It's now official, Microsoft has released the final version of Windows Live Messenger 2009 on the Live web site. That's about time. It took more than a year of beta versions to get to this new release but it was worth the wait. Of course, it means Messenger Plus! needs a final update too and I’ve got good news: I just saved a bunch of mon... I mean, the beta version available in the Download page has been updated to support the new Messenger. The new build number is 353. Even better, Messenger Plus! Live 4.80 will officially be released before the end of the month :-).

Two reasons pushed me to refresh the public beta before doing a final release: first, the sooner the better. I know many of you were wondering what would happen with Messenger add-ons with the new Messenger and this beta it meant to be somehow reassuring. After all, everything is fully functionnal again, including emotion sounds, scripts, skins, logs, colors, event notifications, as well as the hundred of other features&options offered in the software. Secondly, I thought some developers may like to benefit from the research I had to do during the past few weeks in the windows files of Messenger; more precisely, in UIB data files.

If you've been using the latest beta version of Windows Live Messenger lately, I have some good news: Messenger Plus! is now fully compatible with it! Although I don’t like releasing anything that's not "final", the growing popularity of this new Messenger made it clear something had to be done on my side. For that reason, Messenger Plus! Live 4.79 has been added to the Download section and the Change Log has been updated accordingly.

Keep in mind that this is beta material so no support will be given for it. Some of the improvements (display pictures in notification popups for instance) are global to all Messenger versions so if you like what's fresh and new, this beta is for you. Also, while you have fun with this new release, get prepared for a very special promotion coming your way for Christmas. Those of you who like action figures and collectibles (yes, you read correctly) are in for a shock.

Deformity Category
- 1st Place: Crystal Lab by ZOiD winner of a Cintiq 12WX.
- 2nd Place: SilverGlazz by LuckyMe winner of an Intuos3 6*8.

Originality Category
- 1st Place: Stormless Messenger by mynetx winner of a Cintiq 12WX.
- 2nd Place: Beaver and Steve by aNILEator winner of an Intuos3 6*8.

Functionality Category
- 1st Place: Wii Messenger by Ethan Li winner of a Cintiq 12WX.
- 2nd Place: Windows Live Messenger 2009 by roflmao456 winner of an Intuos3 6*8.

- Top Place: Oil Slick by Volv who wins the Cintiq 20WSX!

I am happy to say that the official skin database has now more than a hundred different skins for all of you to enjoy. More about that will be said when the winners are announced, on the 26th of September.

On a side note, I'd like to apologize for the problems you may have experienced with the Emotion Sounds feature of Messenger Plus! lately. Microsoft is not the only company who has suffered from server issues in the past few weeks (I wish I could spend time buying a new pair of shoes too). We're currently in the process of putting everything back together, you can expect service to be back to normal by tomorrow. Thank you for your patience and your understanding.

Starting today, you have 5 weeks to create the most outstanding skin imaginable. The deadline is September 14th at 23:59:59, Greenwich Mean Time. To participate, all you need to do is submit a skin to the official database (the contest is open worldwide), updates of existing skins are accepted. All the skins will be tested in the current most popular version of Messenger, Windows Live Messenger 8.5 (no need to make them work in the outdated Messenger 9 Beta from last winter).

Not 1 but 7 Wacom Tablets will be distributed to the winners of this contest. Your skin(s) will be judged and placed into three different categories: originality (something never done before), deformity (shaped windows), and functionality (improved user interface). The first prize for each category is an excellent Cintiq 12WX (check out the video on their site), a 12.1" TFT screen that acts like a second monitor for your computer and lets you draw directly on the pictures you want to edit with incredible precision. The second prize for each category is a very respectable Intuos3 6*8 with 1,024 pressure levels and professional software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements. And finally, the creator of the one best skin, all categories considered, will get rewarded for his efforts with a magnificent Cintiq 20WXS. This dream-come-true for any graphic designer features a 20.1" wide screen with a resolution of 1680*1050, has 14 customizable hard keys, 2 touch strips, a special rotating stand so that you can use the tablet like a big sheet of paper, anti-glare and friction coating to simulate the texture of paper and a wide viewing angle.

We've done it! 50 million people now use Messenger Plus! on a daily basis. 50 million! that’s just plain incredible. On some popular sites, Messenger Plus! is downloaded even more than software such as Acrobat Reader and Firefox. To celebrate in beauty, we've temporarily changed the logo on the site as well as the home page. We’re also putting the finishing touches on the skinning contest that will start in August.

A new version of Messenger Plus! is now available for download! Many things have been updated in version 4.60 but if you’re not a script or a skin developer, chances are you won’t see much difference compared with the last update. Still, among the improvements you’ll notice that WMA sound files can be selected for Custom Notifications, all the extra Plus! features now work fine in Mobile Device chat windows, and notification popups are now shown in a better way.

If you're a script developer, you’ll find many new functions of interest in this release, like UploadFileFTP, GetElementPos, ExtractFromZIP and support for synchronous callbacks with GetCallbackPtr. Skin developers will enjoy even more improvements, like DateRange restrictions to make your skin change depending on the current date, advanced new features for Color resources to create customized colorization values and gradient colors, the addition of Font elements to distribute and use special fonts in your skin, the possibility to create a separate About Box window, Environment tags for PlusSkin elements to create conditions based on things like the current version of Messenger, and more! Just check the Change Log and download the latest version of the documentations to see it all...read more

I'm happy to announce that sometime this year, a big skinning contest will be organised, benefiting both developers (prizes) and users (new, better skins). Details will be announced when appropriate but as of now, something new and cool has already been put in motion in the world of skins: Will Ingles, the creator of popular skins such as Ev0, as agreed to dedicate some of his time to the creation of new skins inspired by movies and music groups.

Your Messenger experience will never be the same, that's guaranteed, and you'll probably never want to go back to the original interface once you've tried a couple of skins either. Also, if you enjoy switching from one look to the other regularly, or, if you just don't want to miss the release of a skin related to a movie that you've been waiting for, sign up to Messenger Plus! Skins Alerts to get instant notifications.