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PR03370 3 December 2004
MSN UK Launches New Blogging Tool MSN Spaces
London - UK - 3rd December 2004 - MSN UK today launched a new easy-to-use blogging tool MSN Spaces and introduced updates to MSN Messenger and MSN Hotmail.
Already the UK and worlds leading provider of free web email and instant messaging, the new products help make online communication and information sharing easier, more personal, and more exciting. The updates include:
| • | MSN Spaces beta - a free dynamic 'online scrapbook' blogging tool to allow people to easily share photo albums, personal news, favourite music lists and more, no matter what their level or technical expertise. |
| • | MSN Messenger 7 beta new features include "Nudges," an alert that shakes the contacts conversation window with an audible notification, and "Winks", animated pictures that include sounds that are virtually "thrown" onto the screen of a contacts desktop. |
| • | MSN Web Messenger A new service that allows MSN Messenger conversations without downloading any software. This new free service simply works within a browsers window. |
| • | Updated MSN Hotmail Following the recent upgrade new integration features with MSN Messenger and MSN Spaces introduced. |
MSN Spaces: More Than a Blog
The MSN Spaces beta version is a free service available in 14 languages and 26 markets worldwide. MSN Spaces was designed to make it easy for consumers to create and maintain a personal web site, bringing the power and benefits of blogging to millions of Internet users, regardless of their level of technical expertise.
More than a blogging tool, MSN Spaces is a dynamic online scrapbook where people can share their lives, their views, photo albums, personal music lists and more. MSN Spaces is more than an ordinary personal web site, through integration with MSN Messenger and MSN Hotmail. Most will discover MSN Spaces through MSN Messengers new feature where contacts will automatically be notified when a persons Space has been updated - their contact will gleam so his or her online community knows when it is time to visit their friends Space. People can sign up for MSN Spaces through MSN Messenger or by going to http://spaces.msn.com Key features of the service include the following:
Use pictures and music to say more. MSN Spaces enables consumers to easily display their pictures via a photo album slide show. Consumers can easily share playlists through their Space with Microsoft Windows Media technologies (requires Microsoft Windows Media player 9 or above with just two clicks, people can sample or purchase a song on someones play list through MSN Music.
| • | Make it your own. 15 custom backgrounds and five layout templates give consumers a way to quickly customise and personalise their Space. |
| • | Post remote updates. Consumers can post updates to their Space remotely via e-mail or mobile phone |
| • | Create an extension of yourself. Contact Cards a new addition to MSN Messenger and Hotmail are windows into a consumers Space, mirroring its look and the most recent information posted. |
| • | Control your Space. Consumers can choose the people who visit their Space through three levels of permissions: public, MSN Messenger contacts only or private. |
MSN Messenger: Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge
Two new versions of MSN Messenger launch today. The public beta release of MSN Messenger 7.0 offers consumers new ways to express themselves online and personalize their instant messaging experience. Available for download at http://messenger.msn.co.uk/beta, the beta release of MSN Messenger will give consumers a taste of whats to come with the final release, expected next year. Features in the MSN Messenger 7.0 beta enable consumers to do the following:
| • | Choose your online status. The beta release of MSN Messenger gives consumers more control over how theyre seen online by enabling them to choose their availability status before logging into Messenger. |
| • | Get attention. Consumers can reach out to friends and family by sending a "Nudge," an alert that shakes the contacts conversation window with an audible notification, or a "Wink," animated pictures that include sound and that can be virtually "thrown" onto the screen of a contacts Internet Messenger (IM) window. New emoticons, backgrounds and theme packs from Microsoft Corp., including advertiser-sponsored packs such as for "Halo 2", round out the experience. |
| • | Stay connected. Through integration with MSN Messenger, consumers can automatically let their contacts know that they have updated their MSN Space. The new MSN Messenger Contact icon gleams when an update is made, notifying others to visit the Space via the Contact Card. |
| • | Access the Web anywhere. MSN Web Messenger, shipping in 25 markets and 15 languages, enables consumers to access their MSN Messenger account and contacts from virtually any PC with an Internet connection. |
MSN Web Messenger (http://webmessenger.msn.com) also has its full release today too. It has a slightly less feature rich functionally but does not require the installation of any software and works straight off a web page which will make it popular where downloads are not permitted including some internet cafes and offices.
MSN Hotmail: Bringing It All Together
Following the launch of the new Hotmail.co.uk domain, 250MB inbox and 10MB attachments last week which attracted a massive 235,000 people to the sign up page within its first 36 hours, the beta versions of MSN Spaces and MSN Messenger are also more deeply integrated with MSN Hotmail. Improvements include a Messenger button within the Hotmail toolbar that can launch the new Web Messenger service or the client if installed plus MSN Spaces can be accessed through the Hotmail address book.
Natalie Taylor, Head of Communication Services, MSN.co.uk said, "Communicating with other people is the No. 1 thing people do online. Our aim is to allow people to do more through blogs, instant messaging and e-mail. The investment MSN continues to make in MSN Spaces, MSN Messenger and MSN Hotmail are designed to break down some of the barriers between the services so people can focus less on the technology and more on communicating and having fun with people they care about."
About MSN.co.uk
MSN is the UKs largest portal attracting over 15.8 million visitors per month in the UK (Nielsen October 2004) and more than 360 million unique users worldwide (MSN Internal Data). Owned by Microsoft, MSN is available in 40 markets and 20 languages.
MSN offers a wide range of Subscription products including Hotmail Plus and MSN Premium with state of the art parental controls, spam filtering software and photo editing tools.
MSN provides a number of world class innovative communication and information services including: MSN Hotmail, the UK's most popular free web-based e-mail service with 7.5 million users in the UK (Nielsen October 2004) and over 187 million active accounts worldwide (MSN Internal Data)
MSN Messenger, the UK's number one instant messaging service on the internet with 8.4 million monthly users (Nielsen October 2004) and over 145 million active users worldwide (MSN Internal data)
MSN Search, one of the UKs top search sites with over 5.4 million users. (Nielsen October 2004). MSN Search is available in 32 markets worldwide and 14 languages. MSN Toolbar is available in 47 markets with 53 million installed worldwide.
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