News

Microsoft Updates MSN 8.5 Beta

By Nate Mook | Published April 15, 2003, 11:12 PM

Testers of Microsoft's upcoming MSN 8.5 release received an updated beta version this week containing small tweaks and minor interface adjustments. As reported by BetaNews, Microsoft opened the MSN 8.5 beta program last month, inviting current subscribers to join the test.

MSN 8.5 will serve as an interim upgrade before the full release of MSN 9 debuts this Fall. AOL also recently issued a fresh version of its client software dubbed AOL 8.0 Plus, and is beta testing an additional update code-named "Blue Hawaii."

Both Microsoft and AOL have recently pushed for more frequent software updates, offering up new features to combat dwindling subscriber bases due to broadband.

The new MSN beta, build 8.50.0016.0801, now sports the MSN butterfly logo on the Dashboard and startup screen. Other visual updates include animation in the client's address bar. Microsoft has added a "Check Names" button when composing an e-mail message for verifying addresses for errors.

MSN 8.5 Beta may be downloaded via FileForum, but the software requires an MSN account.

Comments

View comments by with a score of at least

midahe
Apr 21, 2003 - 5:20 PM

Nice new dashboard.

Score: 0

|
Post Reply
jamesgarner
Apr 26, 2003 - 4:53 AM

Hey Dude.. where can i get the new aol ???

Pls Email me .. thnx ;)
jamesgarnerbs@aol.com

Score: 0

|
Post Reply
zdiverr
Apr 17, 2003 - 11:08 PM

Has a couple new and improve items But when trying to open favorites MSN crashes and sends a report to MSN. But all other functions seem to work well.

Score: 0

|
Post Reply
HJH201
Apr 22, 2003 - 7:55 PM

Score: 0

|
Post Reply

Microsoft's Ray Ozzie: 'Nobody's going to be 100% open'

The mobile apps ecosystems of the world may converge over time, led by apps being ported over across platforms, according to the Chief Software Architect.

Will Firefox beat IE9 to Direct2D rendering?

Just days after Microsoft executives gave conference attendees a peek at a new rendering technology, a Mozilla contributor revealed he's working on the same thing.

Where there's smoke: Apple warranty stance raises troubling questions

Carmi Levy | Wide Angle Zoom: Smoking can be dangerous not only for your lungs, it appears, but for your Apple hardware warranty.

AOL's decision to rebrand as Aol. takes a bad brand and makes it worse

The idea behind the social Web is to crowd source before bringing out something new. But not at AOL, which new logo debuted with a cry of "fail!" across the blogosphere and Twittersphere today.

Microsoft 'worked with Apple' for Silverlight on iPhone, says Goldfarb

By not making such a big deal out of trying to stream video to the iPhone, Microsoft got a big deal out of it, revealed the Silverlight product manager.

Clicker.com cuts through the Web video chaos

In a world where homemade video and Hollywood movies travel the same pipeline, it's good to have a real search engine to cut through the clutter.

A case study in improving software: What Office 2010 can learn from Notion 3

A music composition product gambles with a complete overhaul, in an effort to make headway against two well-known competitors in a tough market.

Kindle 2 update adds battery life, native PDF reader

Amazon has pushed out an update to the Kindle 2 e-reader that lengthens battery life and adds a native PDF viewer.

Safari on iPhone gets competition from a $1 browser app

Apple likes to say it gives iPhone users a full browsing experience, but a new competitor tries to incorporate more desktop browser features.

Action Replay maker sues Microsoft for Xbox 360 'predatory technological barriers'

Third-party video game accessory maker Datel has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft over the Xbox 360's recent Dashboard update.

Microsoft's Bob Muglia and Ray Ozzie on Silverlight vs. standards

Bob Muglia: "We're trying to provide people with an environment that has capabilities that you just simply can't do today in the standards-based world."