Entries tagged with windows live messenger - Channel 10

New LifeCams Have Arrived!

sarahintampa — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:42:00 GMT

Microsoft recently announced two new LifeCams that join the lineup of webcams designed for users of Windows PCs: the LifeCam Show and the LifeCam VX-5500. The LifeCam Show is an ultrathin camera with a 2.0MP sensor and three different attachment options – a laptop clip, a desktop stand, and an attachment disk. This one is the more expensive of the two at $99.95. The LifeCam VX-5500 is only $59.95 and features a VGA sensor with great low-light performance. It also has interchangeable colored faceplates in red, white, and blue (how patriotic!).

By combining these cameras with Windows Live Messenger, you can can engage in live video chats with your friends and family at any time. And if your friends aren’t available online (or if they live on the other side of the globe and you don’t want to wake them!), you can always record a video message using the new Video Messages site at http://videomessages.live.com.

Want to buy one now? Both are available from the new Microsoft Store.

New Group Calendars In Windows Live Calendar

sarahintampa — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:15:00 GMT

The Windows Live Calendar service was recently updated to include a new feature: Group Calendars. If you’ve already created IM groups within Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging with a select group of your IM contacts and friends, you’ll now see that group has its own calendar within Windows Live Calendar. The group calendars are automatically created for you and are displayed along with your personal calendar as an overlay within the service. You can either visit calendar.live.com to access this feature or you can right-click on the group in WLM and click on “Calendar” to be taken to the group calendar page.

Anything you add to the Group Calendar will show up on the calendars of all the other members of the group, too. Although the calendar is automatically shared between group members, sharing with others is only possible if you invite them to join your group.

The Group Calendar feature is a great example of the integration we’re seeing between the different tools available in Windows Live, all of which can be downloaded from here.

Live Messenger Adds VoIP

sarahintampa — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 02:51:00 GMT

Today, Telefonica, the provider of the largest telecommunications network in Latin America is bringing their VoIP service, Voype, to Windows Live Messenger users in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, the United States, and Venezuela, according to Inside Windows Live Messenger blog. The integration of the service will be done in two phases. In the first phase, you’ll be able to make calls from your PC to any landline or mobile phone in the world. In phase two, you’ll actually be able to both send and receive calls on your PC.

The calls to and from Windows Live Messenger users will be free and calls to landlines and cell phones will be available for a fee. The rates are as follows: about a penny to China, 2¢ to the UK, 5¢ to Canada, or 10¢ to Mexico per minute when calling landlines.

To get started, just sign-up for an account here. Remember - you need a microphone & speakers or headset and broadband connection. You can buy credit in amounts of $5, $10 or $20.

Then to make a call, the process will vary depending on what version of Messenger you have. Here are the steps, courtesy of the WLM blog:

If you are using Windows Live Messenger 8.0, 8.1 or 8.5, click on the phone icon either in the main window or choose a contact and click on the phone icon. From the drop down menu, select ‘Call a phone’. Add a phone number, click on enter and start talking.
If you are already using the new Windows Live Messenger beta, there are a few of ways you can make a call. You can hover over a contact and if you have a phone associated with that contact, just click on ‘call work’, ‘call mobile’, etc. You can also open up a conversation window with that contact and click on the phone icon and enter their telephone number. For ad hoc calls, you can launch Windows Live Call from the start menu under All Programs > Windows Live Call beta, enter their telephone number and click Call.

This new service will be a direct competitor to Skype, a popular program for making phone calls via the internet.

Add “I’m a PC” To Your Windows Live Messenger

sarahintampa — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:28:00 GMT

Are you a PC, too? If so, you can now show your PC pride by downloading the new Theme Pack for Windows Live Messenger which features an array of icons from the new commercials, including the guy who plays the PC and various slogans like “I’m a PC” and “I’m a PC and a human being.” (I stuck with the simple “I’m a PC” myself.)

The pack also comes with new Messenger backgrounds, too, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the default background, blue with “I’m a PC” written in fading white text across it. Then again, I’m not a fan of any Messenger background come to think of it. If you want to adjust your background, too, just open a conversation window then go to Tools –> Backgrounds from the menu there. Remember, you won’t see this menu unless you’re in the conversation window itself.

I was going to set my background back to “none,” but then I saw the white background with math equations in light blue which also came with the theme pack. Hmm, I might consider that one since it’s very light in color which I like as it makes conversations easier to read.

If you want the new Messenger pack, you have to be signed into Messenger first. Then open IE and click here. The pack will then automatically install.

Create Dynamic Display Pictures In Messenger

sarahintampa — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:08:00 GMT

From Windows Live Chronicles, I just learned another great trick for use in the latest version of Windows Live Messenger, v9.0 beta. In this newest version of Live Messenger you have the option to create your own, dynamic display picture by using your webcam. To do so, go into Tools –> Change Display Picture. You’ll see a new option (a button) that reads “Webcam Snapshot.” Select this button and you can record a quick snapshot of you in motion. Make a funny expression, hold up a sign, whatever, then click “Save” when you’re finished recording. The new video snapshot will then become available to choose from among all the other static images already available in Messenger. Set the new video as your display picture and from then on, your friends will see that when they’re IM’ing you in Messenger. To view a quick demo of this in action, check out this video on Soapbox.

Login Here, There, Everywhere With Window Live Messenger

sarahintampa — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:17:00 GMT

Recently, the Windows Live team introduced all new versions of the Windows Live products and tools including new Windows Live Hotmail, Live Messenger, Live Photo Gallery, and more. As I’ve been using them, I keep coming across new features. One new feature that I discovered today in Windows Live Messenger is the ability to stay signed in on one PC even when I sign in to another. This is available under Tools –> Options –> Sign In. In order to customize this setting, you have to be currently signed into Messenger. Once you are, you’ll see the option becomes available instead of greyed out. Now you are able to stay signed in to your PC even when you sign into another PC, something I discovered today when I moved from the office to the laptop. You can also configure the name of this place to be something you’ll recognize like “home pc” or “laptop” for example. The name will default to your PC’s name, and that may be fine for you. The only problem I had was when I used Windows Live Messenger for mobile from my mobile phone later on – that signed me out on my PC.

Messenger for Facebook Updated

sarahintampa — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:20:00 GMT

Earlier this year, the Windows Live Messenger team released an app for Facebook which officially integrated Live Messenger with Facebook. The Windows Live Messenger Facebook app shows your online presence on your Facebook profile and lets you IM with your friends directly on the Facebook web site itself.

Recently, this app received an update. The new V.2 version of Facebook Messenger now syncs your Live Messenger status with your Facebook status. The team also listened to user feedback and removed the HIP (Human Interface Proof) challenge which was presented before you could start a conversation.

Additionally, the new version will automatically set your display name to whatever your name is in Facebook. Before it used to prompt you to fill this in. With these updates (both the HIP and display name), there are now no more dialog boxes that appear before chatting can begin. You can now just start typing to IM your friends!

You can add Live Messenger to your Facebook by adding the app here: apps.facebook.com/windowslivemessenger.

Vídeo: Conheça o mais novo serviço da família Windows Live - o Video Messages

Galileu — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:27:00 GMT

O Windows Live Video Messages Beta é feito para facilitar a comunicação de vídeo entre amigos próximos. Em vez de você e seu amigo combinarem um horário para ter um bate-papo com vídeo, vocês podem trocar vídeo-recados a qualquer momento de forma simples e rápida. O serviço está sendo lançado hoje junto com a nova linha de mouses, teclados e webcams da Microsoft. Ele é feito totalmente em Silverlight o que dá uma interface bacana ao site além da integração com sua webcam.

Basicamente, o Windows Live Video Messages Beta permite que você grave vídeos curtos para enviar como se fossem voicemail, correio de voz como temos no celular. Você envia só para quem você quer que veja o vídeo. A pessoa pode responder o seu vídeo com outro vídeo ou pode encaminhar esse vídeo para seus amigos. Os vídeos ficam todos dentro desse serviço, ou seja, ele não vai para o Soapbox ou Youtube. Você ainda pode travar o vídeo para que ele não seja encaminhado.

O WL Video Messages Beta é integrado com o Windows Live Messenger. Ele automaticamente puxa os seus contatos do Messenger para você enviar vídeos a eles. O Serviço ainda conta com uma lista de 6 contatos favoritos para você poder rapidamente criar e enviar vídeo-recados.

O que eu achei mais bacana foi o Gadget de Windows Vista criado para uso com webcams Microsoft Lifecam. O Gadget, que já está em português, permite que você crie e envie vídeo-recados direto da sua área de trabalho sem ter que entra no site do serviço. E não só isso, mas ele também recebe os vídeo-recados que os seus amigos enviaram para você. O Gadget pode ser baixado aqui.

Vejam o vídeo que fiz mostrando como usar o serviço.

Windows Live Messenger Translation Bot Released

sarahintampa — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:26:00 GMT

Do you chat globally? If so, you’ll be glad to hear that the Microsoft Translator team has just released a new translation bot for Windows Live Messenger. With this new bot, you can IM back and forth with friends who speak different languages while the bot does the translations for you. To use the new bot, just add here).

Minimise Me

sarahintampa — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:29:00 GMT

Minimise Me is a new collaboration between Microsoft and MRM Worldwide (UK) which lets Windows Live Messenger users create their own personalized avatar which can then be used as a profile picture. Once you launch this app, you can customize all aspects of the character – from the eyes to the hair and even the accessories.

The avatars that this service creates remind me of the ones that Yahoo currently offers, except that with these “minimised me’s”, you’ll also get a set of personalized emoticons based on the character you create, too.

After you’re finished creating the avatar, you can add it to WLM. The Minimise Me site will actually install the profile picture and the emoticons into WLM for you. Or, if you would prefer to download the image yourself, you can choose click on the “Help with download” link to access the 96x96 file itself.

(via We Got Served)

Windows Live Messenger and Live Mail Come To Blackberry

sarahintampa — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:13:00 GMT

Got a Blackberry? Then you will love this: Windows Live Messenger is now available for Blackberry smartphones. Now, I was able to sign into WLM on my Blackberry via a pre-installed “IM” app that let me sign into any one of a number of IM services, but there are some advantages to using the new WLM app. With the new app, you can join group chats, set your status message and see others’ statuses, save conversations, use an avatar and see others’ avatars, send and received pictures and files, and gain access to over 60 emoticons. Guess what? I’m switching to this!

Along with the news about Windows Live Messenger, the other big news is Windows Live Mail’s arrival on Blackberry, too. The application will use the Blackberry’s “push” technology to deliver its messages and will set up a dedicated inbox just for Live Mail. You will also be able to see HTML email with the ability to view graphics, links, and contact photos in your email. To use either of these services, you only need to sign in once with your Windows Live ID information.

To download Windows Live Messenger for Blackberry, click here. (thanks LiveSide!)

Windows Live Messenger for Facebook

Tina — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:53:00 GMT

Did you know you can use Windows Live Messenger and Facebook to connect with your friends, including showing your online status and allow people to contact you from your Facebook profile?

I sat down with Chris Parker and Farid Hosseini and they gave us a lesson on how to use Windows Live Messenger with Facebook. Yep, it's that easy. Download it here!

Messenger TV está no ar

Galileu — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:06:00 GMT

Messenger TV é a união do Windows Live Messenger com o MSN Videos. Ele permite que você assista a qualquer vídeo do MSN Videos com um amigo dentro da janela de conversa do Messenger. Veja como é fácil.

Dentro da janela de conversa clique no botão de atividades e depois no Messenger TV

Depois você escolhe uma categoria de vídeo para assistir com seu amigo

E pronto! Os dois assistem ao vídeo ao mesmo tempo. E da mesma interface você pode passar o controle de seleção de vídeo para seu amigo, você pode blogar sobre o vídeo ou enviar o link por email.

Windows Live Messenger on Facebook

sarahintampa — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:42:00 GMT

If you're always using your Windows Live Messenger for IM'ing with friends, then you're going love this news! The Windows Live team has just announced the introduction of a new Facebook app that lets your friends chat with you via Windows Live Messenger right from your Facebook profile page. When your friends visit your profile page, they can start an IM conversation just by clicking on the chat window. Then, their IM messages will come directly to your messenger client running on your computer. And, don't worry, your chats are private - others visiting your profile won't be able to see what you're saying or view message history. The new app also lets you add the owner of the Facebook profile to your contact list in WLM directly from the app itself. To add this to your Facebook profile, click here.

"I'm" Still Making a Difference

sarahintampa — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:42:00 GMT

Have you heard of i'm? The i'm initiative lets Windows Live Messenger users give money to selected charitable organizations just by using IM. The money comes from Microsoft's advertising revenues and goes to support organizations like the Red Cross, Unicef, Boys and Girls Club, Sierra Club, the Humane Society, and more. The program, now a year old, has now donated $1.3 million to the ten participating organizations so far, according to the Windows Live Messenger blog.

If you want to participate, it's easy - just open up Windows Live Messenger and go into the Options from the Tools menu (it's on the last button on the right). Look for your name in the box where it says "Display Name" under the personal section. After your name, just type in the code (see below) for the organization you want to support.

Here are the codes:

American Red Cross code = *red+u
Boys & Girls Clubs of America code = *bgca
The Humane Society of the United States code = *hsus
National AIDS Fund code = *naf
National MS Society code = *mssoc
ninemillion.org code = *9mil
Sierra Club code = *sierra
StopGlobalWarming.org code = *help
Susan G. Komen for the Cure code = *komen
UNICEF code = *unicef

Free Themes for Messenger

sarahintampa — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:39:00 GMT

Microsoft site Messenger Cafe is a site dedicated to games and activities for Windows Live Messenger. And right now, you can visit this page to get some free theme packs to add to your Live Messenger. The packs available now include a Winter Theme pack, some Halloween themes, a "funky chicken" pack, a back-to-school pack with unique emoticons, and a Christmas-themed Howard the Elf pack. According to this blog post, there was a Halo 3 theme pack, but that one seems to be MIA. Hey guys, can we have it back now?

Microsoft Partners with Top Social Networks for Data Portability

sarahintampa — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:03:00 GMT

It was announced that the Windows Live division has partnered with five social networks - LinkedIn, Facebook, Bebo, Hi5, and Tagged to facilitate address book portability, as a part of the commitment to supporting data portability initiatives. Using the Windows Live Contacts API, announced at this month's MIX08, the users of the social networks can easily import their Windows Live contacts into the social network web sites. Starting today, you can visit www.facebook.com and www.bebo.com to find your friends using the Windows Live Contacts API. Hi5, Tagged and LinkedIn will be live in the coming months.

Additionally, a new site, Invite2Messenger, will let social network users invite their friends from their social networks to join their Windows Live Messenger contact list. As of today, Facebook works, with the other networks coming soon.

This 2-way street for moving relationships from site to site is more secure than other methods, like "screen scraping," which is the term used to describe the process of allowing one site access to your address book by providing your login credentials (or vice versa). This new process respects your privacy while still allowing for the open flow of data.

Do Local Searches in Live Messenger with Poynt

sarahintampa — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:20:00 GMT

A new startup called Poynt is offering a way to do local searches from within Windows Live Messenger. With Poynt, you can search for local businesses and view the listings on a map, all from within your IM window. You can even search for movie listings and watch trailers!

When you first use Poynt, you set your location using a landmark, address, city, or ZIP code. Then you can begin your searches either by store name or store type or, for movies to see, you can search by theater, genre, or title. Listings are displayed on a map that opens up in an adjacent interactive window in Live Messenger.

To get started with this free service, just add Vivo, Motorola e Microsoft acompanhando os anúncios. Acompanhe as atualizações dando um refresh no seu navegador (clique no botão F5). Acredito que vamos anunciar serviços Windows Live, ou pelo menos o Messenger, para telefones Motorola na rede da Vivo.

As três empresas estão anunciando a disponibilidade dos serviços Windows Live para os aparelhos da Motorola. Os serviços serão Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Hotmail e Windows Live Spaces. Os aparelhos MOTOROKR U9 e A1200e virão com o software já instalado. Isso é um cliente rico instalado nos aparelhos.

Futuramente os aparelhos compatíveis totalizarão 49, estando entre eles Z6, W5, MOTORAZR2, V8, W510, K1 e U6. Para esses aparelhos será necessário baixar o software pelo serviço Vivo Downloads, gratuito e embutido no celular.

Atualizado: Disponibilidade imediata para o U9, até o final da semana para os listados acima, e até final do mês para os 49 totais.

Atualizado: O serviço em sí terá um custo mensal de R$ 8,90 para acesso ilimitado a envio e recebimento de emails (com anexos) do Hotmail, envio e navegação no Spaces (isso inclui upload de fotos do celular direto para o Spaces), e bate papo no Messenger (com direito somente a bate papo). Clientes Vivo Pré, Vivo Controle e Vivo Pós terão acesso ao serviço a esse custo.

Em promoção para o lançamento, os primeiros 10 dias são gratuitos para os usuários testarem os serviços. Isso vale até o final do mês.

A empresa CRE8 Limited foi responsável pelo desenvolvimento do software que é o primeiro no mundo a ter os três serviços em um cliente rico em plataforma não Microsoft (Windows Mobile).

Alguns aparelhos rodarão somente o Messenger.

VIVO: Aparelhos "Top" já ofereciam esses serviços em plataforma Windows Mobile em aparelhos como o MotoQ, por um custo de R$ 69,90. Abrindo esses serviços para todos os aparelhos se introduz os benefícios para todos os segmentos da sociedade a um custo de R$ 8,95.

Perguntas dos jornalistas

P: Roda em redes CDMA ou GSM?
R: Rodará nas duas redes.

P: Haverá a funcão de conversa por voz via Messenger?
R: Não.

P: Há um acordo de exclusividade?
R: Não não há. Há um trabalho de 3-4 meses que essas empresas têm portanto estão na frente das demais empresas. No momento a Vivo é a única com esse serviço espeçifico.

P: Como um cliente pré-pago paga pelo serviço?
R: É debitado automaticamente do saldo de créditos do cliente.

P: Esse plano de Messenger não vai canibalizar o serviço de SMS da Vivo?
R: Estamos dormindo tranquilos...os serviços são complementares e os dois não são excluentes. Ao mesmo tempo não posso deixar de oferecer esses serviços já que os clientes, sobretudo os jovens, querem esses serviços.

iBloks: Watching Videos over Windows Live Messenger

sarahintampa — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:08:00 GMT

The Windows Live Messenger Library is a client-side library for building web-based applications that integrate with Windows Live Messenger. This can lead to some pretty cool implementations of WLM-integrated applications, like the iBloks Video Messenger. This software connects to over 300,000,000 of the Live Messenger Communities so IM friends can watch and share videos with each other over the WLM network. The application also combines online video viewing and instant messaging to allow for high-quality video ad distribution. With the iBloks InstantAd Service, content creators can create turnkey ads that are combined with WLM to create an iBloks gadget or widget which can be used on social networking sites like Facebook, Windows Live Spaces, Bebo, and more or any other web site of their choosing. (via Windows Live Chronicles)

Vídeo: Windows Live Messenger na sua televisão

Galileu — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:02:00 GMT

Muita gente não sabe que o Xbox 360 se comunica com PCs para fazer um streaming do conteúdo do computador. Isso é um cenário bem legal para quem tem muita música em MP3 e fotos e filmes digitais mas que não quer ou não consegue ligar o PC na TV. Afinal, o PC é feito para ser navegado com teclado e mouse (por enquanto) e o WAF dele na sala é praticamente zero. Então com um console de vídeo game que toca CDs e DVDs e de fato é feito para um televisor, home theater e ambiente social, você consegue convencer à sua querida a aposentar o VCR que está acumulando pó e substituí-lo pelo Xbox 360. Mas, se por acaso ela ainda recusar, mostre o vídeo desse post e faça ela imaginar que em vez do futebol, ela estaria assistindo a novela e falando com as amigas.

Be BFF with Santa

Larry — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:32:00 GMT

Sure, you've been good all year, and you know you need to kick some love up to the bearded one. But as a techie family, what are you going to do, write a letter and snail mail it? Of course not! All you have to do is add chatting live with Santa, about how good you've been, what the temp is at the North Pole, or what he wants on the plate you set out for his visit. Santa is happy to chat as long as you like and you can even play some holiday games with Howard the Elf. Brought to you by Microsoft's cafemessenger.com.

[Update: After some questionable answers to probing questions, Santa has been taken out of commission for the time being.]

i'm Making a Difference

sarahintampa — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 18:55:00 GMT

IM for a cause! Join the i'm Initiative from Windows Live Messenger to help out your favorite cause. Every time you send an IM, a portion of Live Messenger's advertising revenue goes to one of the program's partners, which include: the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Humane Society of the United States, the National AIDS Fund, the National MS Society, ninemillion.org, the Sierra Club, StopGlobalWarming.org, Suss G. Komen for the Cure, and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Each organization will receive a minimum of $100,000 and there is no maximum! To get involved, all you have to do is paste the text code corresponding to the organization of your choice next to your display name in Live Messenger (click on your name and go to options). Here's the list of codes:

*red+u - American Red Cross
*bgca - Boys & Girls Clubs of America
*hsus - Humane Society of the United States
*naf - National AIDS Fund
*mssoc - National MS Society
*9mil - ninemillion.org
*sierra - Sierra Club
*help - StopGlobalWarming.org
*komen - Susan G. Komen for the Cure
*unicef - U.S. Fund for UNICEF

There's also an "i’m MAKING A DIFFERENCE" Facebook group and buttons and banners for your website to show your support.

Adicione o Windows Live Messenger ao seu Web site

Galileu — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:13:00 GMT

Com o lançamento da nova suíte de produtos Windows Live também apareceram algumas outras coisas boas para a plataforma. Primeiro, começamos o programa de beta do Windows Live Calendar (ainda não disponível para usuários do Brasil). Segundo, disponibilizamos um serviço para que usuários do Messenger possam embutir uma janela de chat do Messenger dentro de suas páginas Web. Isso permitirá que seus visitantes se comuniquem com você através de sua página Web direto ao seu Messenger no seu computador. Basta ir a esse site e configurar o botão que aparecerá na sua página. Depois, basta copiar e colar o pedaço de código criado automaticamente pelo site. Para quem quiser mais informações, recomendo ler os termos de suporte e privacidade do próprio site.

Fonte: http://on10.net/Blogs/sarahintampa/add-windows-live-messenger-to-your-blog/