RSSVideo Clips Replace Ads in Messenger
By Nate Mook | Published December 27, 2005, 1:45 PM
Microsoft has a new option for people tired of seeing the advertisement in their MSN Messenger window: watch video clips instead. With the introduction of Windows Live Messenger, the Redmond company is testing a feature it calls the Video Carousel that replaces the graphic ad with interactive video content from MSN.
Windows Live Messenger is the successor to MSN Messenger and entered beta testing earlier this month. The new client includes features such as offline messages and PC-to-phone calls. File transfers are beefed up through online drop boxes called "Sharing Folders" that actually store the data on a Microsoft server.
Because Messenger is sponsored by advertising, Video Carousel was designed to make the ads more interesting for users. At the same time, Microsoft will have the ability to place MSN content in front of millions of eyeballs and direct traffic to its Web properties.
"The video part shows a thumbnail of the video, a short description, a control bar used to play the video and to move back and forth between clips. Also we borrowed the gleam concept from the MSN Spaces integration to make it easy to know which videos you've already seen," says Live Messenger team member Daniel Feies.
Video titles are loaded using RSS feeds, which are similar to the MSN Video feeds Microsoft currently offers. For the moment, MSN Video will be the only content provider for the messaging client, Microsoft says.
Those interested in being notified when new videos become available for viewing can enable a new alerts feature. And for those not interested in the new feature at all, Video Carousel can be disabled, which reverts the client back to the standard graphical ad used in MSN Messenger 7.5.
"We know, looking at ads is not on the "Top 10 things I like to do" for most people but we think there is value for the users in ads and we can make them attractive," said Feies. "One of our PMs, Jody suggested to put some puppies in there - everybody loves puppies but I don't think that would have worked out.
I liked the new version of MSN Messenger (Live Messenger). Its very nice.
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|I didn't understand that point about puppies. Make ads with puppies? Have puppies running on your screen like that tamagotchi/virtual girl junk from few years ago? Have puppies bark you the ads? What?
If everyone loves puppies/kittens how about teaming up with some animal shelter places and install some cameras at their cages. I wouldn't mind dropping 25c to give some unfortunate animal a treat/a nice walk outside. Someone's gotta pay for the person walking them, after all.
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|Half of you didn't bother to read the article in its entirety before posting. If you had done so, you would not have needed to waste bandwidth complaining about bandwidth waste.
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|http://spaces.msn.com/members/messengersays/
You can turn the ads off and see regular old ads.
At least MS gives us a choice :)
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|Something else no one bothered to read in the article is that this is something they're testing out... if they get really bad reactions to it, they will likely remove the videos. How will they know if it's worth their effort feedback from testers and tracking stats on the video carousel's usage.
"the Redmond company is testing a feature it calls the Video Carousel"
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|I use MSN every so often and this is my opinion:
So then Microsoft, a company that makes billions in profit headed by Bill Gates with a fortune of over 40 Billion, has to sell ad space on MSN Messenger to bring in revenue.
I'm I to believe that Microsoft is going to go bankrupt if they take advertisments off of their free products?
I mean come on, this multi-billion dollar corporation doesn't want to loose a single dime do they?
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|I'm sick and tired of people whining about ads all the time. Do you complain that your TV Shows are interrupted for commercial breaks? Yeah, many probably do... and what's the response? Mute or channel surf.
The same applies to software... if you don't like the ads, use another product like Trillian, Miranda IM, or GAIM or else use a patch to "mute" them!
But stop whining all the time because a company does what every other successful company giving you a free service does.
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|The features MS are adding are rather expensive. Storing your files on their servers is costly. Even the All Holy Google spam you with ads when you check Gmail.
If MS actually did it right, I may even find their ads useful. See, I'm thinking (again) several years in the future... I really wouldn't mind giving MS (or anyone) a list of the crap I usually buy (computer gear, food, cloths, gas, whatever) AND THE PRICES I PAID. And if they can actually match me a better deal with one of their sponsors - I'll be very happy to hear about it.
See, if they actually invested INTELLIGENCE in the advertising mechanism and only sold GOOD HOT PRODUCTS then they could simply grab a tiny chunk from every sale rather than per watch/click. If users could RATE ADS by score plus give them the alternative product they actually bought INSTEAD and where from, MS could digest this info and say "screw this advertiser, his products are crap - our users recommend we advertise Newegg cuz they have better prices for this item - let US INITIATE a talk with Newegg to put their ads instead - maybe even design the ads for them(!) - so both of us make more money".
Basically what I wanna see (and RARELY DO) is advertisement for products that I actually eventually buy... Now I'm an informed consumer so no impulse buys or crappy stuff will stick to me. Cute video ads aren't gonna be good enough either. I may laugh for 2 seconds but NOT BUY the product.
And of course MS couldn't afford NOT to do what I recommened above in the long run, cuz the first BIG company that'd do it would grab all that advertising money right under MS's hands...
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|If looking at ads is not on my top ten list then making videos will not give them any leverage on moving up the list. I like MSN for their video features but I don't want to be on the webcam with someone and then get interupted by some stupid video clip. I agree with the last few posts, I can't wait for the patch to come in.
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|How about bandwidth issue?
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|Can't wait for MSN Messenger to finish its tie-up with Yahoo Messenger in the "second quarter of 2006".
Then I'll be able to use Yahoo Messenger for all my MSN contacts.
No more MSN and no more MSN ads.
Yahoo > MSN
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|Good god people! Stop condemning Microsoft for giving people an option! Microsoft is no forcing video ads on you. They are forcing ads on you, but you get an option in how you want your ads formatted. I am all for options. Personally, I don't want video ads. I want the ads that are the least disruptive. I rarely have the messenger window open, though; I just use the tray icon for messenger.
But I'd have to say that WLM is going to be a great client. It'll have everything that the other clients have (Yahoo!, AIM, and Talk) and then some. To say that this Video Carousel addition is going to "turn people away" seems pretty ignorant to me.
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|Thanks for actually reading the whole article with understanding. I'm sure Nate appreciates that some of us actually read what he takes time to post.
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|This is supposed to be good? What about dialup users? It's going to suck their bandwidth dry just to serve these ads. If I actually used MSN Messenger or Windows Live Messenger, I would be mad about this.
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|It's an option!! You can turn the video ads off and look at (or ignore, as it probably is) the graphical ads that are in MSN now. It's just another way to look at ads, video ads are not mandatory.
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|Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Sure they won't be.
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|Well, like wincement said, you certainly can't force video onto dial-up users. So yes, this is an option for WLM users. If you don't want video, turn them off.
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|Can you honestly tell me that someones PC running on a dial-up connection is going to want to waste bandwidth on ANY ad?
Even a 10Kb ad (that MSN is currently running) is a huge waste of bandwidth for a dial-up user.
The bandwidth that is wasted on adverts is ridiculous. Yahoo Messenger doesn't have ads, nor does Google Talk. Nor GAIM, Trillian or others. So why should MSN be allowed to waste a persons time, money and connection speed on an advert?
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|"So why should MSN be allowed to waste a persons time, money and connection speed on an advert?"
While I hate MSN Messenger, the answer is: because they can.
If people don't like it, they just won't use it. That's something Microsoft will have to deal with if/when they need to.
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|Exactly. People like me don't give a crap about the ads running around us all over the place - even while typing this very message. It's gotta be very very annoying for me to bother even hiding it.
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|I'm so tired of Betanews giving me negative scores because I speak the truth.
Quit being such jerks.
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I can see that IM is becoming something just for 12 year olds.
Time to uninstall all IM mediums.
Funny how something gets useful and then it gets ad ridden and then people go back to using a phone.
LOL........freaking idiot marketing departments.
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|Negative score in
3...
2...
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|It's be nice to see who gave you such a moderation. I wonder if their is some peer-review with the organization to prevent abuse of mod abilities.
I see nothing wrong with the comment personally, and actually agree with it.
It's getting pretty ridiculous how IM programs (at least MSN, AIM...etc) are all becoming flashy, annoying, adware infested nightmares.
Ech... Makes me glad I dropped IM years ago.
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|I'd just get a patch to disable this "feature".
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|I can see that IM is becoming something just for 12 year olds.
Time to uninstall all IM mediums.
Funny how something gets useful and then it gets ad ridden and then people go back to using a phone.
LOL........freaking idiot marketing departments.
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|Gads...we agree.
Shocking, isn't it?
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|I use Trillian. No ads and it supports most of the major IM networks (well, you have to buy Pro to get Google Talk). I can't believe that people actually want video ads. If they have sound, I'm going to kill Microsoft.
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|Gaim:
No ads and it supports EVERY network - no charge for GoogleTalk =)
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|Throw a chair. They understand that kind of thing, ya know.
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|gaim w00t! I find most other stuff cluttered anyway, and as an added bonus it's GPL'd. And it workes in Linux. w00t.
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|yup =)
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|I must admit, Microsoft are trying to improve MSN. But i feel that MSN is targeted at teenagers. If so, why do they continue in not fully muniplating this audince. that is what they ussaly do.
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|are u mexican by any chance?
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|Cool. I now no longer want to use MSN Messenger or the beta of Windows Live Messenger.
Great Job Microsoft. Way to turn people away.
Looks like Back to Yahoo! (no ads) or I'll have to go over to the dark side and try Google Talk.
Yeah I said Google Talk. Hmm....maybe Microsoft is the Devil. :D
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|roflmao...
Yessss... come to the power....join us...
Welcome to the Dark Side.
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|"Hmm....maybe Microsoft is the Devil."
Now you're catching on!
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|And this is what people want????
boo hiss ...... stay away from Messenger!
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