if you're using Skype downloaded from its official website and
not from the Ubuntu repositories, chances are the sound in Skype is
either distorted or there's no sound at all.
This issue occurs because Ubuntu 13.10 ships with PulseAudio 4.0 and Skype doesn't properly support it yet.
This Skype issue can be fixed in two ways:
A. Install Skype from the Ubuntu 13.10 (Saucy Salamander) repositories,
which comes with a fix for this issue. This is the recommended way of
installing Skype in Ubuntu since it usually comes with extra fixes that
aren't available in the deb downloaded from Skype's website.
Firstly you'll need to enable the "Canonical Partners" repository. To do this, launch "Software & Updates" from System Settings and on the Other Software tab, enable "Canonical Partners":
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install skype
B. If for whatever reason you
don't want to install Skype from the Ubuntu repositories, you can apply a
fix to the Skype version downloaded from its official website.
To fix the Skype no sound / distorted sound issue in Ubuntu 13.10, run the following command:
sudo sed -i 's/^Exec=.*/Exec=env PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC=30 skype %U/' /usr/share/applications/skype.desktop
The command above replaces "skype"
from the Skype desktop file with "env PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC=30 skype", this
being a work-around for getting Skype to work with PulseAudio 4.0.
If you want to launch Skype from
a script or add it to Startup Applications, use the following command:
"env PULSE_LATENCY_MSEC=30 skype" instead of "skype".
Souce : Web upd8
Good news, desktop Skype users: While a scary-looking pop-up may have told you earlier this year that your third-party headsets, cameras and phones will stop working with the service by the end of 2013, your precious VoIP investments are no longer in jeopardy—for now.
People who use Skype with third-party instant messaging clients are staring at a far bleaker future, however.
Out with the old, in with the new
In July, Skype announced that it planned to kill its desktop application programming interface (API) later this year, which would cause third-party peripherals and software to stop working. The long-lived and widely utilized desktop API simply doesn’t play nicely with the Skype of today, the company argued; it doesn’t function on the growing ranks of non-PC devices.
As such, Skype wanted to kill the API and force developers to shift to the company’s more limited uniform resource identifier (URI) technology, which works across all platforms.
Users weren’t at all happy at the idea of their beloved third-party VoIP hardware and software suddenly going stupid because of a behind-the-scenes change, however. After being thrust into the media limelight, Skype announced a partial reprieve for the desktop APIon Wednesday.
The news isn’t all roses, though: Skype users are going to have to say sayonara to non-official chat clients, as that part of the API is still being eliminated. In other words, you’ll have to IM with Skype through Skype, rather than through tools like Trillian and Pidgin. And the wording of the announcement suggests the stay of execution for VoIP hardware is merely a temporary one:…even if that evolution means transforming the once proudly open Skype into a walled garden, it seems. Fortunately, you’ll still be able to use your phones and handsets to communicate within Skype’s soon-to-be-closed-off halls—even, if only, for now.
Via: PCWorld
To install Skype in Fedora open Terminal and enter following commands in Terminal:
To install Skype in CentOS/RedHat open Terminal and enter following commands in Terminal:
Now enter following command to open text file and copy the following code in text file:
#!/bin/sh
export SKYPE_HOME="/opt/skype"
$SKYPE_HOME/skype --resources=$SKYPE_HOME $*Source : Technology Linux World
Skype today updated its iPhone and iPad apps to version 4.13, introducing a slight redesign that better fits the aesthetic of iOS 7. Though the Skype apps already used a "flat" iOS 7-style design, additional white space has been introduced for an overall cleaner look.
The app also includes improvements to accessibility with better Voice Over integration and enhancements to both audio and video calling.
The app also includes improvements to accessibility with better Voice Over integration and enhancements to both audio and video calling.
this release we’ve focused on bringing a refreshed look for iOS 7. In addition we’ve made improvements to accessibility, audio and video calling.
What New in Skype for iPhone and iPad 4.13:
Refreshed look and feel for iOS 7
Accessibility improvements, including:
-Improved accessibility of dialpad with touchtype support
-VoiceOver announces the senders name when messaging
-VoiceOver improvements for group chats
General fixes
Skype is a free app that can be downloaded for the iPhone and the iPad. [Direct Links:iPhone/iPad]
To install Skype in Fedora open Terminal and enter following commands in Terminal:
To install Skype in CentOS/RedHat open Terminal and enter following commands in Terminal:
Now enter following command to open text file and copy the following code in text file:
#!/bin/sh
export SKYPE_HOME="/opt/skype"
$SKYPE_HOME/skype --resources=$SKYPE_HOME $*That's it
source : Techlw
Celebrating Skype's 10th anniversary, Microsoft's Corporate VP for Skype, Mark Gillett gave a candidinterview to the BBC in which he mentioned that the company was working on 3D-screens and 3D-capture technology.
"We've done work in the labs looking at the capability of 3D-screens and 3D-capture," said Gillett.
"We've seen a lot of progress in screens and a lot of people now buy TVs and computer monitors that are capable of delivering a 3D image.
However, Gillett who joined Skype in 2010 before it was acquired by Microsoft, said that developing the technology and taking it to the masses would take more time.
"But the capture devices are not yet there. As we work with that kind of technology you have to add multiple cameras to your computer, precisely calibrate them and point them at the right angle."
"We have it in the lab, we know how to make it work and we're looking at the ecosystem of devices and their capability to support it in order to make a decision when we might think about bringing something like that to market," he said.
Live 3D video calls would need multiple cameras to capture all angles, and there aren't any good 3D viewing devices that render 3D without the user needing to wear special glasses. So Skype's work would not be easy.
"We're in the first year of your TV at home potentially having a camera attached to it, but we're several years away from the cameras capturing 3D in that context. You'll see much more penetration of 3D on TVs, on computers and ultimately in smartphones, probably, ahead of seeing it for sending a video call," elaborated Gillet.
3D technology has not really taken off at the mainstream level with problems such as the lack of good content, or the lack of glass-less 3D devices plaguing the entertainment industry. Broadcasters like ESPN and Disney are scrapping their 3D television channels and 3D home entertainment devices are not selling as much as device makers expected them to sell.source : gadgets.ndtv
Microsoft has integrated its two biggest communications services: Skype and Outlook.
The tech giant announced Monday that Skype is now available for all Outlook customers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Canada, and Brazil. What this means is that people can use the video calling and messaging service directly from their e-mail. Microsoft first announced it wouldbegin rolling out this feature in April.
"E-mail is an important and personal tool for most people, but there are moments when you want to be able to speak live or chat face-to-face," Outlook group product manager Dawn Martynuik wrote in a blog post. "In a recent Ipsos Public Affairs poll 76 percent of people say that their e-mail conversations frequently or occasionally result in a follow-up phone or video call, or other means of communication. Those moments are perfect for Skype and now, face-to-face connection right from your inbox is just a click away."
Outlook already connects with users' Facebook and Gmail accounts. So, integrating Skype seems like a natural progression for Microsoft. The company announced last November it would soon retire its instant-messaging client in favor of Skype. Skype executives said in late October that Skype would most likely replace Messenger someday but had declined to provide a public timetable.
Google also gives users the ability to make voice calls and message people through their Gmail accounts. And besides e-mail, the Google Voice feature lets users place callsfrom Google Hangouts, Google+, and the Chrome extension, holding conversations with up to 10 people at a time.
Further international expansion of Skype for Outlook is expected in the "near future."
source [[ cnet ]]
“With Windows 8.1, simply log in and you’re ready to go,” Skype said in a blog post. “By simply searching and adding contacts to your People list in Skype – the people you care about are at your fingertips, and you are in control of who those contacts are.”
In its own blog post, Microsoft said that “connecting and sharing should be a seamless part of every Windows experience.”
On Windows 8, Skype users have to download the VoIP app via the Windows Store. With the Windows 8.1 update – expected in mid-October – it will come pre-loaded with the operating system.
The updated OS will also include the return of the start button, which will appear whenever you move your mouse to the bottom right of the screen in tiled (or “Metro”) mode and will persist on the taskbar when in desktop mode.
The move to add Skype to Windows 8.1 is part of Redmond’s “One Microsoft” effort, which is intended to provide a unified experience across all services.
“With our apps and services that come with Windows 8.1, we bring to life the things that matter most to you,” Microsoft said. “Connecting with your family when you’re on the road, preserving and sharing the memories, getting what needs to be done – fast and efficient, and providing an experience for some serious fun along the way.”
The company promised more details about this connected experience in the coming months.
For more, check out PCMag’s Hands On With Windows 8.1 Preview and the slideshow above.
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