“Watching online video is no longer about one person in front of their computer, it’s now a social experience. Users can now share a selection of free content and watch it at the same time as their friends through Messenger TV.” 

To do this Microsoft have partnered with a number of popular content providers, such as MTV, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, National Geographic, and the U.K.’s Channel 4 to offer content that people will want to watch

To give it a whirl simply open up a convo with a friend, click activities and select Messenger TV. If you cant wait to try it with a buddy you could add the bot (MessengerTV@live.com [click on the link to add]) and it will take care of the rest.

The service is determined by your Internet Language options…so if you have it set to English (U.S) then chances are it won’t work for you. Using something link English (U.K) or English (N.Z) should do the trick. 

Click for bigger view

Check out http://messengertv.msn.com/mkt/en-gb/default.htm

“Hello! Starting today, your 30 day trial period beings. By selecting OK you acknowledge that your use of Windows Live services continues to be subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Statement. Data charges from your mobile operator, including roaming fees may apply for using the Windows Live services. At the conclusion of this trial, you will be given the option to purchase a 30 day pass.”:

Here is what actually happened: Microsoft rolled out a direct-to-consumer billing service for the Windows Live client on Nokia S60′s in the UK and Sweden. The only problem was that not just Nokia S60 users got the message but everyone using the Live Service.

As you may know, we offer Messenger services through mobile operators on lots of handsets, not just Windows Mobile. Traditionally, customers have been billed by their mobile operators for many of these services, either directly or through their data package.- Matt Champagne, director of Windows Live mobile services.

Microsoft are considering adding the “direct-to-consumer billing service” to everyone in the future the finial decision has not been made yet.

So…If you were on a Windows Mobile device and not a Nokia S60 and received the message by accident-ignore it!

“To put this clearly – the parent’s Windows Live ID will oversee the child’s Windows Live ID (as the Family Safety product does anyway), but now parents will be able to approve and decline contacts to the child’s Windows Live Messenger view. Parents will be able to view information on the person who’s about to be added, view their Space, check ages etc.“

Source (with pretty pictures!): liveandbeyond.com

Download the final Windows Live Messenger 8.1 here!

Source: liveandbeyond.com

1. The user starts the session by double clicking a contact.
2. The user’s Windows Live ID credentials are sent across to the Windows Live ID Credentials server for further verification
3. The information is passed through a incoming only firewall to the dispatch server. This is the first point of connection for the message being sent.
4. Depending where the user is in the world, a connection will be made to the local notification server. There are main ones in Singapore, Dublic, Redmond and Reading. This keeps the connection between the two users alive, and keeps things updated such as user status, chat requests and email notifications from Windows Live Mail/Hotmail.
5. The message itself doesn’t go near the notification servers – it is passed onto the switchboard server which is the where all the messages and files are exchanged. The user starting the chat can talk to one user, whilst using another switchboard session to talk to someone else, and another switchboard session for someone else still – without even knowing it. Invitations, file transfers and video/voice chat are also sent through here.
6. The information is then relayed back through an outgoing firewall and checks the user is still online. If the user is offline by the time the message is ready to be received, then it’ll bounce back and be saved on the switchboard session until the user logs back on again. If they are online, they will receive the message.

This is all done in the space of around 2 seconds – most of the time your message will be sent at least twice around the world, in the space of 2 seconds. Not bad eh?

Visit on a mobile device: http://mobile.live.com/wlm

Windows Live Messenger (8.0 and 8.1) and MSN Messenger (7.0 and 7.5) may experience some connectivity issues. Those using Windows Messenger 5.1 for Windows XP should not experience these problems as they reside on a seperate smaller server. These can include:

• inability to sign-in
• inability to sign-out unless fully exiting the Messenger application
• sending messages to others (though messages can still be received)
• sending handwriting messages, Nudges and Winks

This does seem to be a non-localised issue, affecting a good proportion of the world who uses Messenger. This should be resolved in the next few hours give or take. The same issue happened a few days ago but wasn’t reported on the Windows Live Support site because it was resolved within the hour.

Just bare with it guys – although a lot of us can’t use Messenger at the moment, it’s leading up to the release of the Windows Live Mobile Messenger client… that’s most likely the problem at the moment. Hang in there – it’ll get fixed soon and we’ll have something else to play with afterwards

This build will also be pushed down as an auto-update tomorrow.

>> Download Windows Live Messenger 8.1 Public Beta in the following languages: English, Spanish, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Polish, Finnish, Hungarian, Turkish, Slovak, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Japanese, Hebrew, Greek, Korean, Arabic, Chinese (simplified).

Source mess.be

Whilst you budding Windows Live Messenger testers are fiddling around with the interim version, 8.1, there’s still another major milestone coming. Once a product has been released, they usually look for how it can be improved for the later version; with Windows XP, before it hit the shelves they realised how it could be improved for the next operating system, being Windows Vista. Even though Messenger 8.1 is to come out before Christmas 2006 (if all goes accordingly), Microsoft are still planning what’s to come in Messenger 9.0 which will be the next major milestone for this core Windows Live service.

So… what do you want to go into it? If you use any version of Windows Live Messenger, what could be improved – what doesn’t need to be there – what could be included? If you’re not a Windows Live Messenger user (maybe you’ve stuck with MSN Messenger 7.5 or use an alternative client), then what would persuade you to jump on the bandwagon for the new version?

Some things to think about include:

• Theme of the client
• Adding features that Messenger Plus! Live offers as an addition to the original client
• Family Safety features – making sure your children and those younger are safe
• Windows Vista and Windows Aero (previously known as Aero Glass) enhancements
• Audio/video features
• Virus and malware protection
• File sharing and modifications to Sharing Folders
• Video sharing
• Windows Live Spaces within the main window (eg: blog directly from Messenger)
• Windows Live Mail within the main window (eg: send mail directly from Messenger)
• Added plug-ins and sharing activities
• Colour functionality in names by default

If you can think of anything including, or a modification of the above features that you want to see in Messenger, leave a comment and I’ll make sure someone/many of the Messenger team has a browse around for ideas. Leave a comment below

Update – 23rd October 2006 at 17:25 GMT: All these comments have been submitted to Microsoft. As I’m writing this, I’m sending it as a transfer over Messenger… but keep the great ideas coming in – all of these comments are really good and with some confidence I can say that I think they’ll like them

Why has Microsoft done this… Alerts are paid advertising for other companies… I want my Tabs back (especially the Shiny Bell)

-Patrick

Update: John from the WLM team has stated that the missing tabs and buttons is a known issue at this time and was not a planned occurance due to server work.  There is no ETA for a resolution to the issue but it is being worked on.(Just like Zack said )

Update 2 Tabs are back on tonight

So without further hesitation get your free Messenger content HERE

This information is from MSN Advertising which I got off the web earlier on today – it’s available to one and all, I’ve just condensed some of it into a much easier way to understand.

Something else which is interesting – I was talking to Jo (works on Family Safety) in the office a few weeks ago about Spaces and how it’s become so large. Some of you will know, that MSN Spaces (now Windows Live Spaces) is the biggest blogging community in the world – even in the UK we only just beat MySpace which is still a huge achievement… but the funny thing is, is that Microsoft never marketed MSN Spaces when it was released into public beta December 2004. They never advertised it, never marketed it, this is how it became so big – it’s all down to this button

Amazing how something can become so big from thinking “oh, I haven’t seen that button before – I’ll click it and see where it gets me”. That’s exactly what I did when I started the MSN Messenger 7.0 beta back in Autumn/late 2004 and that’s how I started blogging

Basically, the Virtual Global Taskforce with help from SOCA (Serious and Organised Crime Agency in the UK, a bit like the FBI but not as crap) and Microsoft are coming together in harmony to create functionality to report abuse on Windows Live Messenger. This means that those cute little kiddlywinks out there who want to talk to their friends online, then a weirdo 50 year old bloke adds that kiddlywink and pretends to be a 12 year old girl, and the first kiddlywink gets a bit suspicious and feels a bit scared, they hit the button and report it.

However to be fair, the VGT (Virtual Global Taskforce) which has a website (here) has a Report Abuse tool which must be reitterated, is very similar as if you were calling 999, the Emergency Services. You can get into a whole load of trouble if you misuse the tool, because the reporting tool goes straight to the nearest policing authority. So use it if you need to, and don’t “prank call” them!

This will be rolled out into Windows Live Messenger at a later date, above as you can see is a concept design.

Edit: The BBC has nowreported on this subject – here’s the link if anyone wants to see it – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5279164.stm

Microsoft are celebrating the occasion by giving away free TechEd megos for your Messenger account.

So what does it mean…Here’s your chance to personalise your own Tech.Ed MeeGo character which you can use in different ways to enhance your messaging experience…your mego will move and respond to your emoticons.

Get one now @ http://www2.meegos.com/teched/
Thanks to Brodie for the Heads-Up

“Microsoft officials say there are 20 Windows Live services available in beta and/or final versions. But it looks like the real count is in excess of 40. And that’s not including a number of Live services which Microsoft has yet to acknowledge, but sources say are in the pipeline. There are more Windows Live services than meet the eye.”