Messenger Stuff: MSN and Windows Live Messenger News

Update for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 17:19:28 GMT

The Windows Live team is publishing a bugfix update for Windows Live Essentials 2011 (Wave 4). The quick fix update, rolling out in two stages, fixes several problems in Messenger, Photo Gallery, Mail and other applications.

Arthur de Haan, Windows Live Test and Service Engineering, summarizes the changes:

Mail:�We fixed a sorting issue in the Sent items folder and improved the upload reliability and instrumentation in Photo mail.
Messenger:�We fixed a couple of stability issues and made various changes for improved voice and video quality. We fixed an issue that was causing sound to be lost after upgrading, and we improved performance when displaying the MSN Today page in the main window.
Photo Gallery:�We implemented various bug fixes for crashes related to launching Photo Gallery through Autoplay and facial recognition.
And more:�We made many other usability, performance, and stability improvements across the suite of Windows Live Essentials apps.

Download the Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 QFE2 update now.

�

Messenger Plus! 5 released

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 17:29:27 GMT

Yuna Software has released Messenger Plus! 5, the latest version of the software developed by the new team. The build is the first compatible with Windows Live Messenger 2011.

New features include online logging, a MyPlus! account and a refresh to the designs of both the website and the application.

Our review will be coming tomorrow.

>> Download Messenger Plus! 5

Windows Live Messenger 2011 and its 10 million Facebook users

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 21:20:57 GMT

The Windows Team Blog has released some interesting statistics about Messenger's new Facebook Chat integration feature as well as other social services in the newly released Windows Live Messenger 2011:

More than 10 million people have connected Facebook to Windows Live
More than 250 million chats between Messenger and Facebook
Conversations have lasted more than 1.5 billion minutes
Over 1.6 million people have connected YouTube to Windows Live
Over 700,000 people have connected MySpace to Windows Live
Over 10 million active Messenger customers on BlackBerry devices, over 5.2 million active Messenger customers on iPhones and over 1.2 million active Messenger customers on Nokia smart phones

Already there appears to be a re-birth for Messenger now it has become part of newer social trends, including our increasing demand for integration and portability.

>> Read the full story at the Windows Team Blog

How-to: Use Windows Live in your favorite language

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:52:59 GMT

Did you know that you can switch languages in Windows Live without having to reinstall the Essentials suite? In this tip, let�s take a look how this works:

Exit any running programs of Windows Live Essentials (e.g., Messenger, Mail, etc).
Click Start, Computer. (Windows XP: Start, My Computer.)
Open Local Disk (C:), Program Files, Windows Live, Installer.
Double click the LangSelector.exe file.
In the appearing window, choose your favorite language.
Now click OK to confirm your change. If the language pack is not yet installed, it gets downloaded automatically.
As soon as the progress dialog has closed, you�re ready to use Windows Live Essentials in the changed language!

Tip: In your Control Panel, open the Regional settings section. You will find a shortcut to change the Windows Live language there as well!

You may change languages as often as you want to, without rebooting your computer. To follow the steps above, you need to have Windows Live Essentials 2011 (15.4) installed. This version is available for free download at explore.live.com and runs on Windows 7 and Vista.

Did this work for you?

Microsoft releases Messenger for Mac 8

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:20:38 GMT

The Windows Live team blog has announced Messenger for Mac 8 is now out of beta.

The last public beta was released back in March, where video chatting was finally introduced. The feature experienced several technical difficulties during its development which has caused the program to be delayed beyond the scope of its traditional release timeframe.

Messenger for Mac does not contain the new social networking features introduced in Windows Live Messenger 2011.

>> Download Messenger for Mac 8

Windows Live Messenger on Zune and Windows Phone 7

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 16:08:52 GMT

Windows Live Messenger is continuing the trend of being available to mobile devices as they increase in popularity. The new smartphone market has meant IM on the go is significantly more practical and fun to use and something developers wish to cash in on. Windows Live Messenger is of course, no exception.

Messenger for the Zune HD

This month Microsoft brought Windows Live Messenger to the Zune Marketplace:

Messenger for the Zune HD lets you check out social updates from your friends on Windows Live which includes things they�ve shared from Facebook, Flickr, or MySpace and chat with your friends. It also supports Facebook Chat just like Messenger on your Windows PC does! Special thanks to Mark Relph for the late night test chatting with him on Facebook from Messenger on my Zune HD.

... and to WP7

This time from a third-party, who named their application Messenger by Miyowa. This is avaiable from launch and boasts as many features as most mobile IM applications. A great alternative for those who can't wait for Microsoft to create their own.

Both applications are available on their respective marketplaces.

Messenger Plus! Live and Windows Live Messenger 2011

Sat, 02 Oct 2010 00:02:03 GMT

When will Messenger Plus! Live be updated for yesterday's release? Good question. The short answer is "we just don't know", but a little insight might provide some of you with some hope.

Patchou, the creator of Messenger Plus! Live would typically release a beta build when any Microsoft published Windows Live Messenger would hit the web. Well the public beta was back in June and there has been no sign of an update to Messenger Plus! Live, so what's the problem? For a start Patchou originally complained about developing with the pubic beta on his blog, however there has been some significant organizational changes around the application that need to be considered too.

Just to point out, Patchou has told me nothing here, I am merely speculating on the limited evidence available and what the community is saying. I imagine Patchou wishes to protect his interests and not release a build that is not ready for public consumption (the whole application is getting some very big new features) and it could be several months before they are ready for distribution.

There is a walk-around! - At least for previous betas

Phew! Users can activate the software manually, although not all features will work and doing so is entirely supported. The changelog for Messenger Plus! Live 4.85.386 states:

When the new Messenger beta is detected, Messenger Plus! adds its usual "Software not loaded" menu in the contact list. From this menu, the compatibility window can be displayed to display some information and, more importantly, to let more advanced users disable "safe mode".

When safe mode is disabled with the beta, Messenger Plus! activates some of its functionalities. Using Messenger Plus! in this mode may cause all sorts of errors to occur, no support will be given for beta versions of Messenger.

If you experience issues after disabling safe mode, use the Maintenance wizard (available from the uninstaller) to revert Messenger Plus! to its normal state.

The Repair Wizard of the uninstaller now resets the "safe mode" setting of Messenger Plus! even if user preferences are not erased.

Unfortunately I could not get this to work on the final release of Windows Live Messenger 2011. Hopefully this post will address some of you Googlers wondering what has happened to your favorite Messenger extension.

Reminder: New Windows Live Messenger gets rid of display names

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:22:54 GMT

This is a post to alert anyone who may not have realized that the new Windows Live Messenger 2011 no longer allows users to a display a friendly name. Alternatively Microsoft now display your real name, which is linked to your Windows Live profile and instead allows customization through the personal message feature.

There is no walk around around the change if you use the latest version of Windows Live Messenger. It is also important to note your display name will automatically change to your real name when you sign in, making it visible to all your contacts. There is an element of privacy invasion, so be warned if you don't wish to reveal your real name of Windows Live Messenger - update your Windows Live profile before downloading the new version.

Windows Live Messenger 2011 leaves beta

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:58:31 GMT

Windows Live Messenger build 15.4.3502.922 has been released as a final non-beta build, the first major update since January 2009. The release was part of the official release of Windows Live Essentials 2011.

Notable changes:

LiveSide reports Dell is pre-installing Windows Live Essentials on all new machines.
A-Patch has been updated for the new build, but is limited to 5 features. There also appears to be problems removing advertisements as the patch can only now remove the advertisement and not the space it holds.

>> Download Windows Live Essentials 2011
>> Download offline installer (English)
>> View the announcement at the Windows team blog

Facebook chat arrives for iPhone app, coming soon to web messenger

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:53:28 GMT

Facebook integration has been at the heart of the latest beta for Windows Live Messenger 2011, so it doesn't seem unusual for Microsoft to implement the feature away from its main desktop client.

Neowin reports that Windows Live Web Messenger will soon integrate your Facebook friends alongside your Windows Live contacts:

When hovering over the Messenger link in the header a Facebook category appears on this site. The status of contacts is shown just like within Messenger, if a friend is available to chat to they have a green icon and an orange one for away; if you are also friends with them in Messenger then they can also be set to busy which is a red icon.

The official Windows Live Messenger iPhone app has been updated to support full Facebook integration, allowing you to chat to your friends on the popular social networking website as if they were your normal Messenger contacts.

These two updates show how seriously Microsoft is attempting to capitalise on the social networking market, which has been responsible for the decline of a younger demographic of instant messenger users.

Windows Live Messenger 2011 second public beta released

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:13:37 GMT

The public beta of Windows Live Essentials Wave 4, which includes Windows Live Messenger was updated this evening, addressing several bugs while adding new features to the previous build.

Most significantly Messenger now includes full Facebook intergration, allowing you and your Facebook friends to talk between clients, a feature heavily requested and even implemented by third party developers:

According to the Inside Windows Live blog:

Messenger is quicker at loading information, signing in and uses 30% less CPU for video messaging
Facebook intergration has been further implemented, starting today in the US, UK, France, Brazil, Germany, and Russia

More information soon.

The modern history of Messenger designs: A screenshot timeline

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 21:46:53 GMT

Windows Live Messenger is a GUI centric application with much of its unique design breaking away from standard Windows API interfaces. The Messenger development team, to all their credit, have successfully implemented their own, image rich and unique approach to desktop interfaces. Although nothing extraordinary today, it was far more revolutionary several years ago. As revolution turned to evolution, so did Messenger's style. Never have I seen so many changes to a piece of software in such a short timeframe. So below is a screenshot timeline of MSN/ Windows Live Messenger GUI over the past five years (the years of which, I have personally witnessed):

Screenshot timeline: Sign-in Window

Screenshot timeline: Contact List

Screenshot timeline: Conservation Windows

Leaked Messenger for Mac beta reveals new design

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:38:39 GMT

A new build of Microsoft's Messenger for Mac has revealed an updated GUI more in-line with the current range of Windows Live products.

Bundled as part of Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac's new beta, the latest build released to official testers has several bug fixes and sports the Windows Live color scheme while maintaining its OS X style interface, as the screenshots reveal:

The new design is now closer to its Windows equivalent

We at Messenger Stuff could not sign into the build due to technical difficulties, but those of you wishing to download the latest build can do so over at Wikikou.

>> Source: Wikikou: Mac Messenger 8 BETA 5 with Mac Office 2011

Benefits of Windows Live Messenger iPhone application [Guest opinion]

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:27:46 GMT

The sleek design and simple interface of the Windows Live Messenger iPhone application attracts users of its desktop counterpart as well as new users looking for a more streamlined IM program. The application is free and can be downloaded from the App Store within seconds.

After the sign-in page, where the user can sign-in with their Windows Live ID or Hotmail account, the social tab will be displayed. This is where the user will be able to view updates and links from friends posting from social network sites such as Facebook or MySpace. These social networks can be set up in the user�s online Windows Live profile.

The friends tab includes a searchable friends list and a quick way to add friends. The user has the option to add a message, but the only information needed is the friend�s email address. To start chatting with a friend, the user simply taps the friend�s name and the application will bring them to a new chat window. The chat tab will keep up with all of the user�s chats. Each chat uses the iPhone�s QWERTY keyboard along with an easily accessible emoticon keyboard. IMs are viewable through push notifications even when Windows Live Messenger is closed.

Users are also able to swap pictures with their contacts. Pictures can be uploaded directly from the iPhone to Windows Live Messenger, where the user can create albums and add captions.

The user can access their Hotmail account directly from Windows Live Messenger. Notifications are displayed for new emails so the user can check and reply to emails without leaving the application.

Windows Live Messenger for iPhone is a multi-functioning, efficient IM client that allows users to carry their messenger in their pocket.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to monitors.

Windows Live Messenger for iPhone: Hands-on

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:04:34 GMT

When Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone was announced I was somewhat under-whelmed - what could Microsoft do that third-party products had not already? Well it turns out not that much. But if you only use Windows Live Messenger as your only IM client then keep reading.

eBuddy and Meebo produce some of the finest examples of instant messaging applications for the iPhone. Feature rich, highly-polished design and an user-friendly interface are at the core of these products. Microsoft may be late to the game, but that doesn�t stop it providing solid competition. The main difference? Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone is very specific in its features and is designed for users of the desktop client. So let's take a look at what the app has to offer.

Going social

The social pane, introduced in Windows Live Messenger 2011 also makes an appearance in Messenger for the iPhone, delivering updates about your friends from various social networking websites. The feature is nearly identical to its desktop counterpart and so if this has become an essential part of your IM experience, I would recommend this iPhone app above any other web messenger straightaway. However, if you're like me and don't find the content relevant, you may just skip this part of the application altogether.

Contact list

Your Messenger buddies are organized much the same way as Windows Live Messenger itself. A list of contacts, the way you like systematized will be right at your fingertips, along with an individual personal message, display picture and status. Adding a new contact is a simple operation. This highlights what is great about the app: Microsoft are not attempting to offer a watered down substitute - this truly is Windows Live Messenger in your pocket.

The contact list will feel familar

Conversations

Chatting can be summed up in three words: straightforward, clean and modern. There is no cluster of buttons to search through - each message is color coded, the conversation layout varies on who is speaking, while switching between the QWERTY keyboard and emoticon panel is nothing short of design genius. This is a true example of where less is more.

Chatting has never been simpler with this well designed user interface

Push notifications are a significant plus, as is being able to manage your logins from multiple locations. A list of active conversations makes it easier to shift through friends with whom you are talking, while simultaneously displaying their current status.

Windows Live Messenger specific features

The social pane to show what your contacts are saying on other social networking services
Photo sharing to swap your favorite photos and images with your friends
Organizing your contacts how you wish - via their display name, your personal name, groups and the favorites section
The ability to nudge your buddies

To sum up ...

Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone is a masterpiece as far as its development team should be concerned. It is lightweight yet feature rich, which is exactly the point of having IM on the go! I honestly hope they never add another feature, as the app provides everything I need (and a little more) in Messenger. Microsoft has hit the right target demographic as I expect the average age of its mobile users is higher than those who use its desktop equivalent (I don't need skins or scripts here, thank you very much).

I rarely give Microsoft great credit for Windows Live Messenger, but for once I'm happy to provide some positive criticism. So if you are an iPhone owner and Windows Live Messenger is the only IM client you use then by all means download Messenger for the iPhone.

So, what's your opinion?

>> View Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone at the Apple App Store