Skype released a major version of their software for Windows today, Version: 1.4.0.71. Download. Big features for users:

• Call forwarding
  
• Accessibility improvements to the contact list
  
• 26 new or updated language files (Swedish, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese Brazilian, Hebrew, Russian, Polish, Spanish, Estonian, Japanese, Greek, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Korean, Romanian, Turkish, Arabic, Korean, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Czech)
  

• API: data channel
  
• API: write to profile
  
• API: call forwarding controls
  
• API: expressive content (ringtones, avatars)
  

28.09.2005 version 1.4.0.71

* feature: Call Forwarding
* feature: Skype Test Call Service prepopulated to Contact List for new users
* feature: 21 new emoticons
* feature: My Pictures: possibility to choose pictures from Expressive Content
* feature: RingToneManager for Expressive Content of audio files
* feature: Contact List accessible by Microsoft Active Accessibility
* feature: API: application-to-application communication
* feature: API notifications for contactlist selection and focus
* feature: API: set profile information
* feature: API: call forwarding via API
* feature: API: support expressive content files SET RINGTONE and AVATAR
* feature: API: added OPEN [PROFILE | USERINFO | CONFERENCE | SEARCH | OPTIONS | CALLHISTORY | CONTACTS | DIALPAD | SENDCONTACTS | IMPORTCONTACTS | BLOCKEDUSERS | GETTINGSTARTED | AUTHORIZATION ] commands
* feature: multilingual EULA
* feature: advanced Skype links
* feature: number of friends displayed in Profile View form
* feature: possibility to set connecting sound from Options
* feature: added dynamic messages for help and tips
* feature: possibility to select and copy profile fields
* change: new layout for Getting Started Wizard
* change: Search window redesigned
* change: Add friend window redesigned
* Change: Import Contacts redesigned
* change: quicksearch on addressbar improved
* change: improved call related error messagas
* change: 'minimize' button minimizes Skype to taskbar
* change: warning dialaog added when calling to SkypeOut using callto: links
* change: option to disable authorization message popups
* change: MSN contact importer removed from Import Contacts
* change: upgrade prompt supressed if installer is launched with SILENT or VERYSILENT option
* change: removed latin spanish language
* change: option to view online release notes after installation removed
* change: option to create a Quick Launch icon removed from installer
* change: explanatory text in Profile View if user has not been online recently
* change: month names in Profile are translatable
* change: options dialog is changed to nonmodal
* change: Send Authorization dialog is changed to nonmodal
* change: main window minimum size changed
* change: new language files - Swedish (Anders Olsson), Finnish (Heino Keränen), Danish (Mathias Schwarz), Norwegian (Stig Auestad), German (Claudius Henrichs & Dick Schiferli), Dutch (Kees Koenders), French (Fabrice Imperial), Italian (Conte Daniele), Portuguese Brazilian(Anna Nyström ), Hebrew (Ronen Ben-Naftali), Russian (Viktoria Randalainen/Tatjana Kruti), Polish (Ewa Czekalska/Karol Szastok), Spanish - (David Reche), Estonian (Eve Loopere), Japanese (Tomo Suzumaru(Livedoor)/Mayu Shimizu), Greek (Panagiotis Sidiropoulos/Magenta LTD), Chinese Traditional (Morden Chen/PChome Online), Chinese Simplified (Leon Yang/TOM Online), Korean - (Daum Communications Corp), Romanian - (Paraschiv Ion & co), Turkish (Emin Dede) Arabic, Korean (Eriksen Translations Inc), Hungarian (Mark Bender), Bulgarian (Nikolina Filipova, Nikolay Filipov) Czech (Petr Silon)
* bugfix: shortcut to desktop - dropped always, despite preferences
* bugfix: changed sound channel usage,therefore improving the stability on older operating systems
* bugfix: improved Multi Chat behaviour on multiple monitors
* bugfix: authrequests do not pop up if your status is Do Not Disturb
* bugfix: optimized loading of user-language file
* bugfix: optimizations to have faster log-in
* bugfix: improved unicode handling on win98
* bugfix: status was incorrect in chat titlebar when disconnected
* bugfix: improved URL parsing in chat
* bugfix: addressbar search updated when new contact added
* bugfix: 'start skype when windows starts' option will revert to default
* bugfix: 'Enable All Sounds' option missed one checkbox in Options dialog
* bugfix: wrong folder created to Documents and Settings when changing avatar
* bugfix: toolbar texts not visible on clean install
* bugfix: improved error handling when selected sound file is too big
* bugfix: keybaord navigation in language editor
* bugfix: Ctrl+F in chat window shows non-active main window
* bugfix: toolbar buttons were not updated on some cases
* bugfix: API: Error is returned if OPEN ADDAFRIEND command has too many parameters
* bugfix: API: Using query id messed up replies to NAME and OPEN FILETRANSFER commands
* bugfix: API: During voicemail recording SEARCH ACTIVECALLS returned call id
* bugfix: API: When offline user tried to make a call with query id, error was returned without query id
* bugfix: API: Contactlist change notifications were sent when focused contact actually did not change
* bugfix: API: Other API messages were sent before “attach success” message

SKYPE EXTENDS LEADERSHIP POSITION WITH NEW MUST-HAVE RELEASE

New Features Encourage Callers to Upgrade to Move Beyond the PC,
Be More Sociable and Express Themselves in More Ways

(Luxembourg 29 September 2005) - Skype, the Global Internet Communications pioneer which makes it possible for anyone to make free, high-quality phone calls via the Internet to anyone worldwide, today extends its leadership position as the most innovative and fastest-growing Internet communications offering with the release of the latest version of its award-winning software. This announcement is significant both for Skype's existing callers who can now upgrade to new and powerful features and also for people new to Skype who can experience an even simpler way to start making phone calls for free.

The new Skype for Windows offers callers everything one would expect from an Internet phone and more, including increased mobility options, new ways for callers to personalise Skype with original ringtones, sounds and pictures, better than ever sound quality, as well as more ways to be sociable by making it easy to find and connect to their friends, family and colleagues online.

"Skype pioneered free Internet phone calls, and even with more than 56 million people already registered, we've recently seen our growth accelerate to over 170,000 new registrations a day," said Niklas Zennström, CEO and Co-founder of Skype. "We are passionate about really understanding what motivates people want to make Internet communications a part of their everyday lives, and listening to our callers about what they want from Skype allows us to stay ahead of the game. Today, we are thrilled to be delivering on this promise by offering a new version of Skype which both new and existing callers will find adds powerful and innovative new features like call forwarding and personalisation, as well as offering our best ever sound quality on our simplest product to install and use."

Skype recently embarked on a comprehensive global survey to deepen an understanding of how Internet communications is used by people around the world and what they expect from next-generation personal communications services. According to the independent study, Skype is used once or several times a day by 76% of its callers, far surpassing the usage levels of traditional IM-based voice calling services. Callers also recognized Skype's leadership in sound quality - 72% of Skype users consider call quality to be good to excellent. Skype callers are more international, with 85% communicating with people living abroad. Skype's broad base of early adopters are eager to embrace new features, with 79% interested or very interested in receiving calls from landlines, and 73% interested or very interested in adopting call forwarding, key innovations unique to Skype.

The new Skype for Windows Version 1.4, which was first available in beta in August, incorporates two new premium services requested by Skype callers, and fortifies Skype's role as a preferred complement to ordinary cell phones and landlines. It builds on Skype's already extensive product offering which allows people to instant message, set up group chats, make conference calls, transfer files, send and receive voicemails, call and be called from a traditional phone system, and access Skype over Wi-Fi for extremely low rates.

Skype's new Call Forwarding service will allow callers to forward incoming Skype calls to another Skype Name or up to three landline or mobile numbers when they're away from Skype, at no cost to the caller. Anyone using Skype may forward their calls to another Skype Name free of charge, or forward to traditional phone numbers at low SkypeOut rates. 83% of beta testers who have tried Call Forwarding have found it easy to use.

Skype's new Personalise Skype features also allow callers to easily express themselves with original pictures, sounds and ringtones for as little as 1 euro ($1.20). This new feature opens up a new and exciting market for content providers looking to deliver great applications to Skype's global callers and is initially offered in partnership with American Greetings, Qpass and Wee World. The global ringtone market is forecast to grow to $5.2 billion in 2006, and ringtones now account for over 10% of the $32.3 billion worldwide music market (Arc Group).

The new version of Skype makes it even easier for callers to extend their social network. It's simple for callers to search Skype's Global Directory, and import personal contacts from Outlook directly into their buddy lists. With the Skype Toolbars, users can make one-click calls to numbers and Skype Names from Internet Explorer and Outlook, adding tremendous value to popular desktop applications. Advanced Skype buttons allow webmasters and bloggers to create links that instantly initiate Skype actions, such as conference calls and chats.

It takes less then 3 minutes for new callers to get started with Skype, even if they are not Internet-savvy. A friendly 'Getting Started Wizard' means it's easy to begin enjoying the cost and quality benefits of the new Skype, available immediately for download at www.skype.com.