Skype

[Jorge-Vieira]

Skype Now Hides IP By Default

Microsoft has finally updated Skype so that your IP addresses is now hidden by default. This will no doubt be good news to the gamers and streamers out there that have been targets of DDoS attacks.

Skype is fully committed to delivering as safe and secure of an experience as possible to our customers. We have recently introduced the ability to hide a Skype user’s IP address and we’ve set this as a default status in the latest versions of Skype. Starting with this update to Skype and moving forward, your IP address will be kept hidden from Skype users. This measure will help prevent individuals from obtaining a Skype ID and resolving to an IP address.

Noticia:
http://www.hardocp.com/news/2016/01/...t#.VqJHwlJv4vc


Finalmente!!!

[Jorge-Vieira]

Microsoft Reportedly Abandoned $8 Billion Slack Bid To Double Down On Skype

Since its launch in 2013, Slack has risen to superstardom. In a recent blog post, the company highlighted some of its recent milestones, which includes hitting 2.3 million daily active users by its second anniversary, over 675,000 paid seats, and over $64 million in annual revenue. Not bad for a software solution that came out of nowhere just a couple of years ago.
Given its meteoric success, it's only a matter of time before this cloud-based collaboration tool gets snapped up by a bigger company, but that company apparently isn't going to be Microsoft. According to TechCrunch, Microsoft apparently mulled the idea of acquiring Slack but instead decided to double-down on its Skype focus. Microsoft's not the only interested party; it's noted that Slack received 8 to 10 acquisition offers last year - hardly a surprise given that the service is still growing at a rapid rate.
image: http://hothardware.com/ContentImages...ck_Success.jpg

Slack has grown a lot in just a few years While it could make sense for Slack to hold off for as long as possible at this point to keep growing its value, Microsoft had apparently been willing to shell out as much as $8 billion for the company, despite its annual revenue being a mere sliver of that. But again, it's growing at such a quick rate, that $8 billion could very well be considered a deal a few years down the road.
When the idea of acquiring Slack passed through the halls of Microsoft, co-founder Bill Gates and CEO Satya Nadella were both unconvinced by it, and ultimately, the focus remains on improving Skype, and perhaps even integrating some popular Slack-like features into the client. And given some recent instabilities Skype has been encountering, it might be a great thing that a bulk of Microsoft's focus continues to be on Skype.
It's worth noting that despite Microsoft acquiring Skype 8 years after its launch, it paid $8.5 billion at a time when the service had 8.8 million paying customers (and 170 million regular ones), and here, we have Slack, with a small amount of paying users (675K) in comparison being valued at about $8 billion. The creators of Slack have certainly gone about their business the right way. Now it's just a matter of waiting it out and seeing which company ends up acquiring it, because it seems almost certain that it's going to happen.

Noticia:
http://hothardware.com/news/microsof...vW6VSxOYfEF.99

[Jorge-Vieira]

Skype can now translate spoken Arabic in real time

Looking to further conversations between the likes of refugees and their new neighbours, Microsoft has added a new functionality to Skype, which makes it possible for the VOIP tool to translate Arabic as it’s being spoken. While it still needs some work, Microsoft is keen to see the tool expand its uses to help families and loved ones better communicate over longer distances also.

Microsoft has been developing its live translation feature for some time, with the idea of making it possible for more people to communicate than ever before. In one particular way, bridging Arabic with the English speaking world has a lot of potential to improve difficult relationships, especially among those who have recently fled to a new country.
With the numbers of people entering Europe from war-torn countries in the Middle East, many of them Arabic, it’s very possible that Skype could help those now living in proximity to speak to one another. Although as TechCrunch points out, the service isn’t quite perfect yet, Microsoft supposedly felt happy enough with the service that it’s put it out there for all to use.





In total, Skype can live translate eight different languages in real time, including English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese and now of course, Arabic as well. It seems likely that as more people use the service – which can be activated through a small button on the main Skype screen – that Microsoft will expand the number of available languages too.

Noticia:
http://www.kitguru.net/gaming/apps-s...-in-real-time/

[Jorge-Vieira]

Microsoft kills off Skype for TVs because people prefer to use the app on mobile devices

When it was first introduced back in 2010, using video communications app Skype on a smart TV sounded like a good idea. The application was available to download on many sets, and even came preloaded on some televisions from certain manufacturers. But now, owner Microsoft has announced that it is dropping support for Skype TV software.
The Redmond company’s decision was discovered on a Skype support page by the BBC. It states that, starting in June 2016, the application will no longer be supported and will no longer receive updates. The document goes on to say that “TV manufacturers may remove the Skype for TV application from some or all of their models” after this date.
Microsoft says that the main reason behind the decision to end TV support is because the majority of those who use Skype now do so via a mobile device, even when they are in a room containing a Smart TV that has the app installed.

Over the years, users have changed the way they use Skype, with the majority accessing it from a mobile device – including when in the living room. We want to make sure we prioritize delivering the best possible experience to the platforms our users are asking for, which is why we’ve decided to focus our efforts in other areas while supporting key functionality on Skype for TV for as long as possible.

If you are a fan of the Skype TV app, you’ll still be able to use it after June 1 - even though it won’t be receiving any more updates. But it’s more than likely that the application will stop working completely on all smart televisions before the end of this year.

Noticia:
http://www.techspot.com/news/64045-m...le-prefer.html

[Jorge-Vieira]

Skype brains come up with encrypted messaging service

Keeping the spooks out of everything

A group of former Skype technologists, backed by the co-founder of the messaging platform, come up with a new version of its own messaging service with end-to-end encryption for all conversations, including video.

Dubbed Wire, the outfit is a 50-person start-up mostly made up of engineers. Yesterday it announced that it was adding video calling to a package of private communications services that go beyond existing messaging providers.
Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Threema and Signal offer encryption on only parts of a message's journey or for a limited set of services.
Based in Switzerland, Wire stores user communications on its own computers, delivers privacy protections that are always on, even when callers use multiple devices, such as a phone or desktop PC simultaneously.
It would be a bit tricky for coppers who look for gaps in encryption to look into criminal or security investigations.
Wire Chief Technology Officer Alan Duric said in a statement:

"We believe Wire is unique in the industry with always-on encryption for all conversations, in groups or 1:1, with simultaneous support for multiple devices."

Wire launched the first version of its self-titled communications app late in 2014 to limited notice because it offered encrypted calling and text services similar to a dozen other apps, distinguished mainly by crystal-clear voice quality.
The app relies on standard, open-source encryption techniques, which allows outside technical experts to evaluate the security of its products rather than relying on trust.

Noticia:
http://www.fudzilla.com/news/40187-s...saging-service

[Enzo]

Skype can now translate spoken Arabic in real time



Noticia:
http://www.kitguru.net/gaming/apps-s...-in-real-time/

Agora é mais facil perceber quando e onde vao rebentar com algo.....

[Jorge-Vieira]

Microsoft is developing a universal Windows Skype app

If you're a Skype user like me and most of the TR staff, you may have noticed that its desktop application has been a little stuck in time. Microsoft is now looking to kill two birds with one API by developing a version of Skype that relies on the company's Universal Windows Platform. This shiny new app will be available to Windows Insiders in the "coming weeks."

The company says it's been listening to user feedback on Skype since last November, and found out that while users are fine with the "one task, one app" approach in the mobile space, they have different expectations as screen sizes increase. Multitasking comes into play, and users want to "limit app clutter." Microsoft is also taking the opportunity to touch up Skype's overall user interface. The overall look and feel has been simplified, and several global menus have been removed in favor of contextual menus. The updated user interface is now responsive, too—it should adjust itself to the device's screen size and resolution.

For now, Microsoft is letting Windows Insiders test-drive the application on PCs and large tablets. Windows 10 Mobile users get to join the party "soon." For more information, check out Microsoft's FAQ.

Noticia:
http://techreport.com/news/29907/mic...dows-skype-app

[Zavtekirou]

Boa noite,

Bye bye Skype Win32...

Cumprimentos.

[Jorge-Vieira]

The Music of David Bowie to be Streamed via Skype

Earlier this year David Bowie passed away. In tribute to the legend, Michael Dorf has created a tribute show, “The Music of David Bowie”. Due to interest in the project, you could now enjoy the show via Skype for a small charitable donation.
Teaming up with both Skype and ammado, the show at Radio City Music Hall on April 1st will be streamed online across the world for all the share in the memory. With a suggested minimal donation of $20 or £15, the show will feature 18 different artists paying tribute to the man himself.
The confirmed artists for the show include:

• MUMFORD & SONS
• BLONDIE
• PIXIES
• MICHAEL STIPE
• J MASCIS
• RICKIE LEE JONES
• ESPERANZA SPALDING
• RON POPE
• JHEREK BISCHOFF, AMANDA PALMER & ANNA CALVI W/KRONOS QUARTET
• ANN WILSON OF HEART
• THE ROOTS
• THE POLYPHONIC SPREE
• PERRY FARRELL
• JAKOB DYLAN
• HOLY HOLY
• DONNY MCCASLIN GROUP W/ MARK GUILIANA, JASON LINDNER, AND TONY VISCONTI

The donations will go to a range of charities such as the Melodic Caring Project (MCP), Grammy in the Schools, For Music & Art named as just a few. With 100% of the proceeds going to charity, you get a great show and help an amazing cause all in the memory of a historic figure. You can find out more and contribute to the show here.

Noticia:
http://www.eteknix.com/music-david-b...med-via-skype/

[Jorge-Vieira]

Microsoft Populates Skype With Helper-Bots

Your Skype chats could just get a little bit smarter thanks to Microsoft’s new array of assistive helper-bots. These bots were on show at Build 2016, where Microsoft demonstrated how Cortana, as well as a number of third-party ‘bots’ were able to inject information and optional actions into Skype messaging conversations. At the basest level, Cortana was able to highlight the major parts of a conversation, from which a user can select to get more details on the subject.
The bots don’t just add extra context to your existing conversations either, as at any time users will be able to switch over to a private AI chat, where they will be able to converse with Cortana and the other bots.
An example of this system in action would be part of a conversation about an upcoming event. On request, Cortana would be able to add the event to your calendar and obtain relevant locational and other vital information regarding it from the rest of the conversation. From there, the options branch out, a hotel bot may suggest a reservation in a nearby hotel or a social networking bot may remind you to catch up with friends who are in the area.
This may seem crazy and some will have reservations about the privacy of their data in the face of these AI bots, but they are real and Microsoft has already released the first wave of them on Skype for Windows, Android and iOS. The suite of bots currently available is sparse, but Microsoft plans to allow third-party developers to create their own bots for the service and will be releasing a specially designed software development kit to this end.

Noticia:
http://www.eteknix.com/microsoft-pop...h-helper-bots/

[Zavtekirou]

Boa noite,

A Microsoft vai incorporar os SMS no Skype para Windows 10 desktop e mobile. Uma funcionalidade muito interessante. Poderemos responder a sms pela app universal do Skype no PC. Mensagens da operadora e do Skype tudo numa só app integrado, parece-me um passo lógico e bem dado, tipo iMessage. Pode ser que as versões Android e Web (iOS não digo porque duvido que o sistema permita) também venham a suportar sms.

A funcionalidade chama-se SMS Relay e vai chegar via atualização da app á Windows Store nas próximas semanas (já está disponível para quem é Insider).

Cumprimentos.