RSSNew MSN Spaces, Messenger 7 Launch
By Nate Mook | Published April 7, 2005, 12:00 AM
Concluding four months of beta testing, Microsoft has launched final versions of both MSN Messenger 7 and its "Spaces" blogging service. The new releases bring tighter integration and more communication options for Messenger users, including full-screen video and PC-to-PC audio.
To enable MSN Video Conversations, Microsoft announced at CeBIT in March a partnership with Logitech, which provides the technology. MSN Messenger will also connect with mobile phones using SMS text messages, much like recent versions of AOL Instant Messenger.
But communications improvements are only a piece of what Microsoft is serving up to its 155 million users who exchange more than 2 billion instant messages each day.
Personalization has taken a front seat in MSN Messenger 7 with the addition of dynamic pictures and personal messages alongside display names. The new client integrates with both Windows Media Player and iTunes to share information about the currently playing song.
Borrowing a page from its ThreeDegrees test bed, MSN Messenger 7 adds "Winks," which are animations with sound that are designed to grab the attention of IM contacts. Theme packs will also be available, along with free and paid content from MSN partners such as American Greetings, Sprite and Adidas.
In an effort to keep users within the MSN "family," the new Messenger closely integrates MSN services. Users can launch Web searches from within conversation windows, and notify friends or family about updates to their MSN Space using icons called "gleams."
With MSN Spaces, Microsoft says it listened to feedback following its beta launch. The final release gives users 30MB of photo storage and 50 new backgrounds to customize their Space. RSS feeds from a Space can now also be added to MyMSN.
Despite its beta status, MSN Spaces has grown at an immense rate. Microsoft boasts 4.5 million bloggers on the service, and is launching Spaces in three additional countries, including Korea, Austria and Switzerland.
But the service's success also means it has become a potential revenue generator for Microsoft. Advertising will appear on the main MSN Spaces page, and at the top of member Web logs in the form of text links and graphics. Microsoft also plans to launch sponsored MSN Spaces.
"MSN is introducing new opportunities for advertisers on the MSN network that will allow marketers to deeply integrate their brands into consumers' overall communications experience," a company spokesperson told BetaNews.
MSN Messenger won't be spared from new advertising either. Text ads will appear in conversation windows, and Microsoft plans to serve commercials before each MSN Video Conversation session.
MSN Messenger 7.0 Build 777 is available for download via FileForum.
well i am glad that thier is a new one out but i dont know what is all the fuss is about :) i use Gaim and sometimes trillian and i use em 2 CHAT only thats what they were created for and thats what im gonna do ....enough of my stupidness i have GMAIL invites care to have 1 email me mrfrostbite@gmail.com who knows if u liek amd u might get 2 invites :) see kids its good 2 listen 2 a 17 yr old kid babble on and talk out of his but t ...tell me where ya saw the posting EnJoY
Score: 0
|Has anyone gotten this to work with Norton Personal Firewall?
Score: 0
|Score: 0
|Yes, tell Norton that the program (and its components) have access to the Internet... If you do not know how to operate a product, you really shouldn't be using it, or you should take time to learn.
Score: 0
|Up til this point I was using a beta version of Messenger and had no problems with it being compatible with ZoneAlarm Suite. I uninstalled the beta and installed this build of messenger and found that it never wants to connect. The icons just spin and spin. I checked my settings on ZoneAlarm and everything looked ok. What the heck ??? So I uninstalled Zonealarm thinking it might be something I possibly overlooked. And sure enough, Msn Messenger signed in within 5 seconds...sheesh. Time to look for another firewall/antivirus suite.
Score: 0
|Did you try removing ZA's entry for MSN and then letting it update/add again? Unless you go in and tell ZA to update/allow all of the new component versions, that would cause it to stop working.
Score: 0
|I have version: ZoneAlarm Security Suite 5.5.062.011
no problems with it.
Score: 0
|Is that url broken? spaces.msn.com doesn't work, but msn.spaces.com does.
Score: 0
|The site is back up again.
Score: 0
|Er, no. The link above directs you to http://spaces.msn.com which times out. The "msn" and the "spaces" are reversed.
Score: 0
|The site msn.spaces.com would be a part of spaces.com, which is not affiliated with MSN. Meanwhile, spaces.msn.com is part of MSN, and the URL works now for me (perhaps it didn't in the past) and is the correct URL.
Score: 0
|OK.
We really need Google to step up and give us the best IM client out there. Even if it would only work with other Google IM clients I would switch. I hate ads. Ads are greedy.
Come on Google.........please :)
Score: 0
|i'd say do hold your breath :)
you gotta be crazy to think that google would pass up IM market.
i'm sure they are working on IM client right now.
tho i suspect it will be web based so you have access to your buddy list and chat history from any location.
Score: 0
|Build us an alternative IM! This is sick.
"MSN Messenger won't be spared from new advertising either. Text ads will appear in conversation windows, and Microsoft plans to serve commercials before each MSN Video Conversation session."
uhhhhh no. bye msn.
Score: 0
|You might try GAIM. It's open source.
Score: 0
|If you want the extra features you have to put up with the garbage that comes with it(or find a patch to fix it)or use windows messenger or another third party software instead.
It's a free service that costs money to run so you can't complain to much about them making a few bucks from advertisments.
However to many advertisments is anoying and they should realy offer a subscription type service with no advertising at all charge like maybe 20 bucks a year thats more than they would get from advertisments and more people would be happy.
As for fireFox coming out with a messenger i would love to see them do it with blogging and 30 megs of webspace for photos without advertisments cause it don't think i can be done for free but prove me wrong and i'd gladly swallow my pride and switch.
Score: 0
|Or Miranda IM
Score: 0
|Amen to Miranda. It's the shizz if you want a tiny-footprint IM client. Doesn't have all the useless junk and ads like the others, and supports pretty much every protocol, including IRC.
Score: 0
|go to http://mess.be and get the patch with the skin..
takes out the ads....
alternative, use other IM software....
now firefox comming up with an IM... i wanna see that...
Score: 0
|http://mess.be/ is a good site just to slow when theres to many people surfing it just a warning thou the Plus for messenger used to contain add/spyware don't know if it still does or not so if thats the patch you decide to use watch for extra programs being installed.
Score: 0
|Would you rather have the Video Conversation feature fee-based? Try it...the ads aren't that intrusive.
See the Logitech PR on the new service (which they operate) http://home.businesswire...6005923&newsLang=en.
Score: 0
|Qnext...free...no ads...video conferencing...chatroom capabilities...talk with ICQ, IRC, Y! Users.
http://www.qnext.com
Score: 0
|MSN Plus! by Patchou has had _OPTIONAL_ adware for ages now.
Too many people appear to be unaware of this, and I would hope that the "new" information replaces the current paranoia and misinformation still being persisted :)
Score: 0
|People are aware of this. I just don't want to have to use an IM client and then add additional crap to it. Plus....I use IM to chat. I don't need video, pictures all that bloated crap. That's for 12 year olds.
Score: 0
|I use video to chat with family in other states. So far AIM is the best (in my opinion) for video conferencing because it supports camcorders. I had trouble with MSN 7 beta. Maybe this one's better.
Score: 0
|yep, msn plus does contain spyware,
but u can just get the msn7 skins and adds are allr emoved.... try it.
Score: 0
|