RSSWindows Live Messenger Launches
By Nate Mook | Published June 19, 2006, 5:05 PM
Microsoft on Monday rolled out the final version of Windows Live Messenger to 240 million users, marking the official launch of its Windows Live family of services. New features include built-in calling and shared folders.
Like many other instant messaging clients, Microsoft has made calling features a centerpiece of Windows Live Messenger. Users will be able to place free PC-to-PC calls, and even call traditional phone numbers for a small fee through a partnership with Verizon.
The Windows Live Call service will additionally integrate with telephone handsets from Uniden in the United States and Philips in Europe. Motorola also announced plans to offer a cordless handset with support for Windows Live services later this year.
Video calling is made possible through audio and video technology provided by Logitech. Microsoft says over 20 million video chats take place across its network each month, and the company has developed its own line of webcams dubbed LifeCams that are optimized for the service.
Other new functionality in Windows Live Messenger is Sharing Folders, which enables consumers to send a file to their contacts by simply dragging it into a folder. Contacts are kept up to date through Windows Live Contacts, a new Plaxo-like service that is also used by Windows Live Mail and MSN Spaces. Microsoft says over 25 million individuals are already using Live Contacts.
“The launch of Windows Live Messenger represents a significant down payment on the Windows Live vision and an important milestone for the business," Martin Taylor, corporate vice president of Windows Live, said in a statement. "We’re proud and excited to release this product to consumers, who have helped shape the service during our beta process.”
Microsoft is readying more than 20 new Windows Live services to follow Messenger. "This evening marks the launch of Windows Live Messenger and the launch of Windows Live in general," Karin Muskopf, Windows Live product manager, told BetaNews. While Windows Live OneCare launched first, Messenger is the "first major Windows Live Service that customers are familiar with."
The final release of Windows Live Messenger will be a mandatory upgrade for all beta testers, but MSN Messenger users can choose to stay on the older client. Microsoft says it will notify MSN Messenger users of the available upgrade through a pop-up dialog box in the coming weeks. Users do not need to uninstall MSN Messenger before upgrading.
Windows Live Messenger -- available in 26 languages -- is specifically designed for Windows XP Service Pack 2, although the software should run on Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista Beta 2. Microsoft will likely only officially support Vista when the next-generation operating system is released early next year.
To help promote the launch of the service, Microsoft has teamed up with Disney to offer exclusive access to an online game called "Dead Man's Tale." The game is based on the upcoming film "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest," and will offer peeks into the sequel's storyline and clips from the movie.
"There are very few discernable differences between this version and the beta because, as I said, we’ve been doing clean up," the Windows Live Messenger team commented on its blog. "But if you’re upgrading from MSN Messenger to Windows Live Messenger, then you’ll be seeing A LOT of changes."
Microsoft did, however, have one piece of bad news for users. Muskopf told BetaNews that @live.com and @windowslive.com addresses will not be available for registration starting June 20 as initially planned. The company is working out some last minute tweaks and the new domains for Windows Live ID will debut at a later date.
The final version of Windows Live Messenger, build 8.0.0787, is available for download from FileForum.
Last evening I upgraded to the new Live Messenger. I like the new program, however, dicovered one little problem.
Often when in touch on cam with family overseas I may send a photo via messenger.
Just before installing Live Messenger I had done the same and the photo was over in about 8 seconds.
After the upgrade, I got in contact on cam with another family member. I sent her the same photo, it took 12 minutes to transfer.
Anyone else had similar problem?
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|"Microsoft on Monday rolled out .. to 240 million users..."
I'm pretty sure that 240 million people did not download it on Monday. Microsoft merely posted it on the web where it could theoretically be downloaded by 240 million people, over time.
Therefore, I would like to announce that I have "rolled out" this BetaNews comment to 240 million people. As such, I have a worldwide audience comparable to Harry Potter. The offers for commercial endorsements should be rolling in, any second...
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|i have had Windows Live Messenger Beta for ageas and i whant the new one
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|飞速度放松放松法
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|Finally the return of TRUE IP to IP file transfers. TY About time it came back to traditional file transfer methodologies.
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|I'm waiting for it.
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|Quote:
Microsoft did, however, have one piece of bad news for users. Muskopf told BetaNews that @live.com and @windowslive.com addresses will not be available for registration starting June 20 as initially planned. The company is working out some last minute tweaks and the new domains for Windows Live ID will debut at a later date.
End Of Quote
Damn....
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|It's good as it offers:
-easier file-sharing
-calling features
-new UI
-offline chatting
but Yahoo Messenger still leads the way in those departments. I think Microsoft's client, with its huge market share, is still gonna be good in the instant messaging market.
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|I love the new look, seems to work fine too so no complaints here. :)
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|WLM uses so much RAM, so much!
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|Decided to check that before I installed it. MSN Messenger 7.5 used 19MB on my machine, and I now have Live Messenger installed and it's using 18. So basically it's the same as before. Oh and 20MB is SO MUCH? Please, maybe on a 486. I have 2GB of RAM so I think I can spare 20MB.
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|Users who complain about RAM are *often* the types who bought those Dell TV Special systems with 256MB of RAM and wonder why their system is slow...
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|You just explained our General Manager to a tee.
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|LOL
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|Personally I like it much better than all the older versions. I love offline messaging (finally). I think sharing folders are nice too.
All in all it's the best IM app around I think. It's not too bloated and it doesn't have ads on everything under the sun. Plus, being able to choose "video carousel" instead of just ads is great.
I just wonder when I will be able to add Yahoo people to my list. :D
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|Windows Live Messenger is nothing new. It is just a reskinned MSN Messenger 7.5 plus a couple of features such as a shyte folder sharing service that makes copies of the files you want to share in a folder in Application Data, total f**king shyte!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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|It is funny when someone who hates MS rants about a product stating that nothing is new, but then hints at the new services it provides.
It is obvious that you haven't looked at the product and are just bashing MS. It would be better for you to just state that you prefer Yahoo Messenger or AOL Messenger. Perhaps you would have been taken a bit more seriously.
The fact being that Live Messenger is totally different and does offer many new features.
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|It's even more funnier when you realize who's products these bashers use. MS products.
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|Why are you throwing such a hissy fit? You don't have to use it, you know. Just keep using 7.5 and quit complaining. As for the folder sharing, you do know you can turn that off. There's probably an option somewhere to even change the location if you had bothered to look, not that I see the problem with the one it uses. Sounds like you just want something to whine about.
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|As I said in response to your whiney tirade on the download page, you do realize, I hope, that you can turn off Folder Sharing and go back to the old way, or you can shut up and like it.
And if you can drop the profanity long enough to post a civil response on the team's blog page, they might consider your feedback in the future.
Before you cry, and whine and complain... know what the heck you're talking about, when you do cry about it... at least do so intelligently.
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|I never said I was anti-microsoft, all I was saying was how I disliked the method used for the sharing folder feature I mean its not exactly efficient, couldn't they have just pointed to the location of the shared file rather than copied it therefore doubling the amount of space it takes up?
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|I would have to agree with you... And PC-to-PC calling is nothing new for Messenger. Even Windows Messenger had PC-to-PC calling and Video capabilities. This is certainly not a big upgrade. And just because I say it's not much of an upgrade does not make me anti-microsoft. :-)
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|Does anyone have a list of the 20 services that Microsoft plans to offer?
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|Check out http://ideas.live.com/. The list of "services" is there.
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|I think that mjm01010101's point is that we are becoming forgiveful of this kind of sh*t code just and ONLY because our computers are becoming more and more powerful everytime. The same applies to Vista. So you'll tell me that the new functions require a 3.7GB install??? haha, so what if no functions had been cut from the inicial promises? a 5 gb install??!! I could just replace almost everything with 3rd party programs that will, AS ALWAYS, do it better than MS. Sorry to sound as an MS basher, which im not, but this is almost an AXIOM.
mjm01010101 is right, and i also think it shouldn't be 50mb for a couple of chat windows, but if you decide to still use WLM... well, its up to each and everyone of us. Unfortunately there are no true alternatives, and no matter which one you mention, they all have a clunky feeling that makes using them uncomfortable or are just incomplete. If you got to adapt to those, then congrats from my part.
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|I'm going to ignore the rest of your tirade and ask... AXIOM?
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|English: AXIOM
German: AXIOM
Spanish: AXIOMA
how can i post somethin' here if it seems that half of its readers can read? well, leaving pointless agressiveness aside...
about WLM, i mean i kind of like the proggie, but i just commented on mjm01010101's comment trying to clarify his point, which of course i share even if others may not. a messenger should nowadays be light as a feather and of course, as a bonus, who wouldn't like it to be unbloated or full of ads?
.An axiom is "a self-evident or universally recognized truth; a maxim" or "a self-evident principle or one that is accepted as true without proof as the basis for argument; a postulate". It may not be explained or sometimes even doesn't need to be explained. it's math you know... This definitions were taken from Answers.com
WELL, HOPE YOU CAN NOW SEE MY WHOLE POINT. bye.
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|how can i post somethin' here if it seems that half of if readers can read?
Maybe as soon as you learn to type, we'll all learn to read.
Sorry. Couldn't resist. You just set yourself up too perfectly for that one.
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|oh my god, you got me there! hehe! ;)
i've corrected it, i wonder if you can now read...
goodthings2life; don't be mad. did you understand AXIOM?
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|Too late, I already moved over to google talk, and most of my family/friends have also. Sorry, but when one app takes 50mb for one chat window, then I think you have an issue.
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|If 50mb causing you a problem, then you have a problem.
There is no comparision. Google talk is like a kid's toy in this stage. It's nothing about than a plain chat client.
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|Hey stupid, who cares about you? Get a decent machine, throw you old 128MB Pentium away, stop playing around with Linux, KDE and other crap and come back here. Your comments are always stupid!! BTW, you are an idiot! GO LIVE, GO VISTA, wanker!
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|Strangely, that is exactly what I want out of a chat client. The ability to chat, and little else. I'd already long adandoned most other MSN stuff, hotmail because it lost my data, msn messenger because the bloat was getting too much, and many of my friends liked the older MSN clients (as did I) and we decided to move en-masse. Most people at work are now using gtalk.
To each their own.
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|You must live in US right, because very little people outside USA have ever heard of Google Talk.
If you don't, then you only have a small circle of friends/families then.
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|It's true. I ditched MSN messenger & Yahoo messenger & ICQ bcos of their size. These have become bloatware.
But instead of switching to Google Talk, I use Trillian and sometimes Miranda. These are lean apps that do the job for me.
All I want is just to exchange instant messeges and occassionally transfer files. Like mjm01010101, I don't need other features.
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|Because it's at work. Tell me 1 chat client at work give you more than chat function? I am not referring to company with 5 employees.
A modern chat client should has at least come with file transfer. At this stage, Gtalk just can't compete. I think Gtalk is nice and has a clean interface, but it has no other functions other than chat. And since it's in beta, who know how long it going to be in beta. Just look at Gmail.
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|yet another intellegent post by someone who sounds like there going threw puberty. sorry couldn't resist :)
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|He threw a ball.
He went through puberty.
Sorry, couldn't resist. ;)
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|And you are...?
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|Look over there.
They don't know what they're doing.
Surprised you missed that one PC_Tool
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|Sadly enough, this post could probably be said about you.
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|I use GTalk - for a couple of reasons. First, it is small and efficient. When I wish to chat - I wish to chat. When I need to send a file - I use email. I see very little need to mix the two.
Secondly, I have done MUCH development of software throughout my life, and most software today is bloatware - absolutely NO need for hugh executables except slop in coding. For example, IrfanView is a spectacular piece of programming work with a tremendous amount of functionality - and notice its small footprint.
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|Google Talk doesn't save that much more memory. After awhile of using it, even I see it creep up to 20megs. If you want to talk about bloat, Yahoo Messenger is the king of bloat as it can go up to 75 megs just from listening to launchcast radio. MSN has always been around 20 or 30 for me. That's not much to complain about.
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|*Yawn*...
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