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What's New In The Windows Live Wave Betas
Posted by Kevin Purdy at 9:00 PM on September 18, 2008
Microsoft rolled out yesterday a new suite of updated betas for its web-connected Windows Live software, which includes Live Writer, Movie Maker, Mail, Photo Gallery, and three others. Some of the Live apps—-which you can now download as a suite or individually—gained a few notable features and tweaks, while others simply earned a brighter coat of paint. I installed the whole "Live Wave 3," took notes on what was notable, and grabbed a few screenshots as well:
Live Mail
The big addition to this souped-up version of Windows Vista's default mail handler is a calendar function that syncs with your Live Calendar. The calendar itself is a pretty clean-looking affair, with a white background and the month name transparently embedded in the background. Hopefully, they'll add calendar subscription options to Mail in the final release, rather than making you head to the web calendar to add an iCal file or link. There's also no apparent place to set your default appointment preferences or quick-add an event from a text line.
You can, however, right-click any email you see in Live Mail and select "Add to calendar"—but by "add," at least at this point, Live Mail really means "reply and add a calendar input box to the toolbar":
So, Live Mail's calendar has a long way to go to match even Yahoo Calendar in the features and convenience realm, but what it does offer is tight integration with your Windows address book (which gets populated by Office and Outlook use) and live syncing to Windows Live web services, which is, well, the whole point here. Let's move on.
Live Writer
The actual meat of this neat, under-touted app hasn't changed all that much since our screenshot tour of tips and tweaks. It did, however, add a few more blog formats it's comfortable hooking into, and you can now quickly grab and embed videos from YouTube—from your own account, your favourites, or elsewhere—without having to touch a single bit of HTML. Live Writer remains one of the best ways to edit a blog for both novices and experienced writers who just don't want to mess around with their platform's web interface.
Live Messsenger
Full disclosure: I could only think of one friend, offline at the time, who uses MSN Messenger, so I apologise for the rather empty screenshot.
Of all the Live Wave 3 apps, Messenger got the truest overhaul. The LiveSide.net blog has already done the yeoman's work of detailing all the new features and interface changes, but here's a quick hit list:
- Integration with your computer's shared folders and the Live Skydrive service.
- Uber-customisation of your icon, shaded border, and even the background that appears on your chat window and any contacts'.
- You can receive messages and sign on from multiple computers.
- "Signature sounds" let you have a sound play on contacts' computers when you message them (and it can, of course, be turned off by the inevitably annoyed).
- Easy photo sharing—just hit "Photos" in the chat window, select your photo, and the contact sees it, even if it's not clear how to save it.
Live Photo Gallery
Like the latest update to Picasa Web Albums, Live Photo Gallery is all about faces—auto-identifying them in pictures, asking you to identify who they are, then matching them up with your Windows Contacts book or (preferably) a Messenger contact. That would make it easy to, say, instantly share with your friend Joe every picture you have with him in it. You can do this photo-by-photo, or set Photo Gallery to auto-scan through your pics and identify people in a batch of the photos they're in. Nifty stuff, and if you prefer a cleaner, less cluttered interface than that of Picasa, you'll find what you're looking for in Photo Gallery.
Other app updates
Windows Live Movie Maker: I couldn't give this one much of a try, since it basically supports only Windows Media files for editing. And I use the term "editing" loosely; even the (normally enthusiastic) LiveSide blog calls this a concept piece more than usable software. It can't trim clips (seriously?) or show you a visual timeline, mix audio in or out, or work with any service other than MS' own Soapbox. If you want a light but functional editor, stick with Vista's Movie Maker.
Toolbar: Ties Internet Explorer together with your Live services, offering quick-links to your Windows Live Mail, Photos, Calendar, and Live Search, along with a page translation button and feed-updated links from MSNBC.
That's my take on all the new Windows Live offerings. What features or changes have you liked seeing in the new betas? What would you want to see added before you consider taking the dive into Live? Let's hear both sides in the comments.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
13atman
Posted September 19, 2008 12:08 PM
Overall impresions are as follows:
Live writer- very good. Better feel overall. Doest what its' meant to do.
Mail - Havent used it. I would rather use the online clients for looking at email as I have enough crap in running as it is.
WLM- Its got its good and its bad points. Hopefully patchou (the guy who made msn plus can get some kinda compatibility going. Lack of tabbed chats is rather annoying. Definitely an upgrade to 8.5, however not sure it was a good idea to sacrifice useability in favour of aesthetics. Then again thats what vista did..soooooo ...
Praveen
Posted September 19, 2008 4:48 PM
Live Photo Gallery:
"You can do this photo-by-photo, or set Photo Gallery to auto-scan through your pics and identify people in a batch of the photos they're in.
Did anyone find how to make Photo Gallery to auto scan for people faces? I couldn't find it myself...
Nabeel Ahmed
Posted 9:43 PM 18/9/08
@kmkl:
That's the default colour scheme. I think it's really customizable, you can choose most shades of almost every color.
Nabeel Ahmed
kmkl
Posted 9:29 PM 18/9/08
Whats with the bright blue colour scheme?
kmkl
Nabeel Ahmed
Posted 9:25 PM 18/9/08
Some the Live apps--which you can now download as a suite or individually
Isn't it supposed to be "some of the Live apps"?
Nabeel Ahmed
cbiggins
Posted 9:55 PM 18/9/08
@Nabeel Ahmed: ergh... Come on, whats it matter? Everybody knows whats being said...
I'm looking forward to giving some of these a whirl.. It stresses me a little, having so many good options for things (ie, picasa or Live... what to choose, what to choose?)
cbiggins
Graviticvortex
Posted 10:27 PM 18/9/08
Wow, and i as an European have always been wondering who actually uses AIM...
Personally i havnt ever known anyone who uses AIM, and as for ICQ all people i know who have been using ICQ have all switched to MSN/Live messenger years ago.
But, more to the point: as i understand Live mail, still doesnt have ability to sync with Windows Mobile devices?
Its about time for Micrsosoft to fix that, since they dont ship outlook with new devices anymore.
Graviticvortex
Stuck
Posted 10:25 PM 18/9/08
They still use ICQ in Germany? Funny how software get picked up diffrently in diffrent countries. In Sweden everyone, and i mean everyone use Live Messenger.
I use Digsby nowdays but i only use MSN and Facebook for IM.
Stuck
icedicicle
Posted 10:13 PM 18/9/08
Wonder what's behind the rather polar trends when it comes to Instant Messaging.
The whole of America uses AIM.
More or less the whole of East-Asia is hooked on Live Messenger.
ICQ is the way to go in Germany.
What gives? Thank god for multi-protocol open-source godsends like Miranda and Pidgin.
icedicicle
ethanthekiwi
Posted 10:12 PM 18/9/08
I love it how Microsoft comes out with "new" stuff six months after every one else.
ethanthekiwi
yachius
Posted 11:16 PM 18/9/08
I actually like Windows Live Mail as a light alternative to Thunderbird and a great deal more than Outlook. If only it had TLS support...
yachius
tcatnat
Posted 11:05 PM 18/9/08
@Graviticvortex: Live Mail does sync with Windows Mobile devices. I have been using on my HTC Touch for about 3-4 months now. It is not pre-installed though.
tcatnat
landonmiller
Posted 11:02 PM 18/9/08
Honestly, why doesn't messenger do something to compete with the others? Tabbed chats, this is a must have for me...
landonmiller
MichaelBrazell
Posted 11:02 PM 18/9/08
I've switched over to Gtalk, but I do sync up my old AIM screen name with it. The reason America is on AIM is because AOL was such a well known ISP in the 1990s and people naturally associated that with the screen name/IM phenomenon. Even once AIM became available for other ISPs, the AOL subscriber base kept everybody on AIM, and it's just continued.
I think we're going to begin to see a reduction in AIM over the next few years, as sites like Facebook have built in IM clients. Facebook has already displaced a lot of IM communication for young people, and it'll continue to.
MichaelBrazell
tcatnat
Posted 11:00 PM 18/9/08
So does Live Messenger work on Windows Vista now? I have had two Vista machines for a year now and have not been able to get Messenger to work on either one of them.
tcatnat
Ortzinator
Posted 11:43 PM 18/9/08
Live Writer is awesome but it doesn't work with my theme.
Ortzinator
ChambrasWeed
Posted 11:28 PM 18/9/08
I only use Live writer because it is really good for blog writing I would say that is the only MS product that i really enjoy using. Hope they added more dictionaries I remember it is kind of trickie to add them.
ChambrasWeed
fairlane64
Posted 12:24 AM 19/9/08
I don't seem to see anywhere what the upload limits are for Windows Live Photos, SkyDrive, etc. For example with Picasa Web Albums I get 1GB of photo space for free. Does anyone know?
fairlane64
hjuliao
Posted 12:21 AM 19/9/08
I downloaded the suite last night and it is awesome, they finally added the calendar to the mail client, live witter is the best tool for publishing blogs, photo gallery is not as good as picasa but it's pretty awesome, and the live messenger is by far the best IM client out there. All these products integrate really well with Vista and you can customize the color theme on all the products so that it matches the theme of the OS.
BTW tcatnat Live messenger has always work with Vista.
Not sure that you're doing wrong.
hjuliao
Varming
Posted 12:20 AM 19/9/08
I have to install this when I get home - I use Live Mail and Live Messenger all the time. Live Messenger is also the main IM here in Denmark for sure.
Varming
Ferox
Posted 12:12 AM 19/9/08
I only use windows live for the Foldershare-Feature. It is invaluable when working with 2 or more PCs...
Ferox
icedicicle
Posted 12:10 AM 19/9/08
@landonmiller: It dosen't really have to. After AIM it has the next largest slice of the IM market. Besides, if you want tabbed-chats you can always go the open source route. Miranda + TabSRMM is the way to go.
icedicicle
drsphincter
Posted 12:48 AM 19/9/08
"What's New in the Windows Live Wave Betas?"
Answer: Who cares?
drsphincter
dannymalt
Posted 2:02 AM 19/9/08
In Canada, Live Messenger is for sure the #1. I actually thought it was that way the world over. I am surprised to hear down south (being America) that this AIM is very popular. In fact I hate my hotmail email account (i'd rather use gmail) but I keep it, because I use Live messenger so often.
So Lifehacker, perhaps you could to a piece on messenger programs. Which one is best, the features, and each ones popularity (in the world not just in America). Just a suggestion.
dannymalt
Asian Angel
Posted 1:49 AM 19/9/08
While I have the suite installer (dropper file), I am still waiting to get all of the separate install files. For me there is nothing more irritating than dropper files that want to download directly from the server (totally useless for my purposes). Give me separate files please. ^__^
I have already been able to download Live Photo Gallery, Live Writer, and Live Toolbar separately at Softpedia. Now all I am waiting on are Live Messenger and Live Mail. ^__^
Live Messenger is the #2 messenger on my computers. My #1 is Yahoo Messenger (Singapore version). ^__^
Looking at the comments and the messengers that are mentioned, it seems to be a mix of Yahoo and MSN/Live messengers among my family and friends.
Asian Angel
angielouwhos
Posted 1:43 AM 19/9/08
I would imagine the millions of people that use messenger probably care :)
angielouwhos
bagano
Posted 2:12 AM 19/9/08
yes, live messenger has virtually 100% of users in the uk too - a few have yahoo, but i know no-one with aim/icq/gtalk. As far as i can see live messenger is actually a very good MS product
bagano
Laur
Posted 2:36 AM 19/9/08
64bit machines are still not supported. Just so you know.
Laur
frankell
Posted 2:35 AM 19/9/08
No mention about WindowsLive FolderShare(beta)?! it's the only WindowsLive software I use + it's working very well !
[www.foldershare.com]
frankell
Rhywun
Posted 2:32 AM 19/9/08
Yep, here in America I don't know anyone who uses MSN Messenger either. But with more and more multi-protocol clients it doesn't really matter so much (at least, if you're just doing text).
Rhywun
ez10
Posted 3:06 AM 19/9/08
Here in my part of America which includes and included Las Vegas NV, Detroit MI, and Jax FL I don't know anyone who uses or has used AOL or AIM since the 90's... I do have friends in Canada and they all use MSN... But I'm not sure where in America people use AIM...
I'm to the point where i'm using less and less Microsoft products... I agree with ethanthekiwi(post #5), by the time Microsoft products come out it's already too late for me... I use these functions elsewhere, and they never offer anything worth switching for.
ez10
jupiterthunder
Posted 4:50 AM 19/9/08
@landonmiller:
I always find it interesting/humorous that we say things are "a must-have" when we functioned without them just fine so recently that we can actually remember not having it.
I'm real found of the tabs myself. I'm a Digsby user. Switched over after rejecting Miranda that I tried as a replacement for pidgin which had replaced trillian (though I will try Astra). Just wish Digsby had Skype integration for the wife.
jupiterthunder
IsaacCaba?ero
Posted 4:38 AM 19/9/08
@fairlane64: You get 5GB of storage space for your Spaces/Photos and you can upload 500 images per month. In total, Microsoft offers about 33GB of online storage in the Live service right now per:
[www.liveside.net]
IsaacCaba?ero
goodywitch
Posted 4:37 AM 19/9/08
This is so annoying. I use windows calendar, which allows me to subscribe to other calendars, but I can't sync it online anywhere. So, I get the windows live calendar, but I can't subscribe to a feed, and it doesn't include a tasks list. I pretty much have to check two calendars online (google to read others, live to read my own) as opposed to one, and use two on my computer (one that has a task list/subscriptions, one that I edit so I can sync it).
At least the live photo gallery duplicates the windows photo gallery, so I can switch over completely to that one and still post/edit/tag.
goodywitch
cgarduc
Posted 5:28 AM 19/9/08
... OR Microsoft!
cgarduc
cgarduc
Posted 5:28 AM 19/9/08
So. I already have better apps that AREN'T 'Beta'... :)
cgarduc
newyerk
Posted 6:43 AM 19/9/08
If you want tabs for MSN Live messanger I recommend you try out Msg Plus [www.msgplus.net] which is and free add-on. It has a lot of features but personally I only use it for the tabs.
It's worth the try.
newyerk
saintseminole
Posted 8:16 AM 19/9/08
The whole of America uses AIM
I'm not sure how the conversation got onto instant messaging, but I live in America, and haven't known anyone who used AIM for at least five years... I'd think a bald statement like this would have to be backed up by some kind of statistic, from a reputable source.
saintseminole
.endejas.
Posted 8:40 AM 19/9/08
@saintseminole: Yeah.. But AIM is intensely popular in America. Probably because of the history and brand recognition from AOL.
I don't think it's a big deal.
.endejas.
cyriene
Posted 8:58 AM 19/9/08
@Ferox:
I agree. Foldershare has made my school life much better by automatically syncing my laptop and desktop school documents folder together. This way I can work on files on either computer and not worry about manually transferring files back and forth.
cyriene
yehrulz
Posted 8:53 AM 19/9/08
@newyerk:
mcafee says it has spyware and stuff :/
And aim is very popular, although yim is starting to come up. In other parts of the world though, msn is the most popular
yehrulz
gpzbc
Posted 10:09 AM 19/9/08
@cyriene: FolderShare all the way! I would be lost without it.
gpzbc
amigokin
Posted 10:36 AM 19/9/08
@tcatnat:
Oh.. COME ON! Messenger always WORKED with Windows Vista.
I don't understand how Vista got that bad publicity with that kind of false statments.
amigokin
jupiterthunder
Posted 10:33 AM 19/9/08
@saintseminole:
I used instant messaging to allow my students to contact me for help outside of regular school hours. I set up accounts for contact using yahoo, msn, and aim. In four years time, ~80 students took advantage of this. 2 using yahoo, zero using msn, all the rest using aim. My students are high school age. Anecdotal evidence of who is using aim.
jupiterthunder
icedicicle
Posted 10:48 AM 19/9/08
@saintseminole: The conversation got into IM because Live Messenger is one of the featured products, and somehow Kevin didn't have a single online contact, so I just got to musing on IM program adoption in different localities.
As for AIM in america. Well not exactly everyone, but it definitely has the biggest slice of the market in the USA. Statistic: [www.bigblueball.com]
icedicicle
IanT
Posted 11:35 AM 19/9/08
From a college freshman's perspective, almost everyone certainly does seem to use AIM. Mac, PC, upperclassman, freshman, doesn't seem to matter; I used MSN quite a bit a few years ago but haven't launched it for some time. It's not that it's a poorly designed messenger, it's just that nobody seems to use it.
I should note that AIM itself has improved by leaps and bounds. It used to be a loathesome bundle of ugly color contrasts, ads and bad design; the ads are still there, but cut them out with AIM Ad Hack and a very clean, crisp, minimalistic UI is all that's left. Quite a contrast to Yahoo, IMO. MSN is nice, but more of a space hog, both in conversations and screen real estate.
IanT
Styyl
Posted 12:16 PM 19/9/08
@IanT: I have to feel sorry for you. In Canada, it's entirely the other way around; pretty much everybody has WLM (while others use Yahoo; largely because of its partnership with Rogers internet, no doubt), and MSN is almost synonymous with instant messaging. It's a shame that Americans take patriotism so seriously as to all flock to the "American" client.
Styyl
amigokin
Posted 2:12 PM 19/9/08
Here in Argentina everyone use Windows Live Messenger. The other service does not exist.
amigokin
madark
Posted 3:25 PM 19/9/08
Same thing here in Colombia, no one uses AIM. Every one refers to WLM as "messenger" and you are basically obliged to have a hotmail account if you want to have any sort of social life in your computer. I only know 2 persons who use AIM and they're from the US, but they also have WL accounts.
I don't really use my WL account for other stuff. It would be nice that gtalk becomes more popular, that way I could cancel the WL account. I'm also in a Mac and the WLM for OS X is not as good as the Windows one, which is why I use Adium.
madark
shanzi
Posted 8:09 PM 19/9/08
Here in Asia
especially in Malaysia,
Majority are messenger live users.
shanzi
soul_grind
Posted 12:27 AM 20/9/08
The last version of Live Photo Gallery was very close to awesome. It was missing a few important features, and definitiely had its share of beta bugs... but i stil vastly prefered it to picasa... if only for it's awesome import mode.
Time to download the update and see if they added any useful features, or just bloated it. *crosses fingers*
soul_grind
White_Duke
Posted 1:55 AM 20/9/08
I used to use Windows Live FolderShare, but I "upgraded" to Windows Live Mesh (tech preview), which offers the same folder sync plus other services like Live Desktop and remote connexion to your computers.
White_Duke
SandersGaius
Posted 4:13 AM 19/9/08
I for one would like to see a survey on Lifehacker showing which protocols and clients are used in different countries/states. Over the pond in the UK, I've never met anyone on anything other than MSN/WLM.
SandersGaius
dwergs
Posted 10:26 PM 18/9/08
Good job by our friends at LiveSide indeed, but a more comprehensive list of all the changes in the Windows Live Messenger 9 Beta is constantly updated at [www.mess.be] If you ask me, it's definitely worth upgrading!
dwergs
3devious
Posted 10:22 PM 18/9/08
I forgot to add that I would really like to see some integration with Google Calendar. I am helplessly hooked on it and too lazy to move to something else.
3devious
3devious
Posted 10:20 PM 18/9/08
@cbiggins: It matters when you are expecting people to take you seriously. Such things are distracting from the meat of the message.
3devious
ChambrasWeed
Posted 2:02 PM 25/9/08
I've installed Writer and Messenger but i have two problems. The first one: Does any one know how to add more dictionaries in Writer?
The second one: When I login into Messenger there is no contacts? All my contacts are gone. Is there something i am missing there?
ChambrasWeed