The sleek design and simple interface of the Windows Live Messenger iPhone application attracts users of its desktop counterpart as well as new users looking for a more streamlined IM program. The application is free and can be downloaded from the App Store within seconds.

After the sign-in page, where the user can sign-in with their Windows Live ID or Hotmail account, the social tab will be displayed. This is where the user will be able to view updates and links from friends posting from social network sites such as Facebook or MySpace. These social networks can be set up in the user’s online Windows Live profile.

The friends tab includes a searchable friends list and a quick way to add friends. The user has the option to add a message, but the only information needed is the friend’s email address. To start chatting with a friend, the user simply taps the friend’s name and the application will bring them to a new chat window. The chat tab will keep up with all of the user’s chats. Each chat uses the iPhone’s QWERTY keyboard along with an easily accessible emoticon keyboard. IMs are viewable through push notifications even when Windows Live Messenger is closed.

Users are also able to swap pictures with their contacts. Pictures can be uploaded directly from the iPhone to Windows Live Messenger, where the user can create albums and add captions.

The user can access their Hotmail account directly from Windows Live Messenger. Notifications are displayed for new emails so the user can check and reply to emails without leaving the application.

Windows Live Messenger for iPhone is a multi-functioning, efficient IM client that allows users to carry their messenger in their pocket.

When Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone was announced I was somewhat under-whelmed - what could Microsoft do that third-party products had not already? Well it turns out not that much. But if you only use Windows Live Messenger as your only IM client then keep reading.

eBuddy and Meebo produce some of the finest examples of instant messaging applications for the iPhone. Feature rich, highly-polished design and an user-friendly interface are at the core of these products. Microsoft may be late to the game, but that doesn’t stop it providing solid competition. The main difference? Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone is very specific in its features and is designed for users of the desktop client. So let's take a look at what the app has to offer.


Going social

The social pane, introduced in Windows Live Messenger 2011 also makes an appearance in Messenger for the iPhone, delivering updates about your friends from various social networking websites. The feature is nearly identical to its desktop counterpart and so if this has become an essential part of your IM experience, I would recommend this iPhone app above any other web messenger straightaway. However, if you're like me and don't find the content relevant, you may just skip this part of the application altogether.


Contact list

Your Messenger buddies are organized much the same way as Windows Live Messenger itself. A list of contacts, the way you like systematized will be right at your fingertips, along with an individual personal message, display picture and status. Adding a new contact is a simple operation. This highlights what is great about the app: Microsoft are not attempting to offer a watered down substitute - this truly is Windows Live Messenger in your pocket.


The contact list will feel familar


Conversations

Chatting can be summed up in three words: straightforward, clean and modern. There is no cluster of buttons to search through - each message is color coded, the conversation layout varies on who is speaking, while switching between the QWERTY keyboard and emoticon panel is nothing short of design genius. This is a true example of where less is more.


Chatting has never been simpler with this well designed user interface

Push notifications are a significant plus, as is being able to manage your logins from multiple locations. A list of active conversations makes it easier to shift through friends with whom you are talking, while simultaneously displaying their current status.




Windows Live Messenger specific features

• The social pane to show what your contacts are saying on other social networking services
• Photo sharing to swap your favorite photos and images with your friends
• Organizing your contacts how you wish - via their display name, your personal name, groups and the favorites section
• The ability to nudge your buddies

To sum up ...

Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone is a masterpiece as far as its development team should be concerned. It is lightweight yet feature rich, which is exactly the point of having IM on the go! I honestly hope they never add another feature, as the app provides everything I need (and a little more) in Messenger. Microsoft has hit the right target demographic as I expect the average age of its mobile users is higher than those who use its desktop equivalent (I don't need skins or scripts here, thank you very much).

I rarely give Microsoft great credit for Windows Live Messenger, but for once I'm happy to provide some positive criticism. So if you are an iPhone owner and Windows Live Messenger is the only IM client you use then by all means download Messenger for the iPhone.

So, what's your opinion?

View Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone at the Apple App Store

Microsoft have released Windows Live Messenger for iPhone to the Apple App Store. After being unveiled in May we at MsgStuff have finally got our hands on Microsoft's new method of distributing Windows Live Messenger.

Windows Live Messenger for iPhone supports instant messaging (obviously), push notifications, sending and managing friend invitations, conversation management, offline messaging and social networking features. The app boasts an impressive array of features presented in a highly-polished, easy-to-use interface, all for free.

Expect our review and in-depth feature list later this week.

Download Windows Live Messenger for iPhone
Read the announcement over at the Windows Team Blog

The weekend has witnessed what Wave 4 has to offer and much of the attention has focused on what's coming for Windows Live Messenger 2010. We've attempted to provide a brief summary of the various related news stories.


Greater social networking integration

The Messenger team have focused on expanding their userbase through the social networking market:



New screenshots have revealed much of the focus is going to be on Facebook Chat integration, with dedicated conversation windows been provided:






Messenger on your iPhone

Perhaps the most exciting news to emerge this weekend is the unveiling of Windows Live Messenger for the iPhone. According to Neowin’s coverage:









Messenger Connect

Microsoft have unveiled new ways for web developers to integrate Windows Live Messenger users into their website, allowing them to use their Windows Live profile, Messenger contacts and personal credentials securely from one account. It works in a similar fashion similar to Facebook Connect. You can read more over at Windows Live Blog.


Hi-def video chat, real-time photo sharing and video voicemail

Microsoft have made live their Windows Live preview website, which gives an overview of what users can expect from Wave 4 Windows Live products. It signals a push to get users talking about Wave 4, perhaps in the mists of releasing a public beta of Windows Live Essentials in the near future.

Video chat quality has been improved, the photo-sharing feature is more interactive and in real-time, while users can how send short video-messages to offline contacts that will play when they next sign in. The upcoming version appears to be significantly enhancing current Messenger features.



The build-up to Windows Live Wave 4 is truly underway. Expect greater coverage to come. For now check out the video below for an overview:

The world's largest web-messenger service, Meebo now provides a free iPhone application for its users. Those who own one of Apple's mobile phones can now use their web messenger conveniently while they are on the go.

Some of the features included within the app are:

• Access to all your buddies (AIM, Gmail, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo, Facebook, Myspace, etc)
• Receive push notifications when you get a new IM, even when the app is closed
• Flick between multiple conversation windows
• Type in landscape and portrait mode
• Manage your chat sessions as you switch back and forth between the Meebo iPhone app and meebo.com
• Synchronized chat history between your iPhone and meebo.com

The Meebo for iPhone app now competes with the great success of eBuddy for the iPhone, which is currently one of the most popular apps within Apple's store.



View Meebo for the iPhone

Since the eBuddy app for the iPhone and iPod Touch was released back in July it has been a commercial success and is now one of the most popular apps to ever hit Apple's monopolistic mobile applications store. With over 4 million downloads the eBuddy team have been working hard to add new features in a timely fashion.


Pro users can now customise the app with themes

Pro users have the ability to customise their mobile eBuddy with themes, an important new feature within the update. As eBuddy supports push notifications it is desirable to constantly have the client running, even when you may be away. The new auto-away feature allows users to set their status to away after a specific time interval.

The new build also boasts several bug fixes and added customisation over the use of push notifications. All in all the eBuddy team have provided a solid update and users should update to receive the full benefit. If you're new to eBuddy for iPhone download the app from the store (for free) today.

Source: eBuddy blog - eBuddy for iPhone update

Technology website Neowin has revealed sources that point to active development on an official set of iPhone applications for Microsoft products, specifically targeted at Bing and Windows Live Messenger. While specifics on the Messenger app are not currently known, a timescale of Spring 2010 has been put on the program's release date:



In what may seem a bold move by Microsoft to release products for a strong competitor's device, there is a strong sense of growing support for Apple's products in Microsoft's software applications. This of course should be celebrated as it gives more to the end user. Nevertheless, with the vast array of IM apps for the iPhone that already do a fantastic job one could question whether Microsoft is too late to join this game?

Neowin also teased at knowing the future UI for Windows Live Messenger 2010, which it claimed would be revealed later this week.

Source: Neowin - Microsoft planning Bing and Messenger iPhone apps

After over two years of development, the popular new IM re-birth of Trillian known as Trillian Astra has come to the iPhone in a notable way. However, one may question whether it stands out from its competitors, particularly over cost.

Although other iPhone web messengers are available and do a great job, Trillian Astra has a layer of polish that is both engaging and fun for the end user. The interface is beautiful, feature packed and its simplicity over integration should be noted. Trillian for the iPhone is rather simply "clean, concise, and coherent". The catch? Currently priced at $4.99 the key question is this app value for money? In many ways yes; this is a feature packed app with a lot to offer and a serious consideration for iPhone users who IM on the go. If you only casually IM on your phone however, then you may struggle to find value in Trillian for the iPhone.

Visit the Trillian for iPhone website

Speedlinking posts are where I organise all my bookmarks and go over some small news items over the past couple of weeks (or in this case, a month) and write them up here. As ever we aim to deliver all news, no matter how mediocre they may seem, so let's get it out of the way in this post.

• eBuddy reveals statistics (17th July): It may interest you to know the popularity of the hit web messenger. Its new iPhone App reached the top spot in the App Store in 40 countries within the past week, their Mobile Messenger has been downloaded 25 million times and over 1,750,000,000 are sent with eBuddy each week. [Read more]
  
  
• Trillian Astra enters public beta (19th June): The IM buzz for several years now has been about the future of Trillian and we have been posting about it for a long time. The Windows and Web version has entered a public beta phase for everyone to try out. [Read more]
  
  
• 10 IM Apps for the iPhone (15th July): A recent article I came across at theAppleBlog gives an overview of the various IM apps available for the iPhone and presents a rounded and informed overview of each. [Read more]
  
  
• MessengerDiscovery 2.0.48 (10th July): The update provides 12 important bug fixes, new API features and an improved tray menu among several other things. According to Matt via his Twitter feed the update was due some weeks before, but was delayed as he had the flu. [Read more]
  
  
• LiveScratcher public beta (16th July): This week we talked about what TheBlasphemer was doing in 2009, where his new project, LiveScratcher was discussed. Now an early build has been uploaded for Messenger developers to experiment with. If your interested, give it a go. [Read more]

This week the eBuddy team have released eBuddy for iPhone and iPod Touch to the Apple App Store, in a move to make their web messenger a truly mobile, on-the-go experience. With iPhone contracts typically allowing unlimited Internet usage, the app aims to provide your IM client wherever and whenever you want. With push notifications you can always be connected even when using the device's other features.

The application is simple, easy to use and just works. It obvious has had a lot of care taken in its development phase to produce an app that competitors such as Meebo simply do not provide. Specifically designed for the iPhone's latest 3.0 software update (yet compatible with previous versions) eBuddy for your iPhone and iPod Touch offers these main features:

• One buddy list for MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, and Facebook
• Stay online when you exit the app
• Get push notifications for incoming messages when you exit the app
• Reconnect automatically if connection is lost
• Get offline messages after reconnecting
• Get new message alerts & typing alerts in the chat screen
• Easily switch between chats by swiping your screen
• Shake your iPhone or iPod Touch to send a buzzer

The product is still in its early stages, but is one of the great few free apps available in the store. Future updates will allow more features and hopefully address issues such as only allowing to be signed in for 30-minute periods. On the whole however, anyone who wants to use IM at any time or in any place should definitely consider this wonderful program. eBuddy for the iPhone gives it the edge over popular competitor Meebo.

Download the eBuddy App for the iPhone/ iPod Touch
Source: Now in the App Store… eBuddy for iPhone & iPod Touch (eBuddy blog)
Visit the eBuddy website for more details