Skype for Mac OS X (vers. 2.6.0.140)

For Mac OS X users that want to chat and have audio and / or video capability, there are not many choices available. Apple's own iChat requires your contacts to have Apple computers. Microsoft Messenger only support text-based chat. The only other choice is Skype.

Until recently, Skype for Mac has been lagging behind Windows version with features. However, the last few updates have improved the application considerably and I am pleased to report that Skype for Mac OS X has matured nicely.

After extensive testing, I found the quality of voice calls to be really good. Calling phones and mobiles from Australia to Europe proved to be an effortless experience. Prices are quite reasonable too, and Skype is known to frequently offer discounts for certain countries.

Talking computer-to-computer is also good, unless your contact uses slow dial-up Internet connection. Conversation will still be quite good, but expect delays as dial-up can't always keep up. I have tested calling both Mac and Windows-based Skype users.

Things get a bit unstable when trying to use video feature in chat, especially if other contact user has Windows. There is a long delay for video window to kick in, and occasionally conversation ends abruptly. This is obviously something that needs to be addressed.
Other aspects of Skype have also improved. Contact list management has finally received an option to edit existing contact's details. Text messaging has improved too, with conversation history and status (i.e. other contact is typing) being a notable examples.

Another nice touch is the muting of iTunes playback when using audio conversation. Once the conversation is finished, iTunes will "fade in". Very cool.

Still, there are a few more areas where Skype can improve on. How about adding a button for a quick access to purchase SkypeOut credits ? Or perhaps borrow the popular "nudge" feature from Microsoft Messenger.

Overall, a great product, highly recommended. It's good to see that Skype is putting a lot of effort into improving the chat experience for Mac OS X users.