Windows Live Messenger Released

[Osiris]

Microsoft released a tool yesterday to help Windows Live Messenger users with the Shared Folders feature, or more precisely, to help the Messenger development team fix certain issues by providing as much details as possible.

Sharing Assistant will "perform basic diagnostics, package all necessary logs to report feedback, and clean up Shared Folders related components if necessary".

Please note that the Shared Folders feature is currently available in the managed Windows Live Messenger Beta, and to specific regions only.

WARNING: Using the "Cleaner" option in the Sharing Assistant will result in loss of data, such as shared content, cached contacts, etc. It is strongly recommended that you perform clean up after backing up your data, and if -and only if- instructed to do so by Support.

Sharing folders Utility

 

[Osiris]

Just when you thought there wouldn't be anything else interesting for messenger to surface, think again! The good people from the Live Messenger Beta Team have once again launched yet another feature.

"Mimic" is the new feature that was just launched today for MSN Messenger.

Accessible from the activities menu just like the last feature "Music Mix," "Mimic" is an add-on that is for people that enjoy playing pranks on their friends. This new feature is also good for people that just want to pretend they are someone they're really not. Along with this feature there are 8 different “personas” to choose from.

At this point it hasn't been clarified as to when "Mimic" will be available for Windows Live Messenger. After the Windows Live Messenger team released the "Music Mix" feature to work with MSN, we can only hope that they add "Mimic" soon to Live Messenger!

 

[Osiris]

That's right! A new build of Windows Live Messenger has finally been released to testers.

The new "562" build is quite a large change from the previous 365 build. This release offers an entirely new user interface, along with the fact that many of the unliked features have now been removed from the refresh.

Also, one aspect of the program that the WLM Beta Team did not hear much support for has also been removed, therefore we are happy to announce that the classic status icons from MSN Messenger 7.5 have been re-introduced into the new build.

Along with that, the overall stability and reliability of the program seems to have been greatly improved in this build, along with the sign-in process time which also seems to have been reduced.

So keep an eye out on this article, cause as soon as more info is released, it will be posted here!

 

[Osiris]

With the release of Windows Live Messenger build 562 just a few weeks ago, many of the testers were in speculation that it was a full update, but we were wrong.

The 562 build was in fact just a preview of the final refresh. It turns out that the 562 build only contained some of the minor updates and was only a small update for the current testers. The full refresh is expected to have many more updates and should come "real soon now".

"The 562 build some of you got was a preview of the final update build. There are only a few differences from that build but I don't want to spoil any surprises" said the WLM team.

The final refresh is suppose to come via automated update when you sign into WLM. However the update is expected to be slightly delayed from the originally planned date due to a flooding problem after a water line dumped hundreds of gallons of watter into the 1st floor offices of the redmon building including the WLM team offices.

In the meanwhile, the employees have been grouped into offices and workers are working quick to dry the building and get it in working condition again.

 

[mikee]

is there a site to download that new build or do you have to be some sort of special tester?

 

[Osiris]

its can be both

 

[KSoD]

Technically you have to be an "Official Tester" of WLM to get the build refresh. But it has leaked. Mess.be might have some info for you to check out. Either that or some other sites that i know of. But cant say here.

 

[Osiris]

EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft plans to roll its Passport authentication service into the Windows Live family of Web services by 2007, renaming it to Windows Live ID, BetaNews has learned.

While the company is keeping mum on specifics, the service would make use of Microsoft's new InfoCard technology.

 

[Osiris]

Remember that little talk about how the 562 build of Windows Live Messenger was just a preview; well here comes the bride... I mean the build. Build 566 of WLM is to be released on February 28th according to the WLM team blog.

The build will feature some noticeable updates, mainly the layout of the Contact List, the tabs have now been repositioned inside the main window, the spacing between each contact has been reduced to allow more contacts to be viewable in the window (= less scrolling) and the avatar preview and display name/personal messages boxes are finally back to the left side again.

A few of the minor updates include the fact that the menus are now only available through the drop down menu, meaning you can no longer expand or minimize the window frame like before. Also, the ink/type tabs in the conversation window have been moved to the right side closer to your display picture.

It has also been announced that the WLM team is working on new status icons that both look good and show the status at the same time.

 

[KSoD]

If anyone is still looking for invites to this check out this site.....
http://getlivemessenger.com/

I just sent 60 invites there so there should still be some left.