Windows users can now enjoy the benefits of high quality video, granted they have a webcam capable of recording HD video, as well as a fast enough internet connection.

This update also finally sees the integration of group screen share, which enables sharing your screen in conference calls, rather than with just one person at a time. Group screen share is currently only available to Skype Premium members, however.

Features and improvements of Skype 5.8 for Windows are:

• Full HD video-calling

• Support for Facebook audio and video-calling (beta)

• Group screen sharing

• Hide offline Facebook contacts

• Push to Talk

• Skype updater service

• Bing Toolbar integration

Microsoft is testing prototypes of Kinect-enabled notebooks using motion-sensing as an interface forWindows 8, it is been revealed, ahead of what are believed to be plans to license the technology to laptop vendors.

Specially modified ASUS netbooks are being used to demonstrate the system, which builds on Microsoft freshly-announced Kinect for Windows hardware, The Daily reports the ultraportables replace the single webcam above the screen with a row of sensors that can track movement.

Android app virtualization specialists BlueStacks have announced a version of its cross-platform software support for Windows 8, adding titles created for Android phones and tablets to the Metro UI of Microsoft upcoming OS.

The new version of BlueStacks App Player software will come preloaded on some new Windows 8 PCs later in the year, the company has confirmed.

Microsoft has released two new apps for the iOS platform, Microsoft Lync 2010 for iPhone and Lync 2010 for iPad, targeted at enterprise users with an Apple gadget in their pocket or bag. Both free downloads though requiring a Lync Server or Office365/Lync Online account in order to actually function the two apps offer instant messaging, audio conferencing and VoIP calls while on the move.

Real-time availability updates are given, as well as single-touch Lync conference call participation to avoid having to punch in lengthy passcodes. There is also transport layer security (TLS) and perimeter/internal network protection, neither of which demand a VPN, for increased data security.

Microsoft is believed to have replaced the design architect responsible for the Xbox 360 user-experience Dan Coyner the general manager of Design and Planning within the Xbox team, has been replaced with Emma Williams, who led this month Xbox dashboard update.

Williams will now lead design on the next-gen Xbox, tongue-in-cheek referred to as the "Xbox 720", which a source in the team has confirmed is on the roadmap for a 2013 release as per earlier rumors. Microsoft is working on two new consoles, one hardcore gaming flagship and a second, slimmed-down model with a focus on casual gaming and multimedia use.

After One Note, Microsoft is now releasing an official SkyDrive app for iOS and their own Windows Phone. but No Android version AGAIN!

You have the ability to view all your files and folders saved on your SkyDrive account, create more folders, delete them or upload files from your device to them. You can also share the files or folders with others, whereby it mails a link to the file or folder to your recipient and you can choose whether the viewer can just view it or edit it as well.

WP7 Demo Below!

Microsoft has announced plans to automatically upgrade older versions of Internet Explorer, such as the much-maligned IE6, from January 2012. The decision is intended to bring Windows XP, Vista and 7 users up to date with safer, more efficient versions of the browser, though Microsoft is keen to point out that nobody will be forced to upgrade if they don’t actually want to.

Previous arguments for keeping IE6 and other earlier releases of the browser have been generally related to enterprise browser-based tools not updated for newer iterations. Microsoft is respecting that, and says that not only will its existing IE8 and IE9 Automatic Update Blocker toolkits stop new versions from being installed, but anybody who has declined an update through Windows Update will also be left alone.

Microsoft has officially unveiled So.cl, and contrary to Facebook-challenger expectations it is a hybrid system pulling together social networking and search and targeted at students. Found at so.cl, the new tool allows "montages of visual web content" including photos, video and text to be constructed and shared for collaborative editing and discussion, as well as video parties for real-time conversation.

Students are expected to build communities with similar research goals, and Microsoft is targeting those on social media courses who may lack the collaborative tools that other disciplines have. "So.cl might even give students the ability to create their own social tool" Microsoft suggests, "customized for their own community."

The folks at Microsoft appear to be taking several opportunities to give away Windows Phone devices on Twitter with a clever usage of the hashtag term #droidrage thus far the response has been a mixed bag of respondents having real problems and a gigantic collection of obvious user errors gone wild.

Taking the opportunity to gather in those Android users who are not able to fix problems on their own into the Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone Mango fold is Microsoft latest tactic in showing off how simple the platform can be what we will be waiting for here is the response from the people who though they were not able to figure out how to use an Android phone were then able to use a Windows Phone without a hitch.