How would you change Skype?

You have it, you use it, you love it—or maybe you don't. Besides the whole limited platform support thing, what would you do to change Skype for the better?

[Ruju @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Just add video and id never stray. PLEASE add video esp. on the Mac version

[808 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Make the newer version work properly. Everytime I update to a newer version, my PC is sluggish. Then Skype crashes or it won't work. I thought it was just my PC, but it's happened on other PCs too and people have mentioned it in the skype forums. I have to go back to using the 1.2s

However, Skype works great in Linux.

[Mathieu M-G @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Same point as 808, make it less buggy. (1.3 is more buggy than 1.2...)

[Shemploo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

make it a plugin for other software like Trillian, MSN, AIM - g0d knows we have too many little apps running all over the place anywayz.

[mattb @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

make it free. throw in some ads or something - but make it free.

[Fingermouse @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

http://share.skype.com/share/products_and_services/

If you look at the 4th article you'll see that video calls are in the pipeline.

[Sandeep Mohan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I wonder if it could be made into a cell phone - you know Skype Cellular. I am not sure how it could work but if Skype asked all of its current users to "donate" a bit of broadband bandwidth to enable voice of Skype only "cell" services to pass through it. Could be asked at signup, I suppose - "Are you willing to share x amount of bandwidth to allow voice to pass through.... for 10% of you.... "[you get the idea]

Anyway, who knows if they went cellular and they were all over Europe, Asia and US and teamed up with Apple who could make handsets and iTunes mobile ware..... DUuuuuuuDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEEE ..... that would be tight......

[Chris Duffy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Open source the protocol if it isn't already.

Build a better Mac version. Macs own.

Build a newer Linux version, and put it on more platforms (amd64 for one, ppc for another) or just give us the source, we'll compile it ourselves.

Plugins are a good idea. Let it use other messengers.

Improve the file transfer protocol so fewer transfers need to be relayed.

Improve the UI. I dunno how, but it just feels a bit clunky to me.

[Stevie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Have an all-you-can-call plan for inbound and outbound calls within a country.

[Darkshadow @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Make the IM function faster. When I send an IM message to any family member, it almost always takes 3-7 minutes for the other end to receive it. Once the first message is received, then the lag goes away.

[Stevie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Palm OS Support!!!

I want it for my Treo 650.

[Chris Hochfilzer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Build in a full vonage style backend to manage calls, simulring, voicemail pbx - buy j2 or build that functionality into it + get more international local numbers!

[wmc @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

add voice dialing support through bluetooth headsets

[rom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Support SIP.

[Wilfred Hildonen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Viseo/audio for all platforms and if they could do it as well as iChat it would be nice:) Someone got to stop this stupidity with being limited because of your platform and why not Skype!
Would be nice if the dial keys could be controlled by the numeric keys on your keyboard.
Other than that, I haven't had any problems with the Mac-version(s) and I have been using Skype on a regular basis for more or less half a year now.
Yes, cheaper headsets and handsets and better compatibility for Mac for the latter...

[Deathie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Integration with iSync!!

[Tien @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Just on basic functionality - Perhaps make it such that if you have a SkypeIn number, that would be what shows on caller IDs. Many friends, until I tell them, won't pick up the phone if they see the 000002345 or whatever it is.

Also, it would be nice to see the bypass to speaker function work. If I have my headphones plugged into my front port and my speakers into my back port, it STILL rings on the headphones. Perhaps this is more a driver/hardware issue, but it really bugs me that I can't hear it when it's plugged in (yes, I know I can buy a base phone).

Tien

[Arithon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Enable auto-accept of files from contacts (optional per contact)

Allow customisation of the chat/main windows (colors, backgrounds etc)

Storage of contacts in a central locatino so no matter where you sign in from, your contacts follow you.

[Andy Henderson @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Easy switching between internal mike and speaker to usb headset, and back again.

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Allow it to work with SIP!

[Pete Jenkins @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Make skypein work for ppc. make voice work for smartphone. integrate place shifting with video, as in from a dvr, a la slingbox. if they've got this great software that works around firewalls without a problem, which it seems like they do, it would be a good application for it. maybe it would be overextended. yeah, it probably would be, but it would still be cool

[Jared Roddy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I would give Skype rocket boots and a wrist-mounted Javelin launcher. I feel this is truly what Skype lacks. Further, I think it could use some attitude, maybe some tats and a few piercings. The key is that Skype needs to come off as more "hard-core".
On a final note, I think Skype should be taller, its hard to be hardcore when you're so diminutive.

[Grandpa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Sames as it is now but put an Apple logo on it. Then it will be flawless.

Don't put a Microsoft logo on it because then it will be anti-competitive and will crash all the time.

You could also put a Linux logo on it and it will also magically become flawless. However it will be insufferable at parties.

[Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

"Storage of contacts in a central locatino so no matter where you sign in from, your contacts follow you."

Uhh...they already have that.

[Tuig @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Get rid of the range check errors that occur when I have my PC on for several days.

Create a plug in for MCE.

Create a plugin to music players so I can control & listen to music on my Skype buddies' PC's.

[Tony Scida @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Support SIP (as others have said), like Gizmo does.

[Samuel Roldan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

When making PC-to-Regular Phone calls Make other type of payment other than buying minutes. Maybe you can have different plans, one that lets you talk certain amount of minutes per month, one that lets you buy the minutes and one that allows you to talk all you want anywhere in the world that is. (all with the current local rates charges) P.S. Skype Rules!

[retro @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I would make SkypeOut and SkypeIn free. Somehow. :P

[tmacmac @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Free voicemail, voice recording built in, lower the Skypeout price and add video.

[PXLated @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I've never been comfortable with Skype...it being a closed system and the founders previous Kazaaz affiliation.
Been waiting for something else that is open and supports SIP.
Has anyone tried Gizmo? Seems to have all of Skype and more.
http://www.gizmoproject.com/learn-more.html

[Steven @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Use Gizmo!

[[e-mail] @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Unless the have unlimited calls in the U.S., I really don't see the point. Vonage, Packet8, VoicePlus, BroadVoice, etc.. all offer local & international packages. I prefer to be untethered from my PC. I know there are millions of people using Skype. My gut tells me these are mostly college students and don't want to wait in line for the dorm phone.

[Jamie Moffett @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Make a Palm version. My Treo has a crush on Skype.

[dalton @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I would love to have the voicemail forwarded to an email account so I don't have to have the client running to check my voicemail. I'd love to check my voicemail from school, where I can't install applications.

[ixalon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I agree... SIP support, allowing people with SIP devices to make calls to Skype users, and receive Skype calls without additional hardware.

Even better would be a Skype channel for Asterisk - then we could do it for ourselves! :)

[Tim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Make it so one can change the voice quality. The processing and bandwidth requirements are too heavy to use it with some games. If I could reduce the voice quality in exchange for lighter processing and bandwidth demands, then I could use it!

[Ian @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Make it work :|

It locks up my router with the new version. I have to downgrade my firmware on my router for it to work. So I don't bother.

[Kevin C. Tofel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Add some new statuses or allow for custom status. I run a Tablet with EVDO all day, but I'm not always in a place to take a voice call. I can, however, take a chat but there is no status to indicate this.

[blb @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

a new logo that doesnt look like it belongs on a kid's toy wouldnt hurt either....

[nemi @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

teamup with DivX and provide video.

Give a choice of transmit and recieve resolutions.

Future proof it to allow firewire input at TV res, DVD res and ultimatly HDTV (hey sub $1k HDTV video cammeras are only a year away).

A Drop window where you can que up files for the other party to accept (and if they are pictures show thumnails)...
...actually, everything MS Messenger can do woudl be a start. (i use skype for voice and messenger for video and file transfer simulataniously)

[laser @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

i want to be able to use my mobile phone as a bluetooth web-camera that works with skype. also if when someone calls me on skype my phone could ring, because im not always in the same room.

[nial @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Change the freakin name.

[steve miller @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Better tech support. And a way to remove contacts. I can't remove entries on the Mac version and their tech support won't respond to help.

[Jonathan Spallanzani @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Skype 1.3 is crashing all time and is also slowing my computer down. Could you fix that?

[Jack @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

why should i pay for something that should BE FREE .

[Bert Offers @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

I have Skype and Gizmo Project as well. Although I am a die hard Skype fan, I'd like to see elements of Gizmo incorporated into Skype, such as
1. Display of Skype In number in the Skype Client. Gizmo does this well.
2. Gizmo provides the ability to easily record calls, and I like the music on hold (nice touch).
3. Skype could use a better GUI. The current one is out of date.
4. More presence information like when your buddy is on the phone.

Hmmmm, maybe I am not si die hard after all :)

[jay @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Let me actually charge their credit cards when they want to use sky out. Very Frustrating

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

For whatever reason, after using SkypeOut and CallOut from Gizmo, the Gizmo recording sounded better. SIP support as everyone else states. Plus, Gizmo have a nice feature which lets you record simply by pressing one button in the application itself, something Skype sorely needs.

They need to update their site to show a US Dollar currency option, it's ridiculous that we are forced to only view and download in the Euro format.

The other thing I think would be nice is to somehow disable the caller id information so that when you use SkypeOut you do not have to explain to everyone about the weird 000 012 345 number being shown - just make it so it shows "Caller ID unavailable" or something similar.

[Leo Vandewoestijne @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Have a client on the Palm-Trio and especially the new line of UMTS/GSM-900/1800/1900 phones of Nokia. Like my new 6630!

[Tien @ Dec 19th 2005 1:02AM]

Perhaps three more features:

Call fowarding - you call your SkypeIn and then punch some codes in which then allow you to call International. That might be convenient if you're not home or want to use your cell phone to talk.

Import - I have my contacts from the Smart Phone that uses Outlook. When I try to import it, it won't import the contacts unless they're signed up with Skype... even then, it won't import the actual landline number. That sucks because now I have to manually enter in each one.

Better contact UI: People often have more than one number, but the version I have doesn't allow me to add multiple numbers (or I haven't found a way easily). If there was a simple icon to click or pulldown, that'd be best.

Tien