Go online and feel the vibe
Learn how the Windows Live family works together to bring you a more streamlined experience
by Marc Saltzman
Like millions of Canadian web surfers, Demelza Motley relies on e-mail and instant messaging to keep in touch with friends and fellow grad students at the University of Western Ontario.
But the student, currently working toward her Ph.D. in muscle physiology in London, Ont., was one of the first to upgrade her favourite online services to the much-hyped Windows Live family.
“I didn’t think Microsoft could improve on Hotmail and MSN Messenger, but I love the features included in Windows Live,” says Motley. “For example, all of my contacts are now together in one place, so I can click on my Hotmail buddies while chatting in Messenger — this saves a ton of time,” she explains. “And sharing folders with, say, photos is now so much easier than before when I didn’t have the patience to wait for individual downloads.”
So, what is all the hoopla about?
Quite simply, Windows Live is a group of online services that not only build on past products under the MSN banner but also are designed to work better together in an intuitive and seamless way. The five main Windows Live programs are free: Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger), Windows Live Mail (formerly MSN Hotmail), Windows Live Spaces (formerly MSN Spaces), Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live SkyDrive.
But the change is much more than in name, says Sumeet Khanna, director of Windows Live Services at Microsoft Canada. “This new set of online software services will allow people to bring their online world together to seamlessly experience the Internet and customize and personalize that experience.”
The following are just a few of the improvements and additions for each of the four interconnected programs:
- Windows Live Messenger
- Windows Live Mail
- Windows Live Spaces
- Windows Live Photo Gallery
- Windows Live SkyDrive
Windows Live Messenger
Available in more than 30 languages, Windows Live Messenger is the world’s largest instant messaging service that lets people communicate in real time with multiple users via text (by typing), audio (with a microphone) or video (with a webcam). You can access a unified Windows Live Contacts list for smooth integration, so you can send an e-mail with one click and without having to change programs or access a friend’s Spaces page.
Or, why not share personal files instantly by dragging and dropping documents or photos into communal folders so approved contacts will see these items on their computers? Cool. And thanks to a devoted web site for Windows Live Messenger, you can also chat with friends, family or colleagues on any Internet-connected computer — even if the program isn’t installed.
Windows Live Mail
Keep your Hotmail address (no, it won’t expire), or sign up for a free Windows Live Mail account (e.g., you@live.com). When you receive an e-mail, you can reply when it’s convenient or initiate a Windows Live Messenger chat for real-time communication. The new mail window is packed with one-touch functionality. You can preview messages without leaving your inbox, access drag-and-drop support, take control over spam and scam e-mail, and right-click on messages to reply, delete and forward. Users get 5 GB of free storage for mail and attachments.
Windows Live Spaces
As the name suggests, Windows Live Spaces is your own piece of the Net. Start an online journal (blog) to share your thoughts on anything and everything. Keep your friends up to date with stories and photos from a backpacking trip across Europe! You can even use a supported mobile device to update your Space.
You can also personalize your Space’s look with unique colours and themes, and stay in touch via Windows Live Messenger or Windows Live Mail right from the page. You can add links between your friends’ Spaces — with their permission, of course.
Windows Live Photo Gallery
Windows Live Photo Gallery provides a way to manage and edit your computer’s digital photos which, if you’re a photo junkie, can easily number in the hundreds or thousands! You can organize photos in different ways: by rating, date taken or personalized tag such as “Wildlife” or “Wedding.”
You can also add captions; perform quick touch-ups such as cropping, removing red-eye and adjusting colour-balance on photos; create a panorama using the panoramic stitching mode; and share photos by ordering prints, burning to disk, or publishing online. Windows Movie Maker, which is included in Photo Gallery, lets you create slide shows or videos as well.
Windows Live SkyDrive
When you sign up for a Windows Live ID, you automatically get access to 5 GB of free online storage space courtesy of Windows Live SkyDrive. SkyDrive is a place where you can store important documents, music, pictures, videos and other files in a secure, password-protected environment.
SkyDrive also provides a way to share large files with another person without e-mailing them or burning them to CD. All you have to do is create a Shared folder, select which Contacts (or e-mail addresses) to allow access to the folder’s contents and then drag in the files you want to share.
And what’s with the programs that say beta, you ask?
You may see the word beta while using some of the Windows Live services. A beta program is software that isn’t quite finished yet, and the company is turning to users for input on what works and what doesn’t. “This not-quite-final software is simply designed to get customer feedback to help shape the final product,” says Khanna. This way, Microsoft can make the final product as good as it can be before it becomes an official release.
“By using the Windows Live beta programs, you get a sneak peek at the new service features,” says Khanna. He strongly suggests downloading the final version when it is launched as the full set of features is not always included in beta versions.
Intrigued? Visit Live Ideas to get going.
