Everyone's favorite substitute for a home phone has just released a brand new version of itself for the Mac. Skype 2.8 launched today, bringing a bevy of changes and improvements to the old program.

Screen sharing is now enabled, along with special privacy features that allow you to only display certain parts of your screen. In addition to that, you'll now be able to stick notes to your contacts, use large profile pictures, hide the avatars of incoming calls, and use Mood Message chat, which is supposed to add a dash of Twitter to your Skype. You can check out the full list of new and improved features here.

Members of my generation have a lot to be disappointed in our parents for. Hoverboards, flying cars, jetpacks, video phones, and weekend trips to the moon were all promised to us by the media when we were little. Sadly, none of those things have yet come true. Except, of course, for the video phone. Sure, it takes the form of Skype and a webcam instead of a big clunky home phone with a screen, but that's just fine with me.

If you want to pretend like you're in the Jetsons, you can download Skype 2.8 now from the Skype website.