Loudtalks

This release brings the biggest incremental change since the very first public build. Hope you’ll like it! Here is what’s new:

1. Messages history
2. Better notifications for messages received, while away or busy
3. Automatic updates support
4. Ability to assign mouse buttons as hotkeys
5. Volume controls in audio settings
6. Automatic gain control option
7. Enhanced headphones mode — now you can talk and listen simultaneously
8. Improved HTTP-proxy support — now works with Microsoft ISA server
9. French localization — contributed by Jean Marie
10. Bugfix: Multiple recipients messaging didn’t work
11. Bugfix: “Can’t connect to server” error occurred repeatedly for some users

Here are some screenshots:

Download the new release

Loudtalks 0.9.0.34 is here. It’s a major update with multiple visual and functional improvements. Here is what’s new:

1. Supports fall back over TCP, when UDP is unavailable. This means Loudtalks will work behind the most corporate routers
2. Support of operation behind SOCKS5 and HTTPS proxies. You can configure proxy settings in “Tools > Options… > Connection”
3. Smaller contact list window, re-sizable “talk” button
4. Redesigned contact list, which uses two lines by default now
5. “Compact” mode for contact list. New menu item “View”, which switches views
6. Improved accessibility — extended keyboard navigation
7. Bugfix: Sometimes the application could crash during logon
8. Improved contacts drag and drop visualization
9. Renamed “Channels” to “Groups”.

Download the latest version

Here are some screenshots of the new release:

Please let us know, what you think!

We didn’t want to update it that soon but it turned out we made something really stupid in .32, which prevented many users from joining the p2p network normally. This update fixes it.

Changes

1. Bugfix: “Can’t join Loudtalks network” error occurred for some users of 0.9.0.32 even though the previous version could log in fine
2. Added contact search by email, re-designed “Add a contact” wizard
3. Improved supernodes performance and reliability
4. Improved look of the installation wizard
5. Bugfix: Selecting multiple contacts in the contacts list using Shift button caused unwanted scrolling under certain conditions
6. Bugfix: Under Windows 2000 tray icons appeared with purple background
7. Bugfix: Crash under Windows 2000 when accessing Options

Download the latest version

If you don’t want to use the installer, you can download a zipped executable here, which is suitable for portable use (from USB flash drive).

As always we are looking for your feedback and suggestions. The easiest way to reach us is to use the error reporting form, available under Help menu in the software.

This is a second iteration of Deepwell experiment. The previous one (the attempt to use it as a test contact) was unsuccessful and resulted in a bunch of support emails, which sounded nearly schizophrenic: “…sometimes I hear voices, how do I hear myself?”

We let “echo” do what it’s supposed to do and moved Deepwell robot over to “voices” username. After a little modification now it could be used to meet new people in quite unusual way.

Here is how to use it:

1. Add “voices” to your contacts
2. Select “voices” in your contacts list, push F7 button and speak something about yourself for 5-20 seconds.
3. Release F7 button and hear the message from another user, which will be randomly picked up from the queue.
4. Watch the status line as it tells you, who was the author of the message you are hearing
   
5. If you like, what you hear, add the user to your contacts and as soon as he approves your request — you can talk!
6. Repeat steps 2-5 until as necessary :)

Since this feature is experimental and just launched you might notice that there are few messages in the pipeline. That’s normal and if anybody will find it useful, there will be many more interesting people to meet there soon!

We are starting a private beta testing of Loudtalks for Windows Mobile. If you have a device running Windows Mobile 6.0, Windows Mobile 5.0 or Windows Mobile 2003, and willing to try the first mobile Loudtalks before anyone else, drop me an email at alex@loudtalks.com

Here is how it looks on HP iPAQ rx3715: