With news posts always being added, the archives may not help you enough. So I have made a search tool that should make it easier to find the old news posts you want, however, it will list every result you search for, this means everything, it is not narrowed down too much, so be careful with the keywords you use. Enjoy!



Your search query returned 19 results.

Facebook chat arrives for iPhone app, coming soon to web messenger
Posted by absorbation on Sun 19 Sep 2010 (21:53 GMT) (9972 views)
Facebook integration has been at the heart of the latest beta for Windows Live Messenger 2011, so it doesn't seem unusual for Microsoft to implement the feature away from its main desktop client.

Neowin reports that Windows Live Web Messenger will soon integrate your Facebook friends alongside your Windows Live contacts:

When hovering over the Messenger link in the header a Facebook category appears on this site. The status of contacts is shown just like within Messenger, if a friend is available to chat to they have a green icon and an orange one for away; if you are also friends with them in Messenger then they can also be set to busy which is a red icon.



The official Windows Live Messenger iPhone app has been updated to support full Facebook integration, allowing you to chat to your friends on the popular social networking website as if they were your normal Messenger contacts.



These two updates show how seriously Microsoft is attempting to capitalise on the social networking market, which has been responsible for the decline of a younger demographic of instant messenger users.


Benefits of Windows Live Messenger iPhone application [Guest opinion]
Posted by James Mowery on Fri 30 Jul 2010 (22:27 GMT) (22772 views)
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.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to monitors.


Windows Live Messenger for iPhone: Hands-on
Posted by absorbation on Thu 22 Jul 2010 (20:04 GMT) (18063 views)
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


Windows Live Messenger 2011 public beta released
Posted by absorbation on Fri 25 Jun 2010 (16:55 GMT) (62845 views)
A public beta of Windows Live Messenger 2011 has been released by Microsoft. Coming part of an extensive package of Windows Live Essential's new betas, Microsoft's IM client has received an array of new features and improvements for users to test before the application's official release expected mid-August.


Some observations we've made

  • The build number is 15.3.2804.607.

  • Display names have been replaced by real names associated with that particular Windows Live ID. This is a significant change, most probably associated with Messenger's social networking push. Some users however, have expressed concerns over the idea, with worries over privacy for those who choose not to publish their real identities.
    • Microsoft MVP CookieRevisied has criticized the feature, stating: "This isn't about 'getting used to changes' or 'getting rid of the old and going forward in time', or even a 'personal taste of a feature' or whatever, this is all about privacy!"


  • The multiple location login feature introduced in Windows Live Messenger 2009 has received further integration, allowing you to control all devices currently connected to Messenger. This works particularly well if you're using the Messenger for iPhone app released this week.

  • The contact list has received several UI modifications, allowing you to remove the "social pane" feature and maintain the classic design using several columns for organizing friends.

  • The main contact list features a larger square advertisements, while the text promotion feature at the bottom of the conservation window has been replaced by an image banner. [Read our previous discussions on the new Messenger advertisements]

  • Contact sorting has become highly customized. You can order your contacts by their online status, if they are favorites, by specific groups, who you appear offline to and "others".

  • The UI has remained mostly unchanged in terms of color scheme and layout. Previous Windows Live betas have witnessed significant UI modifications.

  • Facebook is fully integrated into the build. Status updates are synchronized and you can share information between the applications.

  • Toast notifications are larger and more rectangular, featuring a more simple design:



  • Keywords are underlined within conversations which then become searchable. Links to YouTube and other services also receive thumbnail previews which then play embedded into the client (pretty cool, even if it is a little buggy at the moment).

  • There has been no word on whether a compatible Messenger Plus! Live will be released for the beta. Based on previous releases however, Patchou is likely to provide a beta build within the next couple of weeks.



Community impressions

Having kept a close eye on the Windows Live Essentials beta page all of yesterday I was excited when my download started at around 19:30 (BST). The installer was simple to say the least: it lacked any sort of solid GUI and after waiting a long 20 minutes for it to complete I was ready to sign in.

My first impressions were positive, the layout looked slick and although the social pane was hardly relevant (just having Facebook notifications in it would be ideal for me) I quickly switched to the classic contact list and marveled at the obvious implementation of sorting contacts into columns - why didn't they think of this before!

The honeymoon period quickly ended however, as the program began to repeatedly crash upon signing in. Then the impressions of others began to hit my computer screen thick and fast: most of which were negative - issues over installing, signing in and the privacy changes plagued any new positive features. Yes Messenger is buggy but I'm trying to forgive it, after-all it is a beta for a reason.

ZDNet blogger Zack Whittaker likened the Essentials beta as “watching a clown run across a minefield.” While Peter Bright over at Arstechnica praised the small design decisions noting a "cleaner and crisper" appearance that incorporates more whitespace. There has been a mixed set of opinions.

From experience there is typically a lukewarm response to any sizable Messenger upgrade. Microsoft however, are moving in a new direction and it seems like the right decision. The Windows Live Messenger 2011 public beta is no panacea to the IM/ social networking gap, but Microsoft seem to be the only company attempting to change that position in order to fire some energy back into its flagship instant messaging service.


Screenshots

Screenshot: Installer privacy settings
Screenshot: Social pane
Screenshot: Classic contact list
Screenshot: Contact list - large contacts
Screenshot: Multi-column contact list
Screenshot: Conservation window
Screenshot: Tabbed chatting
Screenshot: Facebook integration
Screenshot: About window

View our gallery of screenshots for the previous leaked beta back in March
Download Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta


Windows Live Messenger for iPhone released
Posted by absorbation on Thu 24 Jun 2010 (17:42 GMT) (28420 views)
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



Now it's leaked: What do users think of Messenger 2010?
Posted by absorbation on Tue 23 Mar 2010 (19:30 GMT) (10667 views)
In case you didn't already know, Windows Live Messenger 2010 build 15.2.2583.119 leaked last week and has since been floating around on various BitTorrent trackers. Although the build was never intended for public release, it gave Messenger fans their first hand-on with what Microsoft has been developing over the past year. I've been analysing what the community has been discussing and asking users for feedback.

The initial flow of reactions came from the Messenger Plus! forums, where users started to discuss the leak and post screenshots. Unfortunately most feedback was on the negative side. Commenting on the new social networking features, one regular member said:

It's OK. Not liking the social mode much yet, although maybe once it'll allow me to connect to Facebook and Twitter properly it may be better ...

I liked the look of the emoticons from the preview screenshot, but after using them I dislike them.



Another user enjoyed how Windows 7 compatiablity was complete:

Only thing I remotely like is the Win 7 integration which it all finally seems to be working right ... It's no great improvement to WLM 2009 I reckon. If they want Windows Live Messenger to become a "social networking hub" then they need to implement different steps. The social stream has the potential to work but the split screen contact list alongside the stream does not work well, the text is bulky and large, doesn't work well without images.



MenthiX, scripts and skins database manager for Messenger Plus! had a more positive view:

I don't think the leaked build is a good version to base our opinion of Live Messenger 2010 on. The leaked build is still a very early version with a lot of missing features and bugs. I don't recommend people install it other than on virtual machines. We already saw screenshots of newer builds over a month ago which are more polished, these just aren't available to the public yet.

As far as the new features go: I think they are heading in the right direction by making Messenger more social. While I'm not a huge fan of the social networks, it is the global trend and Messenger is currently loosing users to Facebook and Twitter. People are already creating scripts to sync their personal messages with their social networks, what Microsoft is trying to do in Messenger 2010 seems like a natural step. And for those who don't like it there is a single option which will turn the contactlist back to what we are used to from Messenger 2009 and you'll never have to see the social stream again. Both type of users can be happy. But the interface needs more polishing, especially the social mode looks bloated. Fonts are oversized and there is just too much going on. A giant square ad isn't helping either ...

All together, when the polish up the interface and make it look cleaner I think Messenger 2010 can be a nice new version. Hopefully we'll get to see improved builds soon."



Our admin Chris seemed to think the application needed a face lift:

The idea behind it is good, connecting everyone to their social networks they are apart of, but they need to rethink the design, its 2010 - which in my opinion is all about clean, simple user interfaces.



When asked about the leak, Jonathan Kay, a Microsoft Most Valued Professional and Messenger enthusiast told Messenger Stuff:

Well I don't think it's really a big deal, we'd all seen the leaked screenshots anyway so any "damage" was already done. As most of the new social functionality doesn't seem to be working, we can't even really see what that's completely all about. I don't think there's much incentive for anyone to actually use it right now either.



Perhaps more interesting is how one of the exclusive testers of the leaked build, Nigel Ansell, detailed on his Facebook profile an estimated timeline for Wave 4 product releases:

  • 28 April VIP testers will get access to latest builds
  • 18 May WL2010 M3 RTW
  • 3 June Complete Public disclosure
  • 7 June Public Beta Day
  • 7 June iPhone main languages Messenger
  • 25 August iPhone additional languages Messenger + PUBLIC RTW


I can agree with most of the reactions within the community. I'm not a a fan of the new social panel, nor do I believe Microsoft has revolutionised its IM client enough to compete with new social networking challenges. Overall, considering this build was never meant to see the light of day, Microsoft are making features that users have been asking for, even if they may not yet be fully ready.



Meebo app now available for iPhone
Posted by absorbation on Tue 02 Mar 2010 (01:03 GMT) (18124 views)
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


eBuddy for iPhone update adds several new features
Posted by absorbation on Tue 02 Feb 2010 (21:07 GMT) (19301 views)
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



Official Windows Live Messenger app coming to iPhone
Posted by absorbation on Wed 09 Dec 2009 (16:46 GMT) (16483 views)
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:

Both applications are likely to be released alongside the upcoming Windows Live Wave 4 updates due in approximately March 2010. Neowin understands that Windows Live is working aggressively to move its applications onto the iPhone. Last week Microsoft principal group program manager David Raissipour confirmed to Cnet news that "We are actively working on it" when questioned over the Bing iPhone plans.



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


Messenger in your pocket: Trillian for iPhone released
Posted by absorbation on Mon 23 Nov 2009 (20:26 GMT) (18188 views)
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