Microsoft Finally Integrating Messenger with Skype

[exfileme]

The latest Skype beta now includes Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger service.

Microsoft Finally Integrating Messenger with Skype : Read more

 

[cozalp]

The new Skype's revamped interface is also suspiciously familiar, appearing flattened and blocky like Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system.

We will not mess with Skype they said. It will remain independent they said.

 

[posteris]

Does this new Skype beta finally minimize to the system tray. No, it does not (sigh).

There is an option for that:
Tools > Options > Advanced > Advanced settings >
And check box "Keep Skype in taskbar while I'm signed in."
Or alternatively run Skype with Vista compatibility.

 

[Guest]

[citation][nom]cozalp[/nom]We will not mess with Skype they said. It will remain independent they said.[/citation]

They Paid £5.2 Billion for it, they can do what they want with it I am afraid, Messenger and Skype together is a bit meh.

 

[Guest]

Linux version?

 

[jhansonxi]

and to chat with their Messenger, Xbox, Hotmail and Outlook friends without having to load two separate clients.

Trillian, Pidgin, and most any Jabber server can access those and many more IM services (including Skype, Facebook, Gmail). Why limit yourself?

 

[luissantos]

[citation][nom]cozalp[/nom]We will not mess with Skype they said. It will remain independent they said.[/citation]

Come on... every major third-party software company is currently working on "Metrofied" versions of their apps...

[citation][nom]jhansonxi[/nom]Trillian, Pidgin, and most any Jabber server can access those and many more IM services (including Skype, Facebook, Gmail). Why limit yourself?[/citation]

And all of those provide you with Skype's full-featured user-experience, like multiparty video with screen-sharing and SMS/phone calling... right?

 

[randomizer]

Does this new Skype beta finally minimize to the system tray. No, it does not (sigh).

I thought the latest Skype still had an option for this. Oh well, my Skype 4.2 says hello from the system tray.

 

[alextheblue]

[citation][nom]cozalp[/nom]We will not mess with Skype they said. It will remain independent they said.[/citation]My God they tweaked the UI and made it a little nicer! They added support for Messenger contacts! We should burn something down!

 

[LordConrad]

I don't really care, as long as they don't force me to use or sign in to Messenger.

 

[Bloob]

[citation][nom]LordConrad[/nom]I don't really care, as long as they don't force me to use or sign in to Messenger.[/citation]
This. It's a good addition to those who want it, as long as nobody is forced in to it. I actually might like it, but it is not a thing I'd care to betatest.

 

[olaf]

great two things i hated are now one, guess thats an upside ...

 

[_Cosmin_]

[citation][nom]LordConrad[/nom]I don't really care, as long as they don't force me to use or sign in to Messenger.[/citation]

...just give them a little more time...

 

[Guest]

When Messenger becomes useful, I might get excited. The difference between web client and standalone client is... "noticeable" (web client lacking).

MS simply has spent the last 5 or 6 years trying to "tie it all together". They've jumped around from "Live" to "Outlook" to "Bing", "Zune", etc... it's all "Microsoft", but it just seems like the gov't forcing them to "split up" just sent MS into a circus act trying to coordinate them all.

The problem with Messenger is, everyone thinks Facebook is cool and thinks that Microsoft is not cool. So, even though every user on the planet was forced to spend hours setting up, tweaking, re-configuring, managing, etc. their Facebook accounts- they did it because it was "cool". Users will turn their noses up to Messenger every time because they don't want to configure something that's "not cool".

Windows 8 establishes a different foundation of personal computing... based on the cloud... at least moreso than other OSes. And this is what everyone is moving to. The cloud is "cool", so Facebook masses will think "cool".

 

[Guest]

have been using messenger for a long time now. but changing to skype has been one hell of an experience. the merging does not work well, contact lists are lost, hotmail and skype accounts merging only works once but the contact list dont sync, after which you cant get access to hotmail anymore.. the problem is endless.. and the most beautiful part.. to locate how to get help is so darn difficult. conclusion: not user friendly, and virtually no end user support