We promised you a look at Windows Live Messenger 2010 earlier this week when we revealed Microsoft is planning both Bing and Messenger iPhone applications next year.
Thanks to an anonymous tipster we received several screenshots of Microsoft’s upcoming Messenger client due in 2010. We have confirmed these to be genuine and they offer a small insight into what the software giant is planning for Wave 4 of Windows Live.
Firstly the main Messenger window that contains your contacts has changed somewhat. Included on the left hand side is a “social stream” of updates provided by Windows Live. These are updates from your Messenger contacts and the data is provided by Windows Live. In current public Messenger builds some of this integration is present at the top of a conversation window. Windows Live Messenger aims to add to this by using the “social stream” as a showcase for your contacts updates. Providing your friends have including their Facebook, Twitter and Blog posts into Windows Live then you will see this in the stream.
One of the main improvements for Windows Live Messenger 2010 is the introduction of tabbed messenger conversations. Users have been requesting this functionality for years and Microsoft has finally listened and built this in.
Other improvements in Messenger 2010 are unknown but the introduction of tabbed messenger conversations will please many. Windows Live Writer Wave 4 has also been improved with the introduction of the ribbon interface seen in most other Windows Live applications.
Many are hopeful for some Wave 4 announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show in January and we are expecting some focus on Windows Live during the event. We’re expecting Microsoft to make a public beta of the Wave 4 bits during the first quarter of 2010.
Reminder: These are likely to be shots from early builds so may not reflect the final UI.
Sources close to the Windows Live and Bing divisions at Microsoft have confirmed to BlogoFlux that Microsoft is currently developing both Bing and Windows Live Messenger iPhone applications.
Both applications are likely to be released alongside the upcoming Windows Live Wave 4 updates due in approximately March 2010. BlogoFlux understands that Windows Live is working aggressively to move its applications onto the iPhone. Last week Microsoft principal group program manager David Raissipour confirmed to Cnet news that “We are actively working on it” when questioned over the Bing iPhone plans.
Internally the philosophy “if you can’t beat them join them” is being adopted for iPhone development. Microsoft understands it needs to compete multi-platform for its web and cloud based applications if it wants to maintain and grow market share. Both applications have been available for nearly a year.
Stay tuned for more information on Microsoft’s Windows Live Wave 4 plans including what Windows Live Messenger will look like, tabbed messenger conversations and the Ribbon interface for Windows Live Writer exclusively here later this week.
Microsoft’s MSN.com has undergone a clean up, focusing on a cleaner look and better user configuration.
MSN has also unveiled a new look logo to complement the fresh looking web portal. The new look site also allows Windows Live, Twitter, and Facebook users to easily update the services from the home page. MSN will also be offering inline high-quality streaming video, employing Silverlight technology, from more than 300 sources including Hulu, National Geographic and FOX Entertainment Group.
According to a Microsoft spokesperson the MSN home page receives 600 million customers worldwide every month, nearly 100 million in the U.S. alone. The new home page has 50 percent fewer links, and is focused on providing access to the information and services people care about most.
A preview of the new MSN look is available now and the new homepage will begin rolling out tomorrow and become widely available to over 100 million U.S. customers early next year.
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Microsoft has finally decided to kill off Soapbox, its relatively unknown YouTube competitor that never made it out of beta. Just last month, Microsoft said it would put the MSN user-generated video portal on the backburner. The software giant was looking for a way to find focus for the product: a way to sell content for ads as strategically as possible. The company has changed its mind, however, deciding instead to let the service burn away completely into obscurity.
“Today, we notified customers that on August 31, 2009, MSN will no longer offer MSN Soapbox,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Ars. “Beginning on July 29, customers will no longer be able to upload videos to Soapbox and we encourage any Soapbox user that wants to keep their videos to download them off of Soapbox prior to August 31. We will be communicating to our valued Soapbox community using several different methods to ensure that people are able to keep any video that is important to them.”
Microsoft emphasized that the decision would only affect user-generated video: “Online video will remain a key part of the MSN offering,” a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to Ars. “MSN Video has 88 million unique users around the world, who watch 480 million video streams each month. We remain committed to delivering amazing experiences for consumers while keeping a keen eye on our business objectives during this tough economic climate.”
The truth is that Soapbox never stood a chance. YouTube was always the place to go for user-generated videos, and while Soapbox did offer slight improvements in some areas, Google has been making sure to keep improving YouTube as well. With user-generated content, the winner is almost always the one with the largest userbase. YouTube had the edge in that department long before Google bought it, and definitely before Soapbox came into the picture.