We use Skype for the TUAW Talkcast and recently, our host and podcasting guru (OK, not guru, but he is the host and we like him), Michael Rose, has been looking at possibly using Ecamm's Call Recorder 2 plugin as an option for recording our weekly talkcasts. I actually have used it to record both audio and video chat for the Squadcast and really think that it is a fantastic, fantastic add-on.
For anyone unfamiliar, Call Recorder is a great little tool that adds a recording window to Skype. This makes it easy to record incoming and outgoing calls (audio and video). The files are saved in the QuickTime format and they can be converted to MP3 or split into separate tracks.
With the release of the latest version of Skype for the Mac, Ecamm has updated Call Recorder as well. In addition to the latest Skype compatibility, Call Recorder 2.3 also includes a new two-track video recording option (so that you can have a separate stream from each side of the conversation) and enhanced video recording quality.
Call Recorder 2 is $14.95 (for $7 more, you can also get Conference Recorder, which adds the same functionality to iChat, and unlike the built in iChat recorder, doesn't require both users to have Leopard) and a free demo is available if you want to try out the tool.
If you want a simple, hassle free way to record Skype conversations, give Call Recorder a shot!
Skype, which has become my primary means of communicating with anyone not standing directly in front of me, has updated to version 2.7.0.257 with improvements, changes and a very, very long list of bugfixes.
I'm happy, possibly even thrilled, about an alleged improvement in video stability. If you've ever used the video features, you've probably noticed that, in numerous scenarios, Skype prefers to show up more in your crash logs than on your desktop. I haven't had a chance to fully test out the video portion of this update and the release notes simply refer to it as "improved stability", so I'm hoping for the best.
The 20+ bugfixes, by and large, deal mostly with errors I haven't run into and one grammatical correction to a dialog. Oh, and they fixed the language name for Belarusian, which could potentially appease 9,081,102* people.
Fewer crashes and proper grammar are tantalizing but, as is usually the case, I find the API additions to be the most exciting. The Skype API is AppleScript-able and fairly comprehensive. This update adds more interface access, new voicemail features, and a few intriguing looking options which I'll just have to play with to understand.
It would be nice if the updater built into Skype actually did what the name implies, but for now you'll have to head for the web page and get it yourself. Be sure to check out the release notes.
Making phone calls from your television set is a clear sign that you are Living in the Future (tm), right up there with the jet packs and the meals-in-a-pill that we're all enjoying so much. If your current TV/phone configuration isn't meeting your needs, developer Brandon Holland has your back; he's just released an extremely early version of his Skype for Apple TV plugin (noted last month & today at Engadget) that leverages the Skype API to allow calls via USB headsets, text messages and more.
I can't really picture how this module is going to work for actual calling (and I don't have an Apple TV to try it out on), but if it refines into a true Skype client, and the Take 2 update doesn't completely nuke the Apple TV development scene, and Skype gets past its current security worries, this could be a very interesting path towards our videophone-enabled, jet-pack-wearing future.
Update: Matt comments that Brandon has a demo video up on his site, which is both technically interesting and slightly hilarious (watch for the test call where he tries to put the moves on Echo123, that faceless e-babe).
Attention all ye users of Adium, Skype, iChat, Twitter, Facebook and Jaiku - Brett Terpstra has struck again with MoodSwing, his excellent utility for updating your status across all these apps and services. Why do I call it a utility instead of just a Quicksilver action, you ask? Because Brett is now providing both the original action and a new full-blown menubar app - at the request of TUAW readers - called MoodBlast. Both now live on the same download page at Brett's Circle Six Design blog, and they both allow you to update your status across all the aforementioned services at once. While MoodSwing is an action you set-and-forget to work with Quicksilver (though you can reconfigure later), an advantage of the MoodBlast menubar app is that you're presented with the UI you see above every time you activate it, with any services you used previously already selected for updating. The other advantage of the MoodBlast app, of course, is that you don't need Quicksilver in order to minimize the effort spent for online socialization.
As with his other excellent projects, Brett Terpstra provides MoodSwing and MoodBlast as donationware.
For those who want to spice up their video conferences and would like to use their iSight (or other webcam) with more than one application simultaneously, CamCamX might just be the app for you. Offering an old-school UI for mixing movies and images into your video conferences, CamCamX allows you to play digital broadcaster with most of the webcam-enabled apps for Mac OS X. In addition to mix-master-iSight with your video and media, CamCamX also allows you to use more than one webcam app at once, allowing you to, for example, hop into a video chat while also providing a live webstream or recording yourself with QuickTime (though, for some strange reason, you apparently need to purchase iChatUSBCam if you want iChat to fit into your CamCamX workflow). While the UI isn't the most beautiful thing this side of the HIG, it's a powerful concept that mimics Apple's upcoming iChat Theater in Leopard, but seems to open a few more doors since it works with apps like Yahoo! Messenger, Skype and even Flash.
A watermarked demo of CamCamX is avaialble from VJ Software, while a license costs $29.00, with 3-year and lifetime upgrade memberships available for $59 and $99, respectively.
If it seems like it was only last week that Brett Terpstra introduced his side project MoodSwing, a clever script that allows users to change their status message across multiple apps with Quicksilver - well, it was. People loved it, so Brett quickly began updating, tweaking and adding a slew of new features and services that MoodSwing could manipulate. The script is now up to v4 with a dedicated page at Brett's Circle Six Design blog, listing out all the features and supported services:
Easy-to-edit defaults, can be overridden by command syntax
In a surprisingly short time, MoodSwing has become an incredibly powerful Quicksilver action that can simplify the process of letting your friends across many services know what you're up to. The action is pretty easy to set up and configure to your bidding, but be sure to check out the MoodSwing page for instructions to get the ball rolling. As with so many of Brett's other excellent offerings, MoodSwing is provided as donationware, so scroll down on Brett's Downloads page and show him some appreciation.
If you are a text, audio and video chatter, chances are you have some combination of iChat, Skype, Adium and a Twitter client running throughout the day. It's also possible that you're a Quicksilver junkie, which means you might appreciate Brett Terpstra's new Quicksilver script that will let you update your status across all these apps and services from the comforts of your Quicksilver window.
To get set up, download the MoodSwing script and then follow Brett's instructions at this page to install the script in the proper location for Quicksilver. There's a simple system for entering the proper status message so that it fits into all the apps you have running, but bear in mind that Brett isn't taking bug reports or offering support; this was more of a fun project that he tossed out there for the masses, so if you know some AppleScript and can improve upon what Brett has already designed, have at it.
It's been a while since we've written about Übercaster, the all-in-one tool for recording, editing and publishing podcasts, but that doesn't mean its developer, Eberhard Rensch, hasn't been hard at work on it. Through updates over the last couple of months, Übercaster v1.1.5 has gained a ton of handy new features and polish, such as:
Delete and Close Gap: Instantly re-join two pieces of a track after cutting out a portion of the middle. A big time saver when editing out the false starts and other mistakes.
Reset Playhead on Stop: An option to automatically return the playhead to its original starting point. Another huge timesaver when reviewing a specific clip.
Split All Tracks: Splits every track at the playhead, regardless of which tracks are selection.
New PleasantConnect version: An update to the Mac OS X kernel extension included with Übercaster that allows for pulling off tricks like recording Skype conversations in separate tracks, with you on one and any caller(s) on another.
New progress bar in Dock icon: This is great for a real-time yet unobtrusive display of a podcast's upload progress.
Sparkle integration for automatic updates: Andy Matuschak's popular Sparkle framework has made to Übercaster, providing wonderful automatic software updates that so many apps are enjoying.
This isn't all though; there are far more new features and bug fixes listed in just the last two updates than I can fit in this post, so check out the Übercaster changelog or grab the latest version yourself. If that updated kernel extension can fix my problems and allow me to record multi-track Skype conversations, Rensch will certainly be seeing a $79.95 purchase from me.
As you might have heard, I ended up waiting in line for my iPhone at the Sherman Oaks, CA Apple Store. Yes, I managed to get one on Friday evening (two, in fact) and went with the 8GB variety. I was very excited to get the device and had a great experience in line with my fellow enthusiasts -- even with the long wait. All in all, a very pleasant time with some very interesting people who were just as excited to be there as I was.
Once I got home from the Apple Store, I proceeded through the activation of my iPhone via iTunes. When it got to the screen allowing me to port my existing mobile number over to AT&T, I hesitated, thinking I would play it safe and test out the iPhone a little before committing 100% to AT&T. So, I opted for a new number and went on through the activation process.
However, now that I've had the chance to use the device for a couple days, I will most likely port my number from T-Mobile over to AT&T. I anticipate being able to do that with a minimum of fuss but I will, of course, detail my experiences, good or bad, when I do it tomorrow via the AT&T "Porting Department."
After going through the entire activation process, I received the activation text message from AT&T about ten minutes later and was good to go to make calls, access the Internet via EDGE, etc. So, unlike some others, activation was a painless process for me. Immediately, I went to work on the iPhone. First, I adjusted my settings in iTunes to sync the various information, songs, podcasts, TV shows or movies that I wanted on my iPhone.
As if it weren't enough that you got free calls on Mother's Day, now the Skype Internet telephony client for Mac has been updated to version 2.6. New in this version: better echo cancellation, editing of SkypeOut contact numbers, calls to Skype Prime providers, bug fixes and more. Complete change list is here.
Now, if someone can help me figure out how to adjust my Bluetooth headset volume while on a Skype call, I'll be a happy man.
Skype has released a new beta of version 2.6 for the Mac which brings a cool new feature: Call Transfer. The Mac is the first Skype client that lets you transfer an active Skype call "effortlessly to other friends and family on your Skype contact list." In addition, 2.6b adds some features previously available only on the Windows clients including:
Join public chats
Chat typing indicator - see when others are writing a message
Call any Skype Prime premium services provider and pay with Skype credit
Automatic Updates – get new features and updates without having to go to Skype's website to download
DTMF tones for automatic answering services available also during Skype-to-Skype calls
We mentioned ecamm's Call Recorder for Skype when it first launched, and now they've released version 2.0 with a major upgrade: video recording. Video and audio settings are independently configurable, so you can adjust the quality (included uncompressed audio) to meet your needs. You can also add time indexed notes to your recordings.
Do you find yourself being pestered by Skype callers the minute you wake up your Mac? Yes, I know, we all should be so popular; that doesn't make it any less annoying for those who are on the world's e-speed-dial. This tip from murphymac.com allows you to automatically set your status to "Not Available" before your machine sleeps (via the SleepWatcher tool), thereby dodging the deluge of attention from your adoring public. Murphy has also provided a handy screencast showing the steps to perform.
Okay, I'll admit right up front that this is completely pointless, but nonetheless it's a nice demonstration of the power of OS X (with Parallels). Jaanus over at Skype realized they have released clients for four platforms: OS X, Windows, Linux, and Windows Mobile. He started wondering if it would be possible to run all four at the same time. Turns out, thanks to Parallels, it is. He set up two Parallels virtual machines (one for Windows and one for Linux), then within the Windows VM he ran the Windows Mobile emulator. He had a little trouble with the WM version, but eventually even got that working. Behold the Power of Mac! Also, check out his screenshot on Flickr for full notes.
Skype's developer site shows you how to hack your settings to place 640x480-pixel video calls. If you feel comfortable editing XML files, then download a copy of Skype verison 2.5.0.85 or newer. Pop over to your Application Support folder (in your personal library) and navigate down to Skype and the folder inside with your personal skype name. Open the config.xml file you'll find inside and add the following two attributes: <CaptureWidth>640</CaptureWidth> and <CaptureHeight>480</CaptureHeight>. Save your changes, launch Skype and place your video call. The receiving party should receive video at 640x480 resolution rather than the standard 320x240. For somewhat obvious reasons, don't perform this hack unless (a) you know what you're doing; and (b) you're going to chat with a very good bandwidth connection.
We use Skype for the TUAW Talkcast and recently, our host and podcasting guru (OK, not guru, but he is the host and we like him), Michael Rose, has been looking at possibly using Ecamm's Call Recorder 2 plugin as an option for recording our weekly talkcasts. I actually have used it to record both audio and video chat for the Squadcast and really think that it is a fantastic, fantastic add-on.
Making phone calls from your television set is a clear sign that you are Living in the Future (tm), right up there with the jet packs and the meals-in-a-pill that we're all enjoying so much. If your current TV/phone configuration isn't meeting your needs, developer Brandon Holland has your back; he's just released an 
If it seems like it was only last week that Brett Terpstra introduced his side project MoodSwing, a clever script that allows users to change their status message across multiple apps with Quicksilver - well, 
If you are a text, audio and video chatter, chances are you have some combination of iChat, Skype, Adium and a Twitter client running throughout the day. It's also possible that you're a 
It's been a while since we've written about 
As if it weren't enough that you got 
Skype has released a new beta of 
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Skype's developer site 
