Skype has announced that it’s newest beta release supports up to 10 users on video at once.  The beta is for Skype 5.0, and also adds automatic call recovery, and a cleaned up interface.  Of course, since this is a beta, it’s going to be buggy, so it probably isn’t for everyone.  That being said, if you want to have 10-person video chats, everyone involved has to have the same Skype beta.  Right now that means that they all have to be Windows users since the beta is only for Windows. {Mashable}

The real question is if you really want to have 10-person Skype video chats.  It might make sense for small businesses, but for the average user, it doesn’t seem too useful to go all the way up to 10.  The previous version of the beta supported up to five people on a video call at once, which seemed to be a good number.  Who knows, maybe we’ll never be able to live without 10-person video chat when it hits everyone.  Or maybe we’ll stick just stick to voice chat to cut down on potential service issues that seem to plague some Skype users no matter what.

If you want to talk to your friend who’s wining and dining in Florence for a semester, there’s good news for you: the Skype 2.0 app is here for the iPhone. Granted that she has her iPhone with Skype 2.0 as well, you can talk to him or her, wherever or whenever — for free, via 3G. And with excellent, “CD” quality.

But hopefully your friend is coming back before August, because that’s when they’re going to start charging a monthly fee to use it. {9to5mac} Does this seem fair to you?

• Yes, if you use Skype via regular phones, there’s a fee. It is long-distance calling, after all. BUT,
• Skype is free. Period. And granted, an iPhone is a phone at the end of the day, but isn’t a data plan fee for 3G coverage enough? Apparently not.

But we wouldn’t scowl at Skype just quite yet. There’s no saying that good ol’ Steve Jobs, one of the few powerful men in this world who can get away with grand decisions with the “because I said so!” excuse, isn’t in charge of this decision.

Or maybe AT&T is just ripping people off. According to Gizmodo, “the folks at Skype are now saying that a Skype app will hit the Android Marketplace later this year and be available to everyone regardless of carrier.” Skype, you’re off the hook.

Whoever’s to blame, take advantage of it while you can! Although, our real question is, when will they enable video calling? With the dual cameras widely expected based on the leaked iPhone deconstruction by Gizmodo, the wait may not be too long.

That’s right kiddies, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) officially kicks off tomorrow in Sin City, but the tech world is already buzzing about the many goodies they’re going to see – including an onslaught of new tablets and some seriously tricked out televisions.

So what does the future of TV hold?

How about 3D programming on the Discovery Channel and ESPN? How about Skype enabled HDTVs that let you chat to your loved ones from your living rooms? How about Apps (to sites like Facebook, Pandora, and Flickr) for your TV? What about an App that brings live TV to your iPhone?

Even before CES kicks off, it seems official to us. 2010 will be the year your TV gets a serious upgrade.

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Mashable}