Skype has made public its Beta 3.0 version of it super-popular VoIP software for Windows. It’s been sitting with NDA’s beta testers for just over a week now. Skype has also hit 8 million simultaneous users online today.
There’s a few changes, but we’re not sure that there’s been enough to justify a whole version number upgrade.
One of the most interesting additions is the ability to click-to-call any landline phone number that you see on the Web (once a small browser plug-in ins installed), by placing a call through your SkypeOut account.
Henry Gomez, Chief Marketing Officer & Director of Worldwide Operations, Skype, gave an example of how it might be used, “imagine you’re searching online for a good place to eat and you find a restaurant and want to make a reservation. All you need to do is click on the number and you can make a direct call using SkypeOut.”
As ever with each Skype release, there’ been more adjustments made to the software interface. Amoung other changes is another main tab, called “Live,” which gives quick access to the Skypecast feature – giving real-time chats (IM and VoIP) to up to 100 people) – which has been around for quite a few releases.
By including the Live tab so prominently, Skype are attempting to make people become more dependent on Skype, beyond using it for ‘just’ communications, they’re hoping people will use it for ‘entertainment.’
Camrivox are claiming to be the first company to integrate Google’s Gtalk into hardware-based VoIP products, making them the first device that supports Google Talk without a PC.
Analysis
Starting 22 November, US Xbox 360 owners will be able to download TV programmes and films to their Xboxes to rent and watch.
No definite European plans as yet, but it’s expected once they sign the content deals.
Google is set to announce a new advertising partnership with over 50 American newspapers, in an initiative designed to create an online marketplace to help Ye Olde Printe Media sell advertising electronically.
Launching as an early “alpha” trial, Google has said that it won’t initially charge for hosting the service, but expects to levy a ‘relatively modest commission’ if it takes off.
Google’s turbo-charged revenue increases (up 70 per cent in the third quarter) continue to give traditional media outlets the heebie-jeebies, as advertising revenues continue to crash in tabloid and regional titles across the UK.
You’ve probably seen the news yesterday that 
Being the inquisitive little ferrets that we are, we jumped on to our ever-at-hand mobiles to try the same thing. Not expecting much, as we’re outside the US, you can imagine our surprise when we were given the option of downloading the app – but persisted with the US/Canada only malarky. We were warned that the app might not work correctly.
Argh .. the handset we used fell at the final hurdle, but we pressed on with some others until success! We checked in with 
Apple has announced that the updated version of their teensy-weensy iPod Shuffle will be ready to tempt your wallet from today.
The Shuffle comes with a 1GB capacity – enough for around 240 tunes – and users can elect to play songs in sequence or randomly.
Apple has sold more than 
Windows system requirements
Browsing Gmail, Google’s email service, wasn’t particularly great when you did it from a mobile … until now. With the new release of gmail mobile that was launched today.
Google has bought Palo Alto, CA-based Wiki/collaborative working company, JotSpot for an undisclosed amount.
With the release of 
Sony has announced that it will be launching what it claims is the world’s lightest notebook computer in December in Japan.
Sony claims that their new laptop will keep on rocking for 12.5 hours on a single battery charge in Stamina mode – long enough for even the longest haul commuters.
The new lightweight range will be powered by a range of three CPUs (Celeron, Core Solo U1300 and U1400), backed by 512MB of RAM and 40-80GB hard disk drives.
Sony said that it currently has no plans to sell this featherweight beauty overseas (which is a real shame because our hearts are a-pumping at this little fella), but has announced that they will be knocking out for about 220,000 yen in Japan ($1,881, £985).
Microsoft have finally woken up to the fact that people aren’t using their Web server product, Internet Information Server.
Microsoft will be excited with the comments of Andi Gutmans, co-founder and chief technology officer at Zend, “Since our preliminary work with Microsoft, we have already seen a better than 100 percent performance gain with some PHP applications on Windows Server 2003.” Good start.