's almost like having a contact list again (you could just pin everyone and there you go).

View attachment 298162

This is hysterical. Like others, Skype has effectively replaced my landline, and we use it to call family overseas, as well as for work and unlimited US calls for $15-$20 every 6 months or so - a wired headset works better than any BT iPhone headset with the amount of time on the phone at times, not to mention not everyone on the same carrier.

The UI has just become downright scary, though - really? Pin contacts just so I can see which contacts are currently online? Or type a contacts name to search for it? I swear I used to just keep a few contact groups visible and managed to have any of a few dozen within a click away. It may be time to go back to 2.8 or try to find a replacement.

 

[OldMacUser]

Was happily using Skype up to 5.2 but the 5.3 update has forced me to go back to 2.8 mainly due to the inability to differentiate between OFFLINE and ONLINE contacts.

I would consider reinstalling 5.2 if that is still available to be downloaded (unfortunately I didn't keep the dmg).

 

[baslotto]

Great version! Back to 2.8!

This new version of Skype made me finally realize how much I too hate the new UI! This is great. For a few months I've been hoping it would have changed for the better but after this version I'm pretty sure they are doing it on purpose. They want to make my experience the worst possible!
So enough with this new Skype.
Back to 2.8 and the update feature will be totally removed and ignored.
Skype 5.+ is dead to me.

 

[techpr]

Can someone post the direct link to the official 2.8 download. I'm done with this useless 5.3 GUI.

edit
OK never mind:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en/get-skype/on-your-computer/macosx/2-8

 

[Dr McKay]

To everyone waiting for Microsoft to clean up the UI, I present:

Xbox videoKinect (i.e. don't hold your breath)

Well:

1. Thats only the video screen, it'd be like saying the whole of Skype on Computer looks like this

2. That UI is for the Xbox 360.

Is this sarcasm or misplaced hope?

Yes because Microsoft have never designed anything that looked nice have they?

 

[yangcy]

Does it still fry the CPU/GPU when using video calls?

 

[buckers]

Why didn't they make a it a fullscreen app? It takes up enough of the screen

 

[MasterHowl]

The new contact "list" is horrific. Going to upgrade to an older version.

 

[zephonic]

What happened to Skype's contest to improve the UI?

That's what I want to know as well!

 

[hexx]

what's the point if they haven't fixed that terrible UI??? wake up skype!!! you provide us with a ****ing chat/call service not an app which requires full screen

 

[linuxcooldude]

While I hated version 5.0-5.2 I actually liked the new Skype 5.3. For me the usability was greatly improved. The previous ones I could never seem to find where my contacts were. Now they have a tab always in the side bar to can click to find them.

While it still has a large size, after looking at the MS Windows version it pretty much is the same size too. But It can be reduce a little smaller.

Most of the time it uses just one window, rather then a pop up window with the funky drawer. Now chat appears in the same window, but underneath the audio/video section. It is smaller this way, but can still scroll through the chat.

Video is greatly improved, testing with my main video camcorder got excellent results even on the other end of the call.

Desktop sharing was very good quality video with it full screen, almost like looking at a monitor, but not quite the same I know.

I finally upgraded from Skype 2.8 to 5.3

It still needs a lot of work although.

 

[divinox]

First and foremost, Skype needs to clean up its GUI. Its designers have to be real nutcases. Everything's totally illogical. But then, most computer geeks have a reversed perception, like push a red "send" button on your older cell phones when you want to start receiving a call, push the 'Start' button to stop your computer, slide the scroll bar up when you want the image to go down, and so on. Problem is that Skype does this with every item it displays.

You forgot throwing your cherished discs in the trash can...