According to Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft are currently making a new platform — code-named Echoes — designed to be implemented by (mobile/cell) phone companies, aka carriers, so that not only can Microsoft try and stay on top of the game by encouraging more of these companies to deploy Windows Live mobile services to their customers, and do it more easily, but also so that the customers (us!) get these useful features:

With part 1 of Echoes (scheduled for summer 2008, approx. July):

• Synced Windows Live Contacts on your phone — Your contacts from Messenger appear in your phone's address book. Among other things this means that you don't have to know a contact's phone number to call them as each contact will have their mobile number 'assigned' to them (hence Bill saying "We can get rid of phone numbers" in another one of his good old visions of the future). It seems that the Echoes platform will push new contacts and contact updates to your phone without it needing special client software.

• Simultaneous ringing — Presumably similar to how simultaneous ringing (or dual forking) works with Office Communications Server and how MPOP [multiple points of presence] works in Windows Live Messenger 9 (currently in private beta). It will probably mean that when you ring a contact from your phone it will call their phone and PC and they can choose which one to answer, and vice-versa so that you can call a contact's phone and PC from your PC.

• IM to SMS continuity — A bit like the current mobile messaging integrated into Messenger. Allows you to send a text message to a mobile contact (who will always appear 'online' or similar if they don't choose otherwise?) from within Messenger and their SMS reply returns to you as an IM.

And with part 2 ...

• Who knows? Integration with landline phones? Synchronisation with your schedule/calendar and mail? Your phone's voicemail in Messenger? It's all unified communications!

So is this why we're still waiting for another beta version of Messenger 9? Foley also says:

The full extent of Echoes should apparently be seen in the next year or two.

Source: All about Microsoft: Microsoft's grand plan to eliminate phone numbers

As most of you probably already know, Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 made its debut a few days ago. The sparks are already flying in the developer world and some aren't too happy right now. We're one of the websites affected with incompatibilities in IE8, even though we're 100% validated. I think it's safe to say that developers all around the world have a tough time ahead of them.

Among various websites that are not rendering properly due to IE8, quite a few Windows Live web-based services are also affected. Windows Live QnA looks like the hardest site hit, along with Windows Live Hotmail, Live Search Maps, and Live.com. We've been informed that the teams are working on some updates, and if you have any reports to send please send them via the Windows Live Feedback site.

We smell a few beta updates soon, keep your eyes peeled!

Why do people never say, 'I'll talk to you on WLM'? Windows Live Messenger is an odd name change, especially as it is longer to say and does not seem to stand out as much as MSN Messenger did. 'MSN' was a word of its own, in fact it still is, despite it no longer being a program in development.

My friends and I still say MSN when referring to Windows Live Messenger and I still think of the program as MSN. The term is universally known, everyone seems to understand what it means, even my own mother! I have not once heard anyone say 'add my address to Windows Live Messenger', is it because of old habits or is it because the name is just not catchy?

I now refer to MSN/ Windows Live Messenger as just Messenger, but only in writing. The term MSN just seems to work, it always has done, I don't believe there was any reason to change it. So what's the point of this post? Well do you still refer to Windows Live Messenger as 'MSN' within conversations? Do you think Microsoft have given up a noticeable and clever trademark? Do you think Messenger news has gotten so slow I had to bring up a pointless issue? My answer is yes to all three.

What do you think? Was a fresh name needed to being MSN Messenger into the Windows Live era?

I've been busy labelling a new screenshot of Windows Live Web Messenger to show you all the features that will be available when the service launches into public beta, which should be quite soon. The features include:

• Ability to change your display name, display picture, personal message and status
• Similar look to Windows Live Messenger PC client
• Send emoticons and nudges
• Contact options including groups and word-wheel searching
• No more multiple windows! Multi-chat view to show mini stacked conversations or full window view to show one conversation and then choose others from a list on the right

As we've said before, all signs point to a beta release before the end of this year. An internal dogfood version has been available to Microsoft employees for a while now so they can test Web Messenger and get it ready for the public. However, it is unknown whether Web Messenger will be available separately and integrated into Hotmail, as has been seen in several Hotmail dogfood screenshots.

The feedback page is up, the dogfood entrance site has been updated, and it's actually being recognised by Microsoft, so how much longer until we get to play with the only Windows Live wave 2 product not to have been properly revealed yet?

New screenshot of Windows Live Web Messenger

Following on from absorbation's "belated" post, I thought I'd help out anyone who wants to find an @live.XX where their preferred username has not already been taken by posting a list of direct links to the sign-up pages for each different domain suffix.

• @live.com
• @live.co.uk
• @windowslive.com (2, 3, 4)
• @live.at
• @live.be
• @live.ca
• @live.cl
• @live.cn
• @live.dk
• @live.fr
• @live.de
• @live.hk
• @live.ie
• @live.in
• @live.it
• @live.jp
• @live.nl
• @live.no
• @live.ru
• @live.se
• @live.co.kr
• @live.co.za
• @live.com.ar
• @live.com.au
• @live.com.my
• @live.com.mx
• @live.com.ph
• @live.com.pt
• @live.com.sg

Unfortunately I could not construct working sign-up links for @live.com.pk (for Pakistan) or for @live.com.pe (for Peru), although according to the Live Chronicles blog both should be available. Also, the links I tried for Vietnam and Indonesia didn't work but their domains are just @windowslive.com anyway. Update: Added links for @live.in (for India) and @live.com.ph (for the Philippines).

If any of these links don't work please leave a comment below saying which are broken.

Tips and hints for migration from your old ID to your new @live address

I'm a little late here, but I believe a quick post was needed. No more hacks or dodgy tweaking are needed to get your hands on the new @live email addresses. Yes, you can sign up for your own @live address right now. LiveSide gave this set of hints:



Well this will start of wave a existing contacts adding me on Messenger with a new @live address. I wonder how long it will take for Hotmail to start dieing out and @live to be the king on personal email (@hotmail accounts are everywhere in the UK).

In follow up to yesterday's news, Windows Live Installer has been released and comes with the installation of Windows Live Messenger 8.5 beta 2 (build 8.5.1288).

So what's new? Well nothing really noticeable, just bug fixes according to the offical Messenger blog. Nevertheless, the build is just really to attract users to the new installer as there is no separate download at the moment, unless you download the files below. Here are some facts about the update:

• Windows Live Installer has come under very heavy criticism, all comments tend to be negative, I believe a lot of this comes down to the speed and ease of use of the program.
• It is not compatible with x64 editions of Windows. Unless you try this hack.
• A-Patch and Mess Patch have been updated to work with the new Windows Live Messenger beta.
• Messenger Plus! Live is fully compatible with the new build according to creator Patchou.

Personally, beta is still bloated and annoying to use for me. All my settings have been modified and I'm finding more and more annoying little bugs. If this is what the finished product will be I'm sticking with 8.1. I'm sure these will be addressed by the final release though.

View our pictures of Windows Live Installer
Download Windows Live Suite Installer
Download Windows Live Messenger 8.5.1288 (English) (Mirror)
Download Windows Live Messenger 8.5.1288 (Spanish)
Download Windows Live Messenger 8.5.1288 (Dutch)
Download Windows Live Messenger 8.5.1288 (Arabic)

The ultimate package of Windows Live programs and services will be released today. Windows Live Installer is similar to Google Pack, combining loads of programs for users in one neat package.

I'm a little worried what it will look like though. The new installer system we saw in Windows Live Messenger 8.5 beta is ugly and rather unprofessional. Is this the same route this installer will take? I'll update you when the package is released.

Source: New York Times

This is the first update, presumably of a few, to my news article about what Windows Live wave 2 will mean for Windows Live Messenger. These updates will report about changes and releases, that are part of wave 2, that affect Messenger and that I probably mentioned in my earlier article.

Earlier this week Scott at LiveSide posted about the (fairly) new Windows Live Family Safety (FSS) controls that are available and how they are integrated in Messenger. They require version 8.5 of Messenger, currently in beta and expected to be released as part of wave 2.

Check out his post to find out more about how parents are able to approve or reject contacts that their children try to add to their (associated) accounts and see screenshots of how it is implemented.

Read the post at LiveSide
Sign up for Family Safety
Microsoft press release about FSS
What wave 2 means for Messenger: original post

Today I noticed that the interface for Windows Live Spaces had changed to be more alike to the wave 2 Windows Live products, so no more wispy waves, instead a glassy border. Check it out!

Also I'm not advertising any of my own projects :-O

Edit: After Nile's drunken post (hey, I love Nile's space as much as the next guy) I've found out more about this update. The Space Craft (the official Windows Live Spaces development blog) has a detailed post about the new release, as do LiveSide. The update includes improvements on the lists feature, enchantments to photo galleries, and the availability of Windows Live Spaces in Bulgaria, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. absorbation

Edit 2: I'd only had 1 Guinness that night, but a fair few coffees. Was not drunk! :P aNILEator

Windows Live Spaces
Nile's Live Space
Info on the update