A new post on the Skype Blog this morning reveals that Microsoft’s latest beta of Skype for Mac now integrates with Facebook, allowing your Facebook friends to see your online status without leaving Facebook, and allowing you to see theirs without leaving Skype.
The update will also allow you to initiate chats with your Facebook friends, read and update your Facebook news feed, and comment and “like” your friends’ Facebook updates without ever having to leave Skype.
From the blog post:
Today we’re launching Skype 5.4 for Mac Beta. The launch introduces the same Facebook integration found in Skype 5.5 for Windows. We are excited to finally deliver Facebook integration to our Mac users.
Just like in our Windows client, you will now be able to IM and connect with your Facebook friends without leaving Skype. You will also be able to read and update your News Feed, as well as comment and ‘Like’ your Facebook friends’ posts – all within Skype for Mac. To connect to Facebook, simply sign into Skype, click on the Connect to Facebook tab and enter your Facebook sign in details.
Unfortunatey, another addition to Skype for Mac is a new advertisement program, meaning that Skype for Mac users will now be subjected to annoying and unsightly ads periodically as they use the program:
We are also introducing an advertising platform in this new release, but if you are a paying Skype consumer or have Skype Credit, you won’t see any display ads; similar to the model that is currently being used in our Skype for Windows client.
Skype for Mac 5.4 Beta is available now, and can be downloaded immediately by clicking here.