Windows Live Messenger 9 Available In Closed Beta
Windows Live Messenger 9’s beta has begun, with beta testers getting access to the software on Microsoft Connect. If you applied for the beta, check your email or check Connect to see if you’ve been accepted. Here are some screenshots of it someone leaked out:
The middle screenshots show off the new feature, which allows you to be signed in to your account on multiple computers at the same time. You can even click to sign yourself out of a remote computer from any computer, which is very convenient.
The last screenshot shows off another new feature, which lets you import custom sounds to associate with each of your friends when they log in. Not only can you choose from a list of sounds, you can select a five second sample from any music file on your computer to use that as the sound. The interface for choosing the sample is so clean and simple, I feel it should be integrated into the operating system for all programs to use to manipulate music and video clips.
Also, apparently Live Messenger is dropping Verizon Web Calling for VoIP calls, replacing it with a service to be announced later.
I’m more annoyed by new versions of MSN Messenger (or WLM, which is what they want you to call it), than I appreciate them.
I just want something that looks like it’s a part of Windows. XP, that is. Windows Live Messenger ESPECIALLY looks like it belongs in a Christmas tree rather than on my computer.
It’s a shame they keep adding features, almost… Because every time, I find out one GREAT new feature has been added, at the cost of several new layers of bloat.
I’m currently using Messenger 8.1.
(And yes, I did not forget to turn off most of the crap I don’t want in the first palce, but you cannot turn of that horrible non-native skin.)
Same goes for WMP, by the way. I use version 9. (But at least for version 11 you can say it looks nice, unlike Messenger, even if WMP STILL isn’t using a native skin.)
At least KDE looks more consistent. I wish I could say Microsoft software does, too.
Comment by Tim | November 29, 2007
@Tim : What’s wrong with new features? It just gives you a reason to use it more. WLM runs great for me, and I have no probs with it. I’m using it in XP SP2, and it works fine.
And WMP 11 works awesomely as well. In fact, I would even say it’s the best, because of the tons of add-ons out there, looks, function, everything. Some tweaking, and it’s definitely #1.
You want it to look like XP-like? Funny.
Comment by Michael | November 30, 2007