The next-generation Messenger arrived on the scene towards the end of 2006. The name is new, but it’s still free to download Messenger and use most of its features including free emoticons for msn.
Why have MSN have changed the name of the name to Windows Live Messenger? It’s a bit of a mouthful isn’t it? Some people call it msn 8. I guess it’s easier to remember.
There aren’t too many sites that do customized emoticons and smileys for Windows Live Messenger…that’s because most people are still calling it MSN Messenger or MSN 7.0. Windows Live Messenger doesn’t add any customization features so I guess it’s pointless to create emoticons and smileys for Windows Live Messenger when it’s the same as MSN Messenger. It’s all a bit confusing really…so why did they change the name?! Ben Barren, a blogger explains why he doesn’t think it should be called ‘Windows Live’ in a post he wrote recently.
New features
The new features of Windows Live Messenger are:
PC 2 PC Calling: Windows Live Messenger has a high-quality voice conversation using PC-to-PC Calling.
Even better video conversations: Windows Live Messenger gives you live, full-screen video
Sharing Folders: Drag a file onto a contact’s name with Windows Live Messenger. You’ve just created a Sharing Folder. Now you and your contact can get to all the files in the folder any time, even if one of you is offline
Text message their phones: See a little mobile icon next to a friend's name? Just right click to send a text message in Windows Live Messenger
Two-way super-powered address page: With Windows Live Messenger Contacts, whenever your contacts update their information, it will also be changed in your Messenger address book. Instantly. (Your Windows Live Mail address book will be updated, too)
Windows Live Alerts: Headlines, sports scores, traffic, or just about anything else you want to keep up with—get pop-up notifications of things as they happen in Windows Live Messenger
Ability to talk to Yahoo friends: The world's largest IM network just got bigger--and better! Now you can talk to your friends who use Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. You can also use free msn emoticons. Get yahoo emoticons and yahoo smileys and chat with your yahoo buddies. See when they're online and communicate with them directly from Windows Live Messenger using msn emoticons and yahoo smileys
Reviews and chat
I had a quick look around for reviews and chat about MSN Messenger and this is what I found:
To find more about the next generation Windows Live Messenger features take a look at this link
There’s also a cool blog here about what’s inside Windows Live Messenger
The Windows Live Messenger team have just released a beta for Windows Live Messenger on your mobile. I’ve tried it and it’s pretty cool.
The beta version of Windows Live Messenger 8.1 can be downloaded now
Steve Clayton, a Microsoft ‘Geek in Disguise’ reviews it on his blog:
A CNet review gives Windows Live Messnger 8 out of 10
Softpedia think Windows Live Messenger is pretty cool too in their article ‘MSN Messenger with a snazzy name’
What if you just want old-fashioned instant messaging?
MSN say: ‘We’re all over it. Windows Live™ Messenger will still give you immediate text chat, with customizable fonts, emoticons, animated winks, a white board, and more. And, as always, your Hotmail contact list will be accessible through Messenger, and you will be able to see who has recently updated their Spaces blog—look for a little gleam next to their name.’
So it seems that everything you loved about MSN Messenger 7 is included. Smilies msn will still be there. Customise your MSN Messenger experience with msn pictures to show emotions msn.
View the Official Windows Live Messenger blog at http://spaces.msn.com/MessengerSays/
Archieve Overview of MSN Messenger 6.2 |
