Over the past few months news has started to surface on the details of the wave 4 release of Windows Live products and services and this has included a vast array of information on Messenger. View our tag page on WLM 2010 to get a full overview of new features revealed so far.

So what can we reveal today? Well new leaked screenshots uncover a further merging of Messenger with social networking. LiveSide have analysed the images in detail and discovered five key changes:



Once again we've seen some interesting details on what we can expect to be using within the next couple of months. Windows Live Messenger 2010 has great focus on social networking integration, perhaps in an attempt to thwart the competition it faces from such websites.

Source: CNBeta

Well not entirely. Group Program Manager for social networking within Windows Live, Jeff Kunin has provided "a short history" of Windows Live Messenger, which reveals many interesting facts and statistics. The post title is misleading, but once you extrapolate its content there are some great finds. This post intends to sum these up!

The article draws parrells with the rise of social networking and the popularity of IM. I have argued that IM has gone into decline since the rise of social networking websites as they act as a substitute products. However, the statistics available appear to falsify this statement. IM is on the rise, and social networking seems to be a compliment. Kunin argues that the advancement of new technologies helps their former, citing the example of now IM helped e-mail. It is an interesting idea.

• 4% of people who use Facebook in a given month also use Hotmail or Messenger in that same month, and vice versa 66% of monthly Messenger users also use Facebook, according to Comscore
• More than 300 million people in 76 countries and 48 languages use Messenger every month
• Messenger users now represent:
  • 65% of all Internet users in Brazil
  • 48% of all Internet users in Canada
  • 48% of all Internet users in Spain
  • 47% of all Internet users in France
  • 40% of all Internet users in Italy
  • 39% of all Internet users in UK
• People use Messenger for 163 billion minutes every month, which is about 9.4% of all time consumers spend on the Internet worldwide
• More than 40% of our users sign in each day (more than 130 million daily users)
• Every day, those users share over 1.5 billion conversations and send more than 9 billion messages
• And at peak times, that drives more than 40 million "simultaneous online connections," (the number of people signed in at the same time)
• Messenger users share over 1 billion status updates every month
• Those users often click through from the Messenger client to the Web, helping drive more than 300 million users to Windows Live Profile, Home, and SkyDrive every month

Source: Inside Windows Live blog - Windows Live Messenger – a short history

Perhaps the emoticons in MSN/ Windows Live Messenger have become a de facto standard for emoticon representation across many programs. You may judge this statement with close scrutiny, but their style has been adopted across many other applications and platforms. The Messenger emoticons have remained virtually untouched for years, but recent screenshots have revealed a radical update to the series.


Are these emoticons replacing the current set?

LiveSide described the change as "minor" yet "noteworthy". I couldn't agree more, as Microsoft's IM client has used the set for so many years now it seems odd that they would change. A glossy effect and the addition of eyebrows appears to be the real differences within the new emoticons, adding a more modern feel to the classic designs.

What do you think about the change (if it is indeed true)? I for one am indifferent, yet I think the current emoticons are some of the best in any available set.


Update

New screenshots have revealed the emoticon panel in full, showing that indeed the entire range has received a facelift. You can see the changes in the images below:

Back in December screenshots of the new Windows Live Messenger 2010 user interface were leaked by Neowin revealing some new features including social networking integration and tabbed chatting within conversation windows. Now LiveSide have revealed some new screenshots, shedding further light on what Messenger has to offer us in the upcoming year.

New features include what appears to be full compatibility with the new Windows 7 taskbar, some enchanted photo sharing options and the introduction of a banner advertisement within the conversation window (which may prove controversial).


Piecemeal obstructiveness of the Messenger ads may now have
reached a controversial tipping point


Winks and emoticons appear to have been merged

Browse the rest of the screenshots over at LiveSide

Microsoft generates profit on Windows Live Messenger through advertising, duh? So I want to start this post by saying without advertising in Messenger it wouldn't exist and thus they are a necessary evil in order to keep the service free. You probably notice the image advertisement on your contact list and a small text one at the bottom of your conservation window. However, it's the changes to these formats which are causing concern.

Previously we have reported on the content of some advertisments but the worry now is on the obstructive nature of some of these within the contact list and the size of those present in leaked screenshots of Windows Live Messenger 2010 last week. Take the example of the advertisement below (this is the rollover effect):



If the screenshots leaked last week of Windows Live Messenger 10 are indeed real then the situation could get worse:



So what's your opinion of advertising within Windows Live Messenger? Do you patch them out or use skins to mask them up? Do you ever find an advert relevant to your interests? As ever I'm always interested in opinions of users and this post is a response to the concerns I've been hearing the past week.

Over the past couple of months Microsoft have been rolling out prompts to optionally upgrade to Windows Live Messenger 2009 while discontinuing support for older versions of their popular IM client. This is common practice and the schedule has been published well in advance. As ever with these updates there have been a series of requests to keep using an older version of Messenger and this post is an attempt to persuade otherwise.


Why do I have to update?

Quiet simply, older versions of Windows Live Messenger have several security holes, bugs and compatibility issues. In order to keep the service running smoothly Microsoft aims to keep its users using the latest versions of MSN/ Windows Live Messenger.


Can I still use Windows Live Messenger 8.1 or 8.5?

Officially no. If you attempt to sign in using either version a message will be displayed asking you to update and the sign-in process will be terminated. However, it is still possible to "trick" the servers into thinking you're using a newer version of Messenger. You can read some instructions on how to do that here. This however is highly unrecommended as you are exposing yourself to many security threats as explained by this Micrsoft Security Advisory (973882) article.


What are the problems with using an outdated version?

Messenger expert and enthusiast CookieRevised, who has voiced strong concerns over users attempting to use older and unsupported versions of Windows Live Messenger had this to say:




Common problems and solutions

Many thanks to MeEtc over at the Messenger Plus! Forums for supplying this information.

I get an error saying "Windows Live Communication Platform has encountered an Error" and Messenger will not run.
Windows Live Support has found a fix for this issue and posted it on their blog: http://messenger-support.spaces.live.com/blog/cns...8B853F!15941.entry

I don't like how the new version looks. How can I change it?
There are a few ways that the interface has changed. First is the addition of scenes. When a conversation window is open with a contact, their scene and background colour will automatically be applied. This can be changed by going to Tools > Options and select "Use Default Scene" from any conversation window.
Second, using a Messenger Plus! skin can change the interface completely.

With Windows Live Wave 4 already appearing in several Microsoft products, it is only a matter of time until we hear news about Windows Live Messenger 10. I asked members of the Messenger Plus! community forums to provide their opinions and tell me what they wanted out of Messenger in Windows Live Wave 4. Below is a summary of their responses:

• Integration with social networking websites i.e. Facebook
• Bigger display pictures by default
• Tabbed chatting (we've heard this one before)
• A clean up of the program's UI design
• Fix server issues where messages become undelivered
• More customisable toast alerts
• The ability to choose which side of the conversation display pictures appear on
• The option to turn off cleartype font rendering

You can see our list of wanted features from many months ago. From what I've noticed the list is not concerned with big new features, but minor tweaks to enchant what appears to be a rich IM experience. However, I always felt Windows Live Messenger 2009 was about that anyway. Nevertheless Microsoft needs to bring something unique to the table in order to get out of the rather piecemeal updates we have seen since the beginning of Windows Live Messenger.

As ever please drop a comment with your ideas, you never know who is reading.

The phenomenon of Microsoft enforcing mandatory updates to MSN/ Windows Live Messenger are not uncommon. Although much of these are claimed to be "security" focused, there is the case that Microsoft rightly prefers users to be using the latest protocol their client can communicate with to avoid server issues. Still, for many users using older versions of Messenger, this is a pain as there is a significant amount of people choosing to use an older, outdated build. Below is a breakdown of the current schedule of mandatory upgrades coming within the next couple of months:

• August 25th: Message displayed to users using versions 8.1 and 8.5 to optionally upgrade
• Mid-September: Those using versions 8.1 or 8.5 will be locked out of the Messenger service and forced to upgrade
• Early-October: Users using an outdated version of Windows Live Messenger 2009 will receive the option to upgrade
• Late-October: Those using older versions of Windows Live Messenger 9 will be locked out of the Messenger service and forced to upgrade

To conclude, this series will stop users normally being able to sign into Windows Live Messenger versions 8.1 and 8.5, while also making those who haven't updated to the second QFE patch to do so by the end of October.

Source: The MessengerSays blog

With the release of Windows Live Movie Maker this week, the second QFE (Quick Fix Engineering) patch has been released for the Windows Live Wave 3 cycle, updating the entire range of Windows Live desktop applications, including Windows Live Messenger.

Microsoft have not confirmed what the update provides, but one can assume it is security or integration with Windows Live Movie Maker related. The release does not fix the large personal message bug we talked about earlier in the week. Jonathan-Kay has provided a msi file for each installer over at his blog.

This release does not appear to conflict with add-ons such as Messenger Plus! Live and Willz has confirmed skins are unaffected.

Download Windows Live Messenger

As viruses, backdoors, Trojan horses, even root kits are commonly spread these days, you should pay close attention while using Windows Live Messenger in order to maintain your own and your computer's safety. Here are some tips that help you to stay secure:

1. Do not click every link you receive.
   Be careful about strange instant messages, even when they are sent by contacts you know. There are bad people stealing the passwords of Windows Live IDs in order to send unsolicited messages, also known as SPIM.
   
   
2. Do not accept every contact that is adding you.
   Watch out when accepting people into your contact list. Do you really know who they are? Before talking too intensely with new buddies, ask yourself: "Would I invite this person into my house in real life?" If you doubt, then why meet virtually.
   
   
3. Think before sending personal information to buddies.
   Would you note down your mobile phone number and publish the piece of paper in your city's public square? No? So you see how vital it is to be careful about which personal information you share with people you do not really know, especially your real name, address, date of birth or any phone numbers. Microsoft or Windows Live will never contact you about your Windows Live ID password, so don't tell anybody your password, regardless of what they claim to be.
   
   
4. Do not blindly accept all files that are sent to you.
   Files are the worst thing when it comes to virus danger. Accept only files where you know the con?tents, and only accept files that are sent to you by people you know you can trust. Always use a virus scanner to avoid random infections of your system. Be sure to keep a cur?rent back-up of all important data on your computer on an external device that is not connected normally.
   
   
5. Use your common sense.
   If something sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true.