With Skype 5.0 out of beta, group video chat becomes a premium feature

With the official release of its latest client for the Mac Skype claimed that it is now out of beta and available as a fully-supported product for download. Skype is a Voice-over-IP developer, which has introduced newer version with some minor changes after the Costumer feedback and now is packaging some functionality in a premium pricing tier. The good news is that the new version “Gold” of Skype 5.0 clock is just about 20MB featuring a number of different changes with respect to its cousin Beta. After the costumers complaints about the large size of Beta version, the Skype developer in general has reduced the size of the application to the minimum as a remedy to their costumer complaints and so that it takes a lot less space on screen.

Apart from these minor changes, Skype 5.0 has some great major changes in its features which for long were part of Beta, for example, skype logs history. First and the foremost is the tiny, Unobtrusive call bar window which is always at the top of screen when you are outside Skype. This new call bar helps user to have a track of their calls and enables them to perform simple tasks like adding a video to already ongoing audio conversation, even when you are doing other things outside Skype.

Another great feature of Skype Gold 5.0 is the Group video calling. This feature allows multiple user have a video conference call regardless of the operating system used by each

Skype user. Video calling feature can support up to ten participants having an internet connection of minimum about 4Mbps downstream and 1Mbpz upstream bandwidth. However it is recommended by company to have a maximum of five users for best results.

Now, this great feature of group video calling is not for free. Yes, as mentioned above that the video chat will no longer be free rather it will come as a part of a “premium package”. Skype Gold 5.0 premium is offering $5 rate for a day pass, and $9 for a monthly pass. Apart from a day and monthly pass, Skype is also offering discounted rate video chat offer for three to 12 months for a limited time period. With all that in mind, you should be aware that only one person is required to have a pass for the conference call for the entire group.