Messenger Stuff: MSN and Windows Live Messenger News

5 interesting facts you didn't know about Windows Live Messenger

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:40:52 GMT

Listed below is a round up of some interesting figures, facts and statistics I found out about Windows Live Messenger by following @WindowsLive on Twitter over the past couple of days. These were posted as part of the program's 10th anniversary. Expect a post tomorrow detailing all what's going on in July 2009 concerning MSN/ Windows Live Messenger's special birthday.

On average, people come back to log-in to Windows Live Messenger 3 times a day, or nearly 1,100 times a year.
The average Messenger chat session is 5 minutes long. What's the longest time you've ever chatted with one person for?
Did you know? Windows Live Messenger has as many active monthly users as the combined population of USA & Canada.
More than 8 billion instant messages are exchanged every day. If you stacked them up as paper, they�d reach to the moon and back.
Did you know ... it's Windows Live Messenger�s �aluminum� anniversary month? (Of course, we'd prefer diamonds.)

Download the official eBuddy App for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:48:15 GMT

This week the eBuddy team have released eBuddy for iPhone and iPod Touch to the Apple App Store, in a move to make their web messenger a truly mobile, on-the-go experience. With iPhone contracts typically allowing unlimited Internet usage, the app aims to provide your IM client wherever and whenever you want. With push notifications you can always be connected even when using the device's other features.

The application is simple, easy to use and just works. It obvious has had a lot of care taken in its development phase to produce an app that competitors such as Meebo simply do not provide. Specifically designed for the iPhone's latest 3.0 software update (yet compatible with previous versions) eBuddy for your iPhone and iPod Touch offers these main features:

One buddy list for MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, and Facebook
Stay online when you exit the app
Get push notifications for incoming messages when you exit the app
Reconnect automatically if connection is lost
Get offline messages after reconnecting
Get new message alerts & typing alerts in the chat screen
Easily switch between chats by swiping your screen
Shake your iPhone or iPod Touch to send a buzzer

The product is still in its early stages, but is one of the great few free apps available in the store. Future updates will allow more features and hopefully address issues such as only allowing to be signed in for 30-minute periods. On the whole however, anyone who wants to use IM at any time or in any place should definitely consider this wonderful program. eBuddy for the iPhone gives it the edge over popular competitor Meebo.

>> Download the eBuddy App for the iPhone/ iPod Touch
>> Source: Now in the App Store� eBuddy for iPhone & iPod Touch (eBuddy blog)
>> Visit the eBuddy website for more details

Messenger Plus! 4.82: Windows 7 compatible and new contest announced

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:44:13 GMT

Over the past few weeks beta testers have been reporting bugs on this small, yet significant update of Messenger Plus! Live in order for today's release. The update specifically targets three main areas: making the program fully compatible with Windows 7; allowing settings of skins and scripts to be imported and exported and adding the features for an upcoming contest similar to the one held in Summer 2007. Overall this minor build number has many major updates within it.

Windows 7 has presented issues for Messenger in general

The contest is the same click an individual pixel to win a prize, a highly popular and successful idea where some fantastic prizes including high resolution monitors and top end consoles were up for grabs. There will also be a twist this year in order to draw more users into using Messenger Plus!. More information will be posted when Patchou officially announces the start of the contest sometime next week.

The contest proved to be very popular two years ago with 2,242,758 players

This will be the last major update before Messenger Plus! Live 5.0 is released, which is now under development. Patchou has been very secretive on its upcoming features, but a flood of suggestions has gone his way and some interesting hints have been noted by testers. Much of this will depend however, on what Windows Live Messenger 2010 has up its sleeve.

>> Download Messenger Plus! Live 4.82.368
>> See the announcement Patchou made to the Messenger Plus! forums
>> Read the entire changelog for Messenger Plus! Live 4.82.368

MSN Web Messenger to be discontinued from June 30

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:02:44 GMT

MSN Web Messenger was once one of the leading web IM clients, specifically targeted as an on-the-go version of MSN Messenger. However, its development has been neglected and with the emergence of a web client available within your Hotmail account the application has become quickly outdated. Other web messengers have succeeded in giving Microsoft a run for its money. It will close its doors tomorrow.

Using annoying pop-ups, lacking features and being rather complicated to use were all too commonly acceptable when MSN Messenger 6 was prevalent. However, the web messenger boom has changed the situation dramatically. The web messenger team had this to say:

Instant messaging from Hotmail makes it easier to communicate and share in new ways in comparison to MSN Web Messenger. For example, our integration with the suite of other Windows Live services allows you to see when your Messenger friends are online while reading an e-mail and immediately start a chat to clarify something in your friend�s e-mail message.

The news does not come as a surprise, but it rather sad to see this once popular web messenger go into the history books.

>> See the announcement at Mailcall Live space

Talking with RebelSean about Messenger's past and future

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:37:35 GMT

Many of you Messenger Stuff readers will know RebelSean, an enthusiast news reporter in the Windows Live business. He was writing here from July 2007 until December 2008, and since then he is catching up on news stories on Neowin.net. Describing himself as �un�of�fi�cial Mi�crosoft Evan�ge�list�, I talked with him about Messenger�s past and future.

mynetx: Do you think the Win�dows Live team cares for their users� de�mands? Why?

Sean Brad�ford: Def�i�nite�ly, as the Win�dows Live ecosys�tem evolves so do the prod�ucts. Win�dows Live Home�page is a per�fect ex�am�ple. When the �What�s new� feed was launched back at CES 2009, users re�quest�ed more feeds be added. Since then Mi�crosoft has added 40+ ser�vices to the list of part�ners, in�clud�ing Face�book, Digg, Twit�ter, and much more.

mynetx: Look�ing into the fu�ture: With�in the next five years, where could you pic�ture Win�dows Live?

Sean Brad�ford: Win�dows Live has grown tremen�dous�ly since its ini�tial launch. I think the main focus on Win�dows Live has turned to its on�line ser�vices. As more and more on�line ser�vices are launched, I fore�see Win�dows Live be�com�ing a cen�tral hub for com�mu�ni�ca�tion and col�lab�o�ra�tion for users.

>> Read the rest of the interview at mynetx � Windows Live Enhanced

Fuse: A simple yet beautiful skin for Messenger

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:44:22 GMT

Willz's skins have always been well received and generate great popular support around them. Now the top Messenger skinner has released another new skin called Fuse. Here is the announcement from his website, Design Evolved:

Fuse is something I have been working on and off for the past few months. Messenger 9's layout is difficult to manipulate when it comes to taking down the extra space Microsoft added in.

With every skin I made, I learnt a bit more on how to get around some of these sizing restrictions to condense the space down. So after a lot of coding I was able to construct a skin which significantly brings down the minimum window size you can have when using Messenger.

Fuse features a highly compressed chat window and contact list design. It took a lot of experimentation and a mixture of code from different skins to be able to come to the final product (kinda how it got it's name, it's a fusion of all the layout compression I have done.)

Fuse features the standard options you guys have been used to in my skins recently and also uses some of the extra registry entries you see in Phunk'n as a little bonus. But yeah I recommend people check out this skin because it really does grow on you (like how it colorizes and if you combine it with the right scene it looks really nice).

Fuse is a simple, chrome effect skin using lots of gradients rather than textures. The colour schemes complement each other well and on the whole is generally pleasant to use. There is nothing too extreme, the the clear spaces make the task of typing less distracting. Overall Fuse is a wonderfully designed project by Willz and like all his skins I would highly recommend using it.

>> Download Fuse from the Messenger Plus! skins database

MessengerDiscovery 2 Review

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:28:01 GMT

Recently we reported on the new public release of another popular messenger add on, MessengerDiscovery 2.

It would be honest to say the software has had it's problems in the past and as such user's opinions may have been tainted, mine included. However at each major release I give the program another test run for fairness sake.

And that part of the story is no different for me this time around. I downloaded the public release and gave it a spin.

MessengerDiscovery 2 software and website sports a brand new interface that compliments the default style of Windows Live Messenger 2009, the new interface was designed in part by Will ' Willz' Ingles, known for an impressive collection of skins for rival add-on Messenger Plus. In fact rival seems the wrong word to use when describing MD2's relationship with Messenger Plus! Live as the software works flawlessly alongside MP!L almost as perfect partners.

MD2 isn't heavy on resources, only taking 17MB of RAM usage and 0 CPU, The features I've tried all work and look fantastic. I've not uninstalled the software after a few runs, it's not causing me any hassle.

I also love the new Phishing Filter Protection, an new and original feature, almost worth the download alone.

I'm actually recommending MD2 to people now, with added plugin support and toast skins you can still customize and enhance your messenger experience, even furthering the existing functions of MD2

The only downside I have experienced is very minor, and that occasionally at startup MD2 will report that it is failing to load (although it has) however I can see this issue being solved fairly quickly by a update build.

So if you're looking for something new to play with or have had a bad experience with MessengerDiscovery in the past try giving the new version a go I'm sure you'll be pleased at how it has evolved.

Windows Live Team cuts access to certain countries

Sun, 24 May 2009 03:20:15 GMT

We're a little late, but better late then never;

Thursday, LiveSide reported the following news:

Users in Cuba, Syria, Iran, Sudan and North Korea can no longer IM with Windows Live Messenger.

When trying to log in they will be left with error message:
810003c1: We were unable to sign you in to the .NET Messenger Service.

Reason: Microsoft has shut off the Windows Live Messenger IM for users in the countries embargoed by the US, hence Microsoft no longer offers Windows Live Service in those countries.

So it would seem that Microsoft is being pressed on by the Obama government to cut some cords, which seems odd seeing as they were apparently trying to tie loose ends and stop the nonsense earlier this year.

There is, however, an alternative method to connect for those users affected by this that has worked for some people. Bleak Morn over at LiveSide mentioned that using a third party program (such as Pidgin and stating that your country is one other than one that has been blocked.

What are everyone's thoughts on this matter?

MessengerDiscovery 2 Released!

Sat, 16 May 2009 15:42:40 GMT

Great news for MessengerDiscovery lovers: MessengerDiscovery 2 has been released to take your Windows Live Messenger 2009 experience to a next level. Almost all the "old features" are there intact (including the one to hide the advertisements), some has been take off because aren't possible anymore and some others because has to be developed in other different and complicated way and maybe will come back in next releases.

So here is what Matt (MessengerDiscovery creator) has said in MessengerDiscovery forums:

8 months of development and testing and MessengerDiscovery 2 is at long publically available!

MessengerDiscovery 2 has been completely re-written using Microsoft .Net technology and boasts some serious advantages over any previous version of MessengerDiscovery.

Plugin support is one of the most important upgrades so now any one (even you) can write a plugin for Windows Live Messenger, MessengerDiscovery 2 makes it very very easy!

MessengerDiscovery 2 is now translated into 20 different languages and can be translated into any other.

Besides this Matt has released a new website to celebrate the release of MessengerDiscovery 2. With the help of the amazing skinner Willz now you will enjoy a new whole graphic design of MessengerDiscovery together with the amazing improvement of the new implementation of .Net technology in this super Windows Live Messenger addon.

Take a chance to test it.

> Download: Download MessengerDiscovery 2 (for Messenger 2009 only)
> Report a bug: MessengerDiscovery Community Forums (need to be registered)

Note: You should notice a full compatibility with Messenger Plus!.

Phunk'n 2: The popular skin, reinvented

Wed, 13 May 2009 19:23:08 GMT

Multimedia designer and star skinner Will Ingles has released the Messenger 2009 version of his popular skin set Phunk�n.

I had to completely recode the entire skin and re-think certain parts of the skin to suit Messenger 2009. While most of the skin retains the layout from the previous version you will notice some differences in version 2.

The most major one is that fade animations had to be scrapped. Sad to say that they have changed in Messenger 2009 and are extremely restricted. I couldn�t really find a balance between making it work, look right and not lag the skin up.

The custom Messenger Plus! UI has also been scrapped due to the fact that Messenger Plus! Live 5 will be entering development soon and I would rather wait to see what is going to happen with the UI before diving in too deep.

The registry entries that I added in the previous version return in version 2. There are a few new ones such as choosing the size of the extra display picture in the chat window and also the one in the contact list. Toolbar alignment options are also in these entries.

Phunk�n - Infusco

> Download: Phunk�n - Infusco 2.0.1 (for Messenger 2009 only)

Phunk�n - Niveus

> Download: Phunk�n - Niveus 2.0.1 (for Messenger 2009 only)

Note: You must have installed Messenger Plus! to install skins.

What do you think about this skin set?

Customize your personal message effectively with WLNameEditor

Tue, 12 May 2009 19:24:48 GMT

Messenger Plus! Live allows the use of BBCode as well as hexadecimal colors to be used within your Messenger name and personal message allowing other contact's with the add-on installed to view you in a unique and fun way. The variety of options that you have can be a daunting process, particularly if you don't understand the basic syntax of BBCode. WLNameEditor makes this process simple with an easy to use interface.

The script gives you an array of options including adding emoticons, bizarre text and of course colors and standard text decorations. Generally, if you like to "pimp your Messenger" this is a script you should be interested in. I mean who doesn't love a bright pink PSM to stand out from the crowd?

>> Download WLNameEditor script for Messenger Plus! Live

Webcam messaging now available in eBuddy

Sun, 10 May 2009 17:44:54 GMT

Web messengers used to be simple web tools for providing basic text chat when you are away from your personal computer. These days, however they are so much more, delivering just as many features as a desktop client would. In keeping with this modern trend, eBuddy has developed a webcam chat feature right from your web browser for use with several IM clients.

Simply open a chat, click the webcam button and you are ready to go! It doesn�t matter if your friends are on eBuddy, MSN, Yahoo! or Facebook; you will always be able to start a webcam session with them. All you need is a webcam!

The feature works well and is incredibly easy to use with the same functionality as you would expect from your normal IM client. To think even Microsoft Messenger for Mac doesn't even support audio or video chat is remarkable and yet a third party web messenger is doing a great job of it. As always this leaves us with speculation to what eBuddy is going to do for its next trick.

>> Source: eBuddy blog
>> View details of the new webcam feature at eBuddy.com

Interview with Messenger developer, Inky

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:13:47 GMT

Following up with the theme of Windows Live interviews, mynetx has been asking Messenger enthusiast and now developer, many of you may know as Inky some questions on his role. Siebe, as he is really known plays a prominent role within the development of the Win�dows Live Mes�sen�ger Web Toolk�it, something which he is very close to ever since the days he created BOT2K3.

mynetx: Your job in the Win�dows Live Plat�form team must be a great one, true?

Siebe: Ab�so�lute�ly, I get to work with some very smart peo�ple and de�vel�op great new prod�ucts for Win�dows Live. Being on top of the lat�est and great�est web stuff is a great way to spend my day :) It's a dream come true, haha.

mynetx: As an MS work�er in the Live team, are you run�ning Mes�sen�ger 24/7? Maybe you�ve got kind of a daily rou�tine with Win�dows Live.

Siebe: Yeah, my life pret�ty much re�volves around Mes�sen�ger. I love the new MPOP fea�ture (sign�ing on at work and at home). I talk to my friends and par�ents back home on Mes�sen�ger, as well as the rest of my team. Being up in Cana�da away from my man�ag�er and the rest of my team is a bit of a chal�lenge, but using Mes�sen�ger all day to com�mu�ni�cate makes things a lot eas�i�er.

>> Read the rest of the interview at Mynetx's blog

Ten top tips to stay secure using IM

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:11:28 GMT

Phishing, spam, keyloggers and worms can all spread through Messenger. MSN Messenger 7 was probably the height of some of the most destructive worms, that would spread out of all recognition within just a few short weeks. The one that sticks out most for me is the bropia worm, that was designed to reek havoc on user's PCs. Now the biggest threat is from phishing scams after your personal details. MakeUseOf have provided 10 simple tips to improve your IM security.

3. Don't chat with people not on your contact list

Always vet your contact list with people whom you know something about. Talking with Mr. Anonymous at the other end of space may be fraught with risk. It is possible to discover your computer address (i.e. your IP) from an instant message and that usually is the first requirement for a remote hack attack.

Although most tips may appear to be common sense, it is often the ones that are that tend to be overlooked the most. Remember it doesn't take much to stay safe, but it can be a pain to fix.

>> MakeUseOf: Instant Messenger Hacks: 10 Security Tips to Protect Yourself

Messenger Plus! Live 5 wants your input

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:03:39 GMT

There is no doubt to why Messenger Plus! Live is the most popular add-on for Windows Live Messenger. It is a well designed, feature rich and a polished application that has 8 years of work behind it. Now you can have your input within the next version!

Patchou, creator of the program is seeking feedback, whether positive or negative, which provides a great channel for you to input what you want from the next major build. Whether big or small he would like to know. Maybe throw in an ego boost for him while your there, we all know software developers crave it.

Speaking of version 5, while I'm still working on the schematics, I thought I could make this step more interactive than I'm used to. The question I want to ask you today is: What do you think of Messenger Plus! ? Do you like it, hate it? I often read articles about the software, or even about myself, but for once, I would like my users to give me their honest, true, unfiltered opinion.

>> Have your say: Submit your opinions on the Messenger Plus! website