Skype adds Intel-only calling features

Skype users will soon be able to leap ahead of customers of other VoIP services, but only if they've got Intel dual-core processors inside their computers. The two companies have announced that they're rolling out a series of calling features that will only be available to users who have computers powered by Intel Centrino Duo or dual core Pentium D processors. The first service to roll out will be ten-way conference calling, followed by enhanced video calling. The deal seems a little unusual, given that Skype has promoted itself as being a platform-agnostic service, but it gives Intel and its customers yet another excuse to boast about the glories of Core Duo. No word yet on whether the familiar Intel tones will chime as you're connected.

[dslay04 @ Feb 8th 2006 11:16AM]

Interesting way of isolating AMD, dont think it'll work too well.

[Rik @ Feb 8th 2006 11:17AM]

Because my athlon dual core couldn't possibly cope with such demands.....

[Antwan @ Feb 8th 2006 11:23AM]

Dang she's hot.

[TechBoard @ Feb 8th 2006 11:26AM]

Skype is getting around a lot at the moment. And betraying their platform agnostic approach to secure such a deal with Intel is probably just the price they have to pay for growing and getting more corporate!!

Good for the users. Obviously so long as they're Intel dual core owners.

[blee @ Feb 8th 2006 11:27AM]

I can see skype going the way of MSN Messenger... only works well on Windows

[Kevin @ Feb 8th 2006 11:35AM]

As rik pointed out. There are plenty of dual core chips out there both amd and intel(not including core duo).

I am sure the core duo is a fine chip... but I am sure the others can handle it just fine as well. They will come around though.

I wonder if these "intel-only" features extend beyond the core duo. If so this changes this story into something a bit larger.

[dpinder @ Feb 8th 2006 11:36AM]

Why, hello Barbara Anderson

[Paul @ Feb 8th 2006 11:38AM]

Who's the hottie in that pic?

[Jason @ Feb 8th 2006 11:51AM]

You can run just about any OS on an Intel Core Duo or Pentium D, so maybe that's what Skype means by "platform agnostic".

Mac, Windows, or Linux with an Intel chip? Go for it. Sorry AMD.

[N. Godbout @ Feb 8th 2006 11:55AM]

No mention of it being a Windows only thing, or if the OS X version will be supporting the new features as well? Sounds like it should work on OS X, but the Skype version is still a little ways behind the Windows version in terms of features.

[Richard @ Feb 8th 2006 11:55AM]

What is wrong with you people? She is not hot. I looked at the picture and I instantly though "Oh great, who's going to be the first person to pipe in 'What a hottie?'"

[N. Godbout @ Feb 8th 2006 11:59AM]

Richard, are you not noticing that she is a girl, wearing a headset, and video chatting on Skype? I mean, a GIRL using SKYPE is instant HOTTNESS.

[shaka999 @ Feb 8th 2006 12:17PM]

This kind of things makes me want to use a different service....

[Mohit Goyal @ Feb 8th 2006 12:28PM]

lame of skype to get into bed with intel on this. no reason this wouldn't work on any dual core cpu (ie-athlon64 x2).

[Mohit Goyal @ Feb 8th 2006 12:31PM]

lame of ebay/skype to get in bed with intel. i hope intel is paying them a bunch of money as there is no reason these new features can't work on any dual core cpu based system. (ie-athlon64 x2).
heck, maybe they will and this is all just marketing...

[PEZ @ Feb 8th 2006 12:41PM]

So:

Windows only.
Intel core-duo only.

I think I will stick with GOOGLE TALK :)

[Steven @ Feb 8th 2006 12:43PM]

Big deal... iChat AV already does 10-way conference calling, PLUS it does 4-way video chat. (And that's on a G4 chip!)

[Gordy @ Feb 8th 2006 12:46PM]

Funny, it looks like iChat.

[ekto @ Feb 8th 2006 12:58PM]

Well, screw that! *uninstalls skype*

Ill just wait until someone releases a patch that makes it run on AMD, then ill consider reinstalling. Better still ill start using a decent SIP compattible voip service.

[startsnitching @ Feb 8th 2006 1:10PM]

No matter how many times I download Skype, that girl was never in my contacts.

[umijin @ Feb 8th 2006 1:21PM]

Umm- so are there any Mac video chat apps out there? Other than iChat which doesn't play nice with PCs?

[Theron @ Feb 8th 2006 2:39PM]

lol, i would say you guys need to get out more, but so do i, and im not fond of critical hippos, so i wont

but on topic, ebay is obviously trying to make up some of the 4bn they spent on a company that esentiall makes no money

[az1324 @ Feb 8th 2006 4:47PM]

I would totally *69 her.

[nemi @ Feb 8th 2006 5:29PM]

If skype (artificailly) limits it's features, another provider will fill that void and offer a better product.

Also, it will be high on the hacker list to patch it to work on any CPU. Probably only a matter of window registry key settings.

[Titanas @ Feb 8th 2006 5:44PM]

It reminds me of Intel MMX hype. Sweet marketing deal but poor software implementation

[PowerMac @ Feb 8th 2006 6:27PM]

@umijin

There's another program called Adium. I works great with PC users (except for file transfer...but its been a long time since I used it) and you can customize it.

[PowerMac]

[russ @ Feb 8th 2006 10:14PM]

i remember intel trying to hype up the p3 like this.. "browse the internet faster on a p3". stuff like that. i think it ended up some crappy broswer plugins that'd only run on a p3.