Skype 5 for Mac out of beta, group video calling part of Premium subscription

Skype has released the latest version of its communication software; it's out of beta and ready for download. The beta version of Skype 5 for Mac has been available for a little while now, but this is the final version they've settled on, featuring a more minimal interface with simpler views, less whitespace and more information about contacts and communications all condensed in one place.

The group video calling that was available for free in the beta has been moved into the Premium subscription model, where it's included with customer support calls for a day pass of US$4.99, or an $8.99 per month subscription. New users get to use the service for free for seven days, so if you just want to try it out, you can do that.

Unfortunately, a lot of the feedback on this version so far has been pretty negative, but many of the complaints we saw were about the extra whitespace and window size issues, so maybe this latest version will fix most problems. Skype is available as a free download from the website, and of course Skype Credit and Premium services are an extra charge.