New Skype for Windows launched with Facebook integration

What's the definition of perfect timing? How about when the latest release of your software showcases your partnership with a social network that just had a box office hit movie made about it. Skype's latest rendition for Windows seems to be taking advantage just as the buzz machine surrounding Facebook is heating up.

The latest release of Skype for Windows is making its new Facebook integration a centerpiece of its service with Skype users accessing their Facebook features right from their favorite VoIP calling system. Users can view the Facebook news feed complete with the latest status updates of their friends right from Skype. The integration also pulls in their Facebook contacts into Skype so that Skype calls and SMS messages can be sent right to their Facebook friends. Sure the latest party pics might deserve a poke, like or comment--all of which users can do right from Skype now--but they now will have the option of calling a friend and hashing out what really happened over the weekend.

In addition to the new Facebook integration, users of the latest version of Skype will get to beta test the new group video calling feature. According to the release, 40 percent of calls over Skype in the first half of 2010 were video calls, so this is bound to be a popular feature. And now with all your Facebook friends at the few clicks of a mouse, multi-user video conferencing might be the 21 century party-line.

For more:
- read the release

Related news:
Skype Everywhere continues on Facebook
Samsung releases Skype TVs