Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Rumor: Google buys Gizmo5, expanded VoIP service coming soon?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/rumor-google-buys-gizmo5-expanded-voip-service-coming-soon/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/rumor-google-buys-gizmo5-expanded-voip-service-coming-soon/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/09/rumor-google-buys-gizmo5-expanded-voip-service-coming-soon/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gizmo5TechCrunch is reporting that Google has purchased VoIP company Gizmo5. Google has its own internet telephony service called Google Voice, which lets you route your calls to different phones, screen calls, and receive email notifications and automated transcripts of phone calls. But Google Voice doesn't let you make calls from a PC to a phone. Gizmo5 does.

If Google really has entered an agreement to acquire Gizmo5, it's a pretty safe bet that we're eventually going to see Google Voice add new features turning the service into a full-fledged Skype competitor. Gizmo already has services that let you make phone calls from a desktop client or a web site.

Gizmo5 also includes chat and video call capabilities, which would be a welcome addition to Google Voice, and which, as TechCrunch points out, would bridge the divide between Google Voice and Google Talk

Of course, right now the whole thing is just a rumor. But it's one that makes a lot of sense.

Rumor: Google buys Gizmo5, expanded VoIP service coming soon? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gizmo5googleinternet-telephonyvoipMon, 09 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype lives on, reaches settlement with Joltid]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/skype-lives-on-reaches-settlement-with-joltid/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/skype-lives-on-reaches-settlement-with-joltid/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/skype-lives-on-reaches-settlement-with-joltid/#commentsFiled under: ,

Skype 2.8 for Mac
A few months ago there was talk that a lawsuit could bring down the popular VoIP client Skype. That's because Skype was involved in a dispute with Joltid, a company that Skype was licensing technology from.

Today Skype announced that the company has reached a settlement with Joltid. The net result is that Skype now owns the technology and Joltid founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis will join the investor group that is in the process of buying Skype away from eBay as well as the Skype board.

If those names sound familiar, they should. Zennström and Friis were also the founders of Skype, back before eBay bought the company.

While there's a lot of backroom politics involved in the deal, here's what it means for users: Skype isn't going to close up shop anytime soon.

Skype lives on, reaches settlement with Joltid originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Janus FriisJanusFriislawsuitNiklas ZennströmNiklasZennströmskypeFri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Voice getting ready to go global?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/google-voice-getting-ready-to-go-global/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/google-voice-getting-ready-to-go-global/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/google-voice-getting-ready-to-go-global/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nothing is more frustrating when reading about a hot, new app or service only to learn that it's not available in your area. Yes, geotarding sucks - there's no denying that. It's keeping most of us from getting to use awesomeness like Hulu, Spotify, and Google Voice.

In the case of the latter, however, it looks as though there might be light at the end of the tunnel. Business Week recently got a peek at a letter Google submitted to the FCC with regards to the blocking of certain rural and "red light district" phone numbers.

While the original letter included "formatting errors" and has since been replaced with a heavily redacted public version, BW's Arik Hesseldahl reports finding good news for those of you outside the US waiting for Google Voice.

Hesseldahl states that the letter reveals Google has working agreements with several "international service providers for inputs to Google Voice." At least the groundwork is in place, but there's no telling how long we'll have to wait. The letter goes on to say none of those services have launched as of yet.

So, how about it, Google? When does the rest world get to take Voice for a spin?

[via TheNextWeb]

Google Voice getting ready to go global? originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google voiceGoogleVoiceFri, 06 Nov 2009 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Voice Mac is a native Google Voice client for OS X]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/voice-mac-native-google-voice-client-for-os-x/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/voice-mac-native-google-voice-client-for-os-x/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/voice-mac-native-google-voice-client-for-os-x/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We recently told you about an Adobe AIR-based Google Voice client with a pretty small featureset. It puts your SMS and voicemail messages close at hand on your desktop, but that's all it does.

If you're on a Mac, though, you can do a bit better. Voice Mac is a Google Voice client with a threaded SMS view, voicemail downloading, and the ability to make calls and send texts, and Address Book integration.

Voice Mac is certainly not gorgeous, but it has a ton of functionality.

There's an SMS and voicemail/call history browser, and it also has a built-in reverse phone lookup, so you can try to figure out who any mystery calls are from. If you don't use your Voice account frequently, the web interface might be fine for you, but if you're a Voice addict - especially one who uses SMS constantly - Voice Mac is worth a download.


[via Lifehacker]

Voice Mac is a native Google Voice client for OS X originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google voiceGoogleVoicesmsvoicemailvoipThu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype for Linux to go open source... eventually]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/skype-for-linux-to-go-open-source-eventually/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/skype-for-linux-to-go-open-source-eventually/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/skype-for-linux-to-go-open-source-eventually/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Skype 2.1 beta for Linux
Skype has been providing cheap and free VoIP, chat, and video conferencing features for Windows, Mac, and Linux for years. But just because a program works on Linux doesn't mean it's open source, and the Linux client for Skype has been just as closed a platform as the Mac and Windows versions. That's not to say that developers haven't been able to build third party add-ons and tweaks for Skype. But the source code hasn't been available, which limits the ability of the open source community to really contribute to Skype for Linux.

But it looks like that's going to change. This weekend Olivier Faurax contact Skype customer support about the availability of an RPM package for installing Skype on Mandriva Linux, and he received a reply that indicated that the Linux client for Skype would be made open source in the near future.

I was a bit skeptical, since customer service folks don't always know what's going on in the minds of management, so I sent a request for more information to Skype's corporate communications office, and it turns out that yes, Skype does plan to make its Linux client open source in the future.

It's not entirely clear when the shift will take place. But it should make it much easier for third party Linux developers to ensure that there are up to date packages for Skype for a variety of popular Linux distributions including Mandriva, Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, Fedora, and others. It also means that we could start seeing third party applications built around Skype code or more powerful third party plugins for Skype that enhance the application's functionality.

You can read the official statement from Skype after the break.

Continue reading Skype for Linux to go open source... eventually

Skype for Linux to go open source... eventually originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>open-sourceskypeskype-for-linuxvoipMon, 02 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google answers to FCC, (mostly) stops blocking numbers in Voice]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/google-answers-to-fcc-mostly-stops-blocking-numbers-in-voice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/google-answers-to-fcc-mostly-stops-blocking-numbers-in-voice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/google-answers-to-fcc-mostly-stops-blocking-numbers-in-voice/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Looks like Apple's not the only one drawing the ire of the FCC when it comes to Google Voice. AT&T filed a complaint with the FCC, forcing Google to explain why it was blocking a bunch of rural phone numbers from its Voice system. Google's answer? Because it's really expensive!

Telephone providers are common carriers, and they're required to provide access to some phone exchanges out in the middle of nowhere. That's extremely costly to do, compared to providing the same service in a large, dense city. Google was hoping to get around paying the additional costs, so they blocked some of these more expensive numbers. While still arguing that they shouldn't have to provide service, Google just told the FCC that it's now blocking "fewer than 100 numbers" in total.

[via Engadget]

Google answers to FCC, (mostly) stops blocking numbers in Voice originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attblocked numbersBlockedNumbersfccgoogle voiceGoogleVoiceThu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Voice (voicemail) now works with existing phone numbers]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/27/google-voice-voicemail-now-works-with-existing-phone-numbers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/27/google-voice-voicemail-now-works-with-existing-phone-numbers/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/27/google-voice-voicemail-now-works-with-existing-phone-numbers/#commentsFiled under: ,

Google Voice is a service that lets you check your voicemail on the web, receive transcripts of voicemails via email, screen calls, and give out a single number to all of your contacts that they can dial to reach you on your cell, home phone, work number, or any other phone you use.

But there's one relatively high barrier to entry. Well, two if you count the fact that it's still in private beta. But the main barrier is that while people can ring your existing number by dialing a Google Voice number, up until now it's been a one way street. They couldn't dial your cellphone number and automatically transfer into your Google Voice account. And that's meant that you probably had to maintain two or more voicemail accounts.

But now Google is taking a baby step toward number portability. When new users sign up, they have a choice of asking for a new Google Voice number or using an existing phone number.

While you won't get all of the features of Google Voice if you sign up with an existing number, you will be able to direct all of your voicemail messages to your Google Voice inbox. What this version of Google Voice doesn't offer is the ability to have all calls made to that number forwarded to multiple phones.

If you already have a Google Voice account and phone number, you can add Google voicemail to existing mobile phones from supported carriers. This doesn't appear to be an option for non-mobile phones. For instance, I have Google Voice configured to ring my SkypeIn number and I would love to consolidate my Skype and Google voicemail boxes, but there's no easy way to do that yet.

Google Voice (voicemail) now works with existing phone numbers originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google-voicenumber-portabilityvoicemailTue, 27 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Voice messages start showing up in search results, Google responds]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/19/google-voice-messages-start-showing-up-in-search-results-google/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/19/google-voice-messages-start-showing-up-in-search-results-google/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/19/google-voice-messages-start-showing-up-in-search-results-google/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Voice search results
Google Voice is an internet service that lets people make, receive private phone calls. Google.com is a search engine that makes it easy for users to find just about anything stored on the internet. See how these two things might possibly not play well together?

Earlier today Boy Genius Report noticed that if you did a search for site:https://www.google.com/voice/fm/* on Google, you found a few dozen Google Voice messages. As of this afternoon you can still find those search results. Click on them and you can listen to voicemail messages or read the automated transcripts.

It turns out things weren't quite as bad as they may have looked at first. Google wasn't including all Google Voice messages in its public search index. But the company was crawling messages that users had posted publicly on the web.

But after this information became public today Google told Boy Genius Report that it would begin restricting crawling of even these messages, allowing users to post their voicemail messages on personal blogs without worrying quite so much about the whole world finding them (although if you're posting it on the internet maybe you should expect the whole world to be able to find it).

Google Voice messages start showing up in search results, Google responds originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>googlegoogle-voiceprivacyvoicemailMon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Coming soon: Invite friends to use Google Voice]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/13/coming-soon-invite-friends-to-use-google-voice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/13/coming-soon-invite-friends-to-use-google-voice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/13/coming-soon-invite-friends-to-use-google-voice/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Voice invite
Remember in the early days of Gmail when invites were hot property? Every new user who signed up for Google's email service got a few invitations to share with friends and the internet was flooded with invites being swapped in user forums, blog comments, and even eBay auctions.

Well, now we can relive those golden days, as Google is about to begin giving out invites to Google Voice users. Google Voice is a free service that lets you link all of your phone numbers to one number that you can give out. When someone calls that number, all of your phones will ring (or you can configure it to ring only certain phones at certain times), and if you miss a call you'll be able to check your voicemail from the web or get an automated transcript in your email.

Google Voice has been in private beta for a while now, and the only way to get in on the action was to request an invitation from the signup page and wait. Of course, users could send out invitiations to one another in the early days, back when the service was called GrandCentral and run as a separate company. But since Google purchased GrandCentral, invites have been hard to come by.

Google is rolling out the invite feature gradually. It's not in my account yet. But the company says that over the next few weeks existing users should notice a new "Invite a friend" link on the left-hand side of their inboxes.

Coming soon: Invite friends to use Google Voice originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google-voicegoogle-voice-invitationprivate-betavoipTue, 13 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Vivox brings voice chat to Facebook]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/09/vivox-brings-voice-chat-to-facebook/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/09/vivox-brings-voice-chat-to-facebook/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/09/vivox-brings-voice-chat-to-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Vivox is best known for providing voice chat services in online multiplayer games, but now they're looking to get into a different kind of social network: Facebook. By adding the VIvox Voice app and installing a browser plugin, you can use Vivox to talk to your Facebook friends. It supports up to 100 friends talking at once, so you can use it for regular calls or big announcements. People can also call into your Vivox channel by phone, so your friends without Facebook (gasp!) can get in on the action, too.

Our Download Squad test of Vivox went pretty smoothly. Firing up a channel and inviting people only takes a couple of clicks. Vivox currently only works in Firefox and IE on Intel machines, which might keep a big chunk of your friends from adopting it. On the other hand, the phone-in service works really well and doesn't keep you tethered to a computer. Vivox is definitely worth checking out if you have friends who don't want to download Skype, but do have Facebook.

Vivox brings voice chat to Facebook originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookvivoxvoice chatVoiceChatFri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Voice now available in Hawaii, Alaska]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/07/google-voice-now-available-in-hawaii-alaska/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/07/google-voice-now-available-in-hawaii-alaska/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/07/google-voice-now-available-in-hawaii-alaska/#commentsFiled under: ,

Google Voice
Google Voice is a free service that lets you route all of your phone calls through a single number, access your voicemail on the web, receive automated transcripts of your voicemails via email, and make VoIP phone calls. There are just two catches:
  1. It's still in private beta, meaning you need to request an invitation to use the service.
  2. Google Voice is only available in the US.
Up until today, that second point would have read continental US. But today Google expanded the service to include Hawaii and Alaska. Google Voice users can now make free calls to and from Hawaii and Alaska. And you can forward your Google Voice phone number to a phone in either of those two states.

It's not exactly the international rollout many people are waiting for. But it's a baby step.

Google Voice now available in Hawaii, Alaska originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alaskagoogle-voicehawaiivoipWed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Misplace your cellphone? This single-purpose web site can help]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/misplace-your-cellphone-this-single-purpose-web-site-can-help/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/misplace-your-cellphone-this-single-purpose-web-site-can-help/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/misplace-your-cellphone-this-single-purpose-web-site-can-help/#commentsFiled under: ,

Where's My Cellphone
There was a time when mobile phones were the size of a small suitcase and they were firmly tethered to automobiles. These days they're small enough to easily lose track of. If you've ever left your phone in your jacket or pants pocket, dropped it under the couch, or just pulled your hair out trying to figure out where the thing is, you've probably realized that the easiest way to locate a phone (if it's in you're house) is to dial your own number using another phone.

If you don't happen to have a second phone handy, Where's My Cell Phone can help. The web site is covered with annoying ads, but it provides one marginally useful service. If you need to make your phone ring, all you have to do is enter your number and hit the "Make it Ring" button. Your phone should start ringing a few seconds later.

Once you place a call you have to wait a few minutes before making another, so make sure to spend the 30 seconds or so that you have while your phone rings wisely.

[via TechnoSpot]

Misplace your cellphone? This single-purpose web site can help originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cellphonevoipwheres-my-cellphoneWed, 30 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[US Government plans to enforce Net Neutrality]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/net-neutrality-us-government-support/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/net-neutrality-us-government-support/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/net-neutrality-us-government-support/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's been a long-raging debate as to just whether the US Government will enforce net neutrality - 2006 saw the Internet Non-Discrimination Act proposed, in 2007 the Department of Justice announced it wouldn't be legislating net neutrality and the ISPs have openly admitted they will actively manage traffic.

However, that may soon be at an end. According to the Wall Street Journal, the FCC is set to announce new rules on Monday that mean telcos "couldn't block or slow access to legal services or sites that are a drain on their networks or offered by rivals". Even more surprisingly, the rules will also apply to mobile providers - including AT&T who've taken steps to block bandwidth-hogging iPhone applications like SlingPlayer.

Unfortunately, it's highly likely that the telcos will fight any legislation that enforces net neutrality. In particular, mobile carriers (already scared stiff by the network demands of data-intensive devices like the iPhone) will be none-too-happy that their already-saturated networks could potentially be swamped.

With the likes of Google actively campaigning in favour of neutrality - and the Obama administration intending to push through this campaign promise - there's no shortage of people in favour of ensuring this series of tubes remains free and neutral. However, with plenty at stake and deep pockets to lobby any legislation, the service providers will no doubt stall, block and vocally oppose the FCC's announcements come Monday morning .

[Via WSJ]

Continue reading US Government plans to enforce Net Neutrality

US Government plans to enforce Net Neutrality originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FCCGoogleNet NeutralityNetNeutralitySat, 19 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype for Mac gets a Snow Leopard hotfix]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/17/skype-for-mac-gets-a-snow-leopard-hotfix/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/17/skype-for-mac-gets-a-snow-leopard-hotfix/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/17/skype-for-mac-gets-a-snow-leopard-hotfix/#commentsFiled under: ,

The latest version of Skype 2.8 for OS X fixes a whole mess of Snow Leopard compatibility problems. The bugs include everything small UI problems - the field where you type in phone numbers was too dark - to serious problems (like four different crash bugs and a broken hold button). It also clears up some problems with adding new contacts.

In addition to the Snow Leopard fixes, there are also some improvement for users of OS X 10.3 Panther, which Skype surprisingly still supports. If you already have Skype 2.8, this update won't show up when you use File -> Check For Updates. You'll have to download it directly from the Skype website. If you don't have Skype 2.8, I highly recommend downloading it, because the audio and video quality improvements alone make it significantly better than previous Mac versions.

[via SkypeJournal]

Skype for Mac gets a Snow Leopard hotfix originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>skypesnow leopardSnowLeopardvoipThu, 17 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GrandCentral closes its doors - time to update to Google Voice]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/15/grandcentral-closes-its-doors-time-to-update-to-google-voice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/15/grandcentral-closes-its-doors-time-to-update-to-google-voice/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/15/grandcentral-closes-its-doors-time-to-update-to-google-voice/#commentsFiled under: ,

GrandCentral
Before there was Google Voice, there was GrandCentral. In 2007 Google acquired the internet telephony service that lets you ring all your phones from a single number, record calls, and set caller permissions. Eventually Google relaunched the service as Google Voice and added nifty new features like automatic voicemail transcription. But if you preferred the old interface you didn't have to upgrade... until now.

Tomorrow GrandCentral is shutting down and existing users will need to migrate their data to Google Voice if they want to keep using the service (and their phone numbers).

If you don't have a GrandCentral or Google Voice number, you can sign up at google.com/voice, but the service is still invite-only, which means you may have to wait a little while for an invitation before you can start using the service.

[via Lifehacker]

GrandCentral closes its doors - time to update to Google Voice originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google-voicegrandcentralinternet-telephonyvoipTue, 15 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pamela call recorder, PamFax for Skype to continue]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/14/pamela-call-recorder-pamfax-for-skype-to-continue/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/14/pamela-call-recorder-pamfax-for-skype-to-continue/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/14/pamela-call-recorder-pamfax-for-skype-to-continue/#commentsFiled under:

PamFax
A few days ago we discovered that Skype was shutting down its Extras program which lets users download and install add-ons for the internet telephony software directly from the Skype client. But it turns out that doesn't mean plugins for Skype will all disappear at the stroke of midnight.

Pamela makes two popular add-ons for Skype, the Pamela application for recording Skype audio and video calls and PamFax, an application that lets users send faxes over Skype. Both of these applications use the Skype API and will continue to work even after Skype Extras are shut down. But you won't be able to purchase PamFax credits with Skype credits anymore, so the company is planning to come up with a new payment method.

The company does have a stripped down version of Pamela called Pamela Call Recorder which is distributed through the Skype Extras program. It's not clear what the future of this product will be.

It is good to know that by killing off the Extras program, Skype isn't sticking a fork in all of the applications that have sprung up around the platform.

In related news, TechCrunch reports that a Skype official is denying that the company is giving up on third party developers, but rather that future versions of the VoIP software will have a new and improved system for integrating third party tools.

Pamela call recorder, PamFax for Skype to continue originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pamelapamfaxskypeMon, 14 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype killing off Extras, developer program]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/11/skype-killing-off-extras-developer-program/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/11/skype-killing-off-extras-developer-program/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/11/skype-killing-off-extras-developer-program/#commentsFiled under: ,

Skype Extras
Skype may be one of the most popular VoIP applications on the planet. But Skype's developer program for third party applications apparently never really took off and today Skype is telling developer that it's closing the doors to its Skype Extras service.

According to the letter sent to developers, "not enough people were using them to justify our continued support of the Extras program."

users can still download a number of applications from the Skype Extras site for now, but the company has stopped certifying new programs. When existing apps expire they'll be pulled from the Extras service and eventually all the free and paid add-ons will disappear from Skype Extras.

It's not entirely clear what this means for the future of Skype add-ons. Some popular applications let users record calls or send faxes. Without these add-ons, it'll be a lot tougher to do these things over Skype, although there are some third party programs that do things such as recording calls without directly plugging into Skype. Perhaps that will be how all Skype-related accessories work in the future.

Skype killing off Extras, developer program originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pluginsskypeskype-extrasFri, 11 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Voice now forwards SMS to email]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/10/google-voice-now-forwards-sms-to-email/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/10/google-voice-now-forwards-sms-to-email/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/10/google-voice-now-forwards-sms-to-email/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Being able to read and reply to incoming text messages makes Google Voice pretty convenient, but it just got even better. Now you can have SMS messages forwarded to your email account, and reply from your voice number via email, too. You can enable the feature in your Google Voice settings under Voicemail and SMS. Third-party services have been doing things like this for a while, but Google Voice does it at no charge, through a service you already use.

Getting SMS by email has plenty of advantages. The biggest of these is that you can turn off SMS to your phone, so you're not paying for it, and read messages by email instead. You don't have to keep separate Voice and Gmail windows open to read text messages and email in your browser anymore, either. Also, you can file your texts in the same inbox as your Google Voice voicemail, so all of your incoming phone-related messages have one unified location. Finally, if you're using a threaded email client (like Gmail, as Google helpfully points out), your sms conversations will be threaded, too.

[via Lifehacker]

Google Voice now forwards SMS to email originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emailforwardinggoogle voiceGoogleVoicesmstext messagingTextMessagingThu, 10 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay to sell Skype in a deal that values it at $2.75 billion]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/01/ebay-to-sell-skype-in-a-deal-that-values-it-at-2-75-billion/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/01/ebay-to-sell-skype-in-a-deal-that-values-it-at-2-75-billion/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/01/ebay-to-sell-skype-in-a-deal-that-values-it-at-2-75-billion/#commentsFiled under: ,

Skype 4.1 beta for Windows
Online auction site eBay purchased internet telephony service Skype for about $4.1 billion in 2005. Today, the company has announced it will sell Skype for about $2 billion. eBay will keep a 35% stake in the company, which values Skype at about $2.75 billion.

Sure, on paper that means that eBay is taking a loss, but honestly, it's still probably a good deal, because as far as anyone can tell, eBay never really figured out what to do with Skype anyway.

Once upon a time there was talking about integrating Skype's VoIP service into the auction site to make communication between buyers and sellers easier. But really, who wants to call a comic book collector halfway around the world to ask questions about that $2.75 first edition Spider-Man #1 comic?

While a number of companies, including Google and Skype's founders, were said to have been interested, it looks like the buyer is an investment group. The deal is expected to go through before the end of the year.

Update: You can read Skype CEO Josh Silverman's brief comments on the deal in the official Skype blog post.

eBay to sell Skype in a deal that values it at $2.75 billion originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ebayskypeTue, 01 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype 2.1 beta for Linux]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/31/skype-2-1-beta-for-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/31/skype-2-1-beta-for-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/08/31/skype-2-1-beta-for-linux/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Skype 2.1 for Linux
There's a new beta version of Skype for Linux. It's been nearly 2 years since Skype first added support for video to Skype 2.0 beta for Linux, and now that the Linux version of the popular VoIP client has hit 2.1 beta, Skype has cranked up the audio and video quality a bit. Now Skype for Linux uses the same SILK audio codec as the Windows and Mac clients, and packs support for high quality video.

Skype 2.1 beta for Linux also supports sending SMS messages, organizing contacts within contact groups, and a few chat enhancements. The update also brings support for Pulse Audio.

There's also a new panel icon that shows the number of missed events. Skype 2.1 is still beta software, so it might be rough around the edges. But if you're willing to put up with the occasional crash or dropped call, it's probably worth upgrading for the improved audio and video quality. Note that the image above was shot using a 0.3MP webcam and recorded over a Virtual Machine running Ubuntu 9.04, so there's a reason our screenshot doesn't exactly look stellar.

Skype 2.1 for Linux is available for Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and OpenSUSE.

Skype 2.1 beta for Linux originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>skypeskype-2.1-betaskype-2.1-beta-for-linuxskype-for-linuxvoipMon, 31 Aug 2009 18:15:00 EST