Microsoft makes starting a Skype chat much easier -- no account needed!
As someone who uses many different operating systems, I prefer software that is cross-platform. Skype is one of the best in this regard, as it is available for Windows, iOS, Android, the Web, OS X, Ubuntu and more. While Microsoft's execution has not always been the best, the communication solution is getting better all the time.
The problem with Skype, you see, is that other people must have an account in order to chat with you. Well, this is no longer an issue. Today, Microsoft makes stating a conversation insanely easy. By simply sharing a link, you can chat with someone on Skype without them needing an account or the app. Awesome.
"Today, were excited to announce something new – a small change that will make a big difference to how people use Skype every day. We’ve started to roll-out the ability for users to invite anyone to join a Skype chat by sharing a unique link -- send it however you want, in an email, on Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger or Twitter", says The Skype team.
The team further says, "you can start, share and join a conversation from Skype for Windows, Skype for Mac, and Skype for Web in the US and UK. Guests can join on Skype for Web. Additionally, if you have a Skype name and Skype downloaded on your mobile, you can join a conversation on Skype for iPhone, iPad and Android. We’ll be rolling out to the rest of the world over the next couple of weeks and bringing the ability to start a conversation and share a link from mobile devices soon".
The magic is that you can share the link with anyone in any way -- Twitter, email, IRC, SMS, and more. Imagine you need to chat with a friend or colleague, but do not know whether or not they have Skype. Who cares? Send them a link and start chatting away. This could be a great option for small business users too.
What do you think of this new feature? Is Microsoft finally on the right track with Skype? Tell me in the comments.