carbonrodssaidthis

International telephone calls are cheap using SkypeOut. Easierto setup and get working compared to iChat - has less problems working with ADSL modems.

Lack of video in the OS X version is a major disadvantage and displays little regard by Skype for the Mac community.

The shortlived beta version 1.5 is a big step up from 1.4.X. Video is supported and the interface is much cleaner. Hopefully whatever drove them to remove it will be fixed soon and be back online!

Good for charring to PC users. However, their Linux builds are heaps out of date and require brutal hacking to run on modern Linux systems. As well as this, they are x86 linux only - PPC Linux people are out of the question. And the Mac version doesn't have video. Oh well, we've got iChat, and that walks all over this.

the new universal beta version with video is out. works great so far. there's some echoing but the video looks good!

http://download.skype.com/macosx/Skype_BETA_1.5.0.47_Video_preview.dmg

Works very well. Wouldn't mind the added option of choosing the icon colours like windows users do

Crappy Mac application, even in 1.5 - searching/using Address Book for phone numbers doesn't work. Voice quality is OK and SkypeOut is nice if you're stuck with an expensive phone and flatrate broadband Internet.

Anyone got Bluetooth headsets working with Skype which they can recommend?

Not a cool interface, but it works.

Works well and allows me to make calls with my Windows friends.

Also the hidden setting in the recent builds that allows one to use 640×480 video is a really nice addition.

Also I love the new interface!

Gave up trying to find a cordless stereo bluetooth headset for under $200. Got a cordless USB handset instead for $15 from china on ebay instead. Note that you need to download the Mac client SkyMACmate yourself as it doesn't come included on the installer cd.

http://www.von-phone.com/guide-skype-w1d-mac.php

This version (2.6.0.137) does not work with Plantronics 510 bluetooth headset. Had to revert to 2.6.0.72 Beta.

Great app- It's the only way I can do webcam to pc's besides using Mercury Messenger (which doesn't go with Tiger very well, IMHO).
To previous poster (grr): Skype noticed that this was a bug and they have fixed it. Look here for more information: http://share.skype.com/sites/mac/2007/05/usb_and_bluetooth_audio_fixed.html

I love how the music fades out/in when receiving/making a call. However, the implementation is... not perfect. Only starts decreasig while the call is already accepted, resuming also has a delay which kills the nice fade-in effect. It's a minor issue though.

Only major drawback is that incoming text-chats do not open automatically, having to klick the red (1) top right of my contacts is annoying and you need to click that anyway. This makes no sense, just open the chat-window automatically, devs!

maybe if the status would be visible in the dock icon, may be practical more than another menu bar icon...

2.7.0.49 is crappy, stay with 2.6.0.151 for the moment:

Contact grouping is very undone, re-arranging groups is not possible, drag and drop arranging neither. It does not put online contacts at the top, all three "view" options (show/hide offline, sort by status/kind) do not work.
There seem to be some good improvements, but unless the contacts-list does work (which is kind of important), I'll stay with 2.6.151.

The new version adds itself to your login items. For shame, Skype-coders, for shame.

@ bradbeattie:
I have installed version 2.7.0.49 yesterday and it did not add itself to the login items. The preferences were kept just the same, as they were in the previous version.

Since yesterday that Skype is unable to establish a connection. And this also happens with other Skype users. My brother uses a PC and he has the same problem: since yesterday he is unable to connect through Skype.
Anyboday knows what's happening? Is the whole Skype system down?

Version 2.7 beta brings 640×480 video.
Available here.

Skype is very much hit and miss. On one hand, it brought video conference to the masses and cheap conference calls to my company. On the other, the quality is mediocre on lots of calls, the service unreliable and the UI for the mac version rather drab. I downgraded to 2.6 stable from 2.7 beta due to the various issues introduced by the so-called 'high quality/resolution' calls, which do not work as advertised and are just a tie in with Logitech to sell more quickcams. (yes I know about the xml trick, but still). Recommended with reservations until IChat gets its stuff together.