Skype’s Mac client has had a rough time of it since the most recent full version rolled out, although the company is working hard to win back the good will they lost by making it more like the Windows version. Case in point: Monday’s 5.3 update, which brings OS X Lion support as well as HD video calls.
Skype’s The Big Blog announced that their Mac OS X client has been updated to version 5.3 (5.3.0.1074, to be exact) with “a number of fixes and improvements to the user interface” as well as a pair of welcome additions, support for OS X Lion and HD video calls.
“Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X is built to work with Apple's newest desktop operating system, Lion, in addition to being compatible with past versions of OS X going all the way back to Leopard,” the blog reveals. “You'll also be able to send and receive HD quality video when talking to your friends and family. You'll need to use the Mac's built-in webcam or choose from a variety of webcams from our Skype Shop, such as the Logitech C910, to make video calls in crystal clear HD quality. To receive clear HD video calls on your Mac, we recommend an upload/download speed of 1.5Mbps.”
The update also offers some welcome improvements to the user interface, matching Skype for iPad, which was released last week. You can now see your contacts as large photos, or switch to a list view with additional detail about the people you call -- a welcome addition to the Mac client, to be sure.
Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X can be downloaded directly from the Skype website; at this writing the update wasn’t showing up in the previous version’s “Check for Updates” mechanism.
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