Skype for Mac beta gets Facebook integration

Users of Skype on computers running Apple’s Mac OS X may soon chat or talk to their contacts without having to open their browsers, if a new beta of the software is fully developed. The latest beta of Skype for Mac allows users to message and call Facebook friends, and features a Facebook News Feed inside the desktop application, tech site Mashable reported. Mashable also noted this feature integrating Skype with Facebook on the Mac client comes nearly a year after similar features were introduced to the version for Microsoft Windows. Skype presently powers Facebook’s video chat feature. Its latest update may be welcome for social networkers since it can potentially serve as a full-featured client for both Skype and Facebook. But Mashable also noted a new “feature" that some users may not necessarily agree with will be ads. Non-paying Skype users may see ads in the Skype Home view above the activity timeline of Facebook friends and Skype contacts, Mashable said. On the other hand, Mashable said Skype, which Microsoft acquired in May, has recently boosted its Mac product development cycle. It had released HD calling and support for Mac OS X Lion in early August. — TJD, GMA News