Microsoft has been working on integrating its Lync enterprise communications tool with Skype for quite a while now. This month sees the big switch: Lync will officially be rebranded as Skype For Business.

If you're a regular Skype user, it might be a smart idea to sign out when you're not using it. A newly-uncovered security flaw may make it possible for users to call in to a device without getting approval first.

Windows: Skype has previewed a real-time translating feature that lets you communicate directly with people in other languages.

Today, Microsoft announced that it plans to bring Skype to the web. While other chat services like Facebook Messenger and Hangouts have been web-based for a while, Skype has lagged behind — until now.

iOS: Skype has updated its iOS app with a new feature. It now allows you to host group audio calls for up to four people with just a tap on your iPhone.

The latest version of Skype for Android has one new major feature: you can connect it to your phone's address book, so Skype can match your contacts with your Skype buddy list.

As remote working environments become more common, the interview process often involves never meeting your recruiter in person — instead, you'll do the interview over email or video chat. And because the medium is different from talking face-to-face, you need to adapt and use new strategies to ace that interview and land the job.

Hi Lifehacker, My parents live overseas and I'm so frustrated with Skype calls dropping out every two minutes, slap back echo, and other general annoyances. I know it's free, but will this stop if I use their paid-for service and buy Skype credit to call a landline or mobile phone? What are the best alternatives out there to make a cheap international call?

Microsoft's new CEO Satya Nadella took to the stage at Microsoft's Code Conference this week to show off the company's latest trick -– Skype Translator. Ever since I started watching sci-fi as a kid, I've always marvelled at how people from different races could communicate by automatically hearing and trandslating different languages. It seems that science fiction is getting closer to science reality.

Skype group video calls used to require a subscription to Skype Premium, but today the service announced that group video calling will be free starting from today for Windows, Mac and Xbox One users, and will roll out to all other Skype platforms soon.

With another long weekend looming it's a good time to kick back and enjoy a new movie or some new music. Fortunately, there are lots of gift cards on sale this week so that you can get your hands on some discounted tunes or movies -– and even some cheap calls to loved ones.

Microsoft's Outlook.com email service has some nifty features (including flexible disposable email addresses). The latest addition? It's now directly integrated with Skype, so you can make voice or video calls direct from your browser.

If you're planning to call family overseas at Christmas, this is a timely special. From today until 24 December, Woolworths has 50 per cent off Skype cards.

Android: Ever wish you could continue video chatting with someone while you do other things on your tablet? Skype feels you, man. So, the app has now added the ability to float a video chat over what you're doing on Android tablets.

There are a plenty of places we'll tolerate ads, but desktop apps displaying our contact lists might feel like a bit much to you. If so, you can disable the contact list ads within Skupe in a buried setting.

Definitely worth noting if you're a Skype user: from tomorrow (9 October), Coles has Skype prepaid cards for 50 per cent off.

We've been promised Skype integration into Microsoft's Outlook.com webmail platform since December last year. Today, the feature finally fully rolled out for six countries, but unfortunately Australia isn't one of them.

When Windows 8.1 makes its appearance on 18 October, it will include one feature that previously had to be downloaded separately as an app: Skype.

Brief news items of note for Lifehacker readers including: Watch the final Pacific Rim trailer, Microsoft updates Skype, Google Translate needs Māoris.