Got some news on Messenger? Help contribute to the website by sending us your find.There is no doubt websites such as MySpace and Facebook have become popular extremely fast. People connect to friends and make new ones to keep track with what their doing in their lives, through more accessible means. But has the increased use in social networking had a negative effect on instant messaging?
For me, yes. I no longer use Windows Live Messenger daily, nor do I spend much time on it at all. I've noticed my friends have adopted the same approach, they prefer to check out new photos and comments on Facebook rather than logging in and waiting to chat to friends. Then again, I have been more busy in recent times, and I spend less time on my computer altogether.
To top things off, Facebook have now get their own instant messaging system usable from every page within the website. It is convenient and easy to use, but I never use it. So have you noticed yourself using Messenger less and social networking more?
>> Source: mess.be - "Facebook catches up with Windows Live Messenger in UK"
For me, yes. I no longer use Windows Live Messenger daily, nor do I spend much time on it at all. I've noticed my friends have adopted the same approach, they prefer to check out new photos and comments on Facebook rather than logging in and waiting to chat to friends. Then again, I have been more busy in recent times, and I spend less time on my computer altogether.
According to Nielsen Online, the time British web users spent using MSN/Windows Live Messenger in April 2008 matched the number of minutes spent on Facebook: 2.4 billion. While that's a whopping increase for Facebook (coming from 500 million in April 2007), it's a considerable loss for Messenger that still accounted for 3.2 billion minutes in the same month last year.
Alex Burmaster, internet analyst at Nielsen Online, defines it as a relatively rapid "seismic shift" from Instant Messaging to communication through social networks. IM in general appears to be over the hill (total minutes were down from 3.9 billion to 2.9 billion) and clearly losing ground to social networking (minutes up from 2.4 billion to 3.7 billion).
Alex Burmaster, internet analyst at Nielsen Online, defines it as a relatively rapid "seismic shift" from Instant Messaging to communication through social networks. IM in general appears to be over the hill (total minutes were down from 3.9 billion to 2.9 billion) and clearly losing ground to social networking (minutes up from 2.4 billion to 3.7 billion).
To top things off, Facebook have now get their own instant messaging system usable from every page within the website. It is convenient and easy to use, but I never use it. So have you noticed yourself using Messenger less and social networking more?
>> Source: mess.be - "Facebook catches up with Windows Live Messenger in UK"
eBuddy have just started a new limited beta test of the latest version of their Mobile Messenger application.
An update to the previous versions that we have featured (and tutorial-ised) in the past, the new beta - version 0.99 - has a cool new interface and some great new features, including:
We'll be posting more screenshots soon and will keep you updated with information about when you can get your hands on the latest version.
An update to the previous versions that we have featured (and tutorial-ised) in the past, the new beta - version 0.99 - has a cool new interface and some great new features, including:
- Login using your eBuddy ID so you can sign into all your accounts (Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, Google Talk and MySpace IM) at once
- Take a picture using your phone and use it as your display picture
- More ways to sort your contact list
- Support for Blackberry phones
We'll be posting more screenshots soon and will keep you updated with information about when you can get your hands on the latest version.
It's common for Windows Live Messenger beta testers to be in the dark about what's going on. We tend to receive an email, updating us every few months, and even the details are vague. As a result there has only been one build for testers to use in order to prevent mass leaks of the program. Today testers received this email:
Rumors have even suggested that the whole engine is being re-coded from 8.5 again, which may make some of this relevant again. But who knows, Microsoft have been very quiet about development, so I can't confirm a thing.
Hello Windows Live Messenger beta testers!
Thank you for all of your efforts to help us test the latest version of Windows Live Messenger. You are some of our most engaged and passionate customers and over the last several months you've shown us just how much you care. You've sent us more than 1000 bugs and suggestions, provided valuable feedback on Windows Live Messenger v9.0 beta in three different surveys, and posted nearly 5000 messages in the newsgroup. We value your feedback - the good and the bad - and we are ready to begin using that feedback to enhance Windows Live Messenger.
For the past several months we've been gathering feedback from not only you, but also from past beta testers' comments, other external Windows Live Messenger customers, and Microsoft employees. We've compiled a thorough list of feedback, and it's now time to shift our focus to building the new version of Windows Live Messenger. Therefore, on June 24, we will close the official beta testing program.
Before the program closes we want to make sure we've reviewed and responded to all of the bugs and suggestions you sent in. The bug form will remain open through the end of this week. The newsgroup and Connect site will remain open after the bug and suggestion forms close so you can see our responses to your bugs and discuss them with other beta testers. This is a lengthy process, so we appreciate your patience as we respond to the remaining bugs and suggestions.
The good news is that even after the beta program closes you will still be
able to use the v9.0 Beta build. Please note, since the Connect site will be closed, there will be no way to download the bits from Microsoft should you want to install the build on a new or rebuilt machine. Installations you already have will continue to work.
If you have any last suggestions or bugs you want to send us, get them in by June 6 when the bug and suggestion forms will close.
Thank you again for your enthusiasm for Windows Live Messenger and all of your efforts during this beta program. There will be another beta later this year that includes the changes we're working on now, and we hope you'll participate in that and continue to send us your thoughts!
The Windows Live Messenger Team
Thank you for all of your efforts to help us test the latest version of Windows Live Messenger. You are some of our most engaged and passionate customers and over the last several months you've shown us just how much you care. You've sent us more than 1000 bugs and suggestions, provided valuable feedback on Windows Live Messenger v9.0 beta in three different surveys, and posted nearly 5000 messages in the newsgroup. We value your feedback - the good and the bad - and we are ready to begin using that feedback to enhance Windows Live Messenger.
For the past several months we've been gathering feedback from not only you, but also from past beta testers' comments, other external Windows Live Messenger customers, and Microsoft employees. We've compiled a thorough list of feedback, and it's now time to shift our focus to building the new version of Windows Live Messenger. Therefore, on June 24, we will close the official beta testing program.
Before the program closes we want to make sure we've reviewed and responded to all of the bugs and suggestions you sent in. The bug form will remain open through the end of this week. The newsgroup and Connect site will remain open after the bug and suggestion forms close so you can see our responses to your bugs and discuss them with other beta testers. This is a lengthy process, so we appreciate your patience as we respond to the remaining bugs and suggestions.
The good news is that even after the beta program closes you will still be
able to use the v9.0 Beta build. Please note, since the Connect site will be closed, there will be no way to download the bits from Microsoft should you want to install the build on a new or rebuilt machine. Installations you already have will continue to work.
If you have any last suggestions or bugs you want to send us, get them in by June 6 when the bug and suggestion forms will close.
Thank you again for your enthusiasm for Windows Live Messenger and all of your efforts during this beta program. There will be another beta later this year that includes the changes we're working on now, and we hope you'll participate in that and continue to send us your thoughts!
The Windows Live Messenger Team
Rumors have even suggested that the whole engine is being re-coded from 8.5 again, which may make some of this relevant again. But who knows, Microsoft have been very quiet about development, so I can't confirm a thing.
According to Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft are currently making a new platform — code-named Echoes — designed to be implemented by (mobile/cell) phone companies, aka carriers, so that not only can Microsoft try and stay on top of the game by encouraging more of these companies to deploy Windows Live mobile services to their customers, and do it more easily, but also so that the customers (us!) get these useful features:
With part 1 of Echoes (scheduled for summer 2008, approx. July):
So is this why we're still waiting for another beta version of Messenger 9? Foley also says:
The full extent of Echoes should apparently be seen in the next year or two.
>> Source: All about Microsoft: Microsoft's grand plan to eliminate phone numbers
With part 1 of Echoes (scheduled for summer 2008, approx. July):
- Synced Windows Live Contacts on your phone — Your contacts from Messenger appear in your phone's address book. Among other things this means that you don't have to know a contact's phone number to call them as each contact will have their mobile number 'assigned' to them (hence Bill saying "We can get rid of phone numbers" in another one of his good old visions of the future). It seems that the Echoes platform will push new contacts and contact updates to your phone without it needing special client software.
- Simultaneous ringing — Presumably similar to how simultaneous ringing (or dual forking) works with Office Communications Server and how MPOP [multiple points of presence] works in Windows Live Messenger 9 (currently in private beta). It will probably mean that when you ring a contact from your phone it will call their phone and PC and they can choose which one to answer, and vice-versa so that you can call a contact's phone and PC from your PC.
- IM to SMS continuity — A bit like the current mobile messaging integrated into Messenger. Allows you to send a text message to a mobile contact (who will always appear 'online' or similar if they don't choose otherwise?) from within Messenger and their SMS reply returns to you as an IM.
- Who knows? Integration with landline phones? Synchronisation with your schedule/calendar and mail? Your phone's voicemail in Messenger? It's all unified communications!
So is this why we're still waiting for another beta version of Messenger 9? Foley also says:
The word is Echoes Phase 1 will be shipped with Microsoft’s Windows Live Messenger 9.0 beta clients until Microsoft releases the final Windows Live Messenger Wave 3 release in the fourth quarter of 2008.
The full extent of Echoes should apparently be seen in the next year or two.
>> Source: All about Microsoft: Microsoft's grand plan to eliminate phone numbers
UK users of Windows Live Messenger (any other countries? let us know) now have a tab allowing them to access updates on Facebook from within Messenger.
Simply open the tab (the one with the "f" icon) [picture link] and click the login button. This lets you login with your Facebook account from where you can add the "Facebook Updates for Messenger" application.
Allowing the app to have access to your information means that it can keep you up-to-date with you and your friends' status updates and photos [picture link]. Allowing "extended access" also lets you do things like change your Facebook status from within Messenger.
>> Add the Facebook Updates for Messenger app to your Facebook account
>> Give some suggestions or feedback about the tab
While we're talking about Facebook ...
Simply open the tab (the one with the "f" icon) [picture link] and click the login button. This lets you login with your Facebook account from where you can add the "Facebook Updates for Messenger" application.
![tab (the one with the "f" icon) [picture link]](http://www.msgstuff.com/news/images/wlm-facebook-tab.png){kind=link}
Allowing the app to have access to your information means that it can keep you up-to-date with you and your friends' status updates and photos [picture link]. Allowing "extended access" also lets you do things like change your Facebook status from within Messenger.
![it can keep you up-to-date with you and your friends' status updates and photos [picture link]](http://www.msgstuff.com/news/images/wlm-facebook-tab-signedin.png){kind=link}
>> Add the Facebook Updates for Messenger app to your Facebook account
>> Give some suggestions or feedback about the tab
While we're talking about Facebook ...
- Try out Fibby, an add-in for Messenger that sets, and updates, your personal message to be the same as your status on Facebook (thanks to Adam Dempsey for telling us about it).
- Add the official Windows Live Messenger for Facebook application to your profile to view the status of and send IMs to your Facebook friends who also use the app. It also allows visitors to your profile to see your status and send you an IM. It was built using the Messenger Library, Presence API and IM Control and you can see the developers explain more about it in this video.
- Use Invite2Messenger to invite any of your Facebook friends not already on your Windows Live contact list to Messenger.
- ... Or just become a fan of Windows Live Messenger.