Windows Live is the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft, part of their software plus services platform. A majority of these services are Web applications, accessible from a browser, but there are also client-side binary applications that require installation on a user's PC. There are three ways in which Windows Live services are offered: Windows Live Essentials applications, web services, and mobile services.[2]
| File:Windows Live logo.svg | |
| Screenshot of Windows Live Home Screenshot of Windows Live Home, which serves as a central location to access all Windows Live services | |
| Owner | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Created by | Microsoft |
| URL | explore.live.com |
| Commercial | No |
| Registration | Required |
Besides Windows Live, which is mainly aimed at individuals,[3] there are some other Web properties from Microsoft that are branded as "Live": Xbox LIVE multiplayer gaming and content delivery system for Xbox and Xbox 360, and the Games for Windows - LIVE multiplayer gaming service for Microsoft Windows. Microsoft announced in January 2009 that Office Live services would be converged into Windows Live services with the Wave 4 update, released in June 2010.[4]
History
Windows Live was first announced on November 1, 2005. In its initial release, several Windows Live properties were rebranded and enhanced from Microsoft's MSN set of products and services. However, MSN still exists alongside Windows Live as a means of delivering programmed content (as opposed to customized content and communications).[3] Although the new branding might suggest closer technical ties to the Microsoft Windows operating system and services, the two are available separately. Microsoft said that Windows Live "is a way to extend the Windows user experience".[5] Windows Vista provides a link in its user interface to download Windows Live Messenger, and Windows 7 saw the removal of applications such as Windows Mail, Windows Photo Gallery and Windows Movie Maker and replaced with the Windows Live Essentials suite, a software package that allows the downloading and installation of similar offerings from Windows Live.[6] Some web-based Windows Live services such as Windows Live SkyDrive are available outside of Windows; however, these services are integrated closely with the Windows Live Essentials suite of applications.
Services
Online services and applications
| Service | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Account | The service for updating a user's Windows Live identity and managing Windows Live relationships | Final |
| Admin Center | Provides e-mail hosting for web site owners | Final |
| Contacts | The contact book service, which allows users to keep track and synchronize their contact's information | Final |
| Devices | An online device management service that will allow users to centrally access and manage the synchronisation of files stored on their computers and mobile devices. Windows Live Devices will also allow users to remotely access their computers from the internet via their web browser. | Final |
| Essentials | A suite of Windows Live software applications. Essentials are installed via a single installer, which allows users to select and install only the specific applications they wish. | Final |
| Family Safety | Parental Controls similar to Windows Vista's Family Safety feature | Final |
| Gallery | A center for collections of developers' add-ons for Windows Vista Sidebar and SideShow gadgets | Final |
| Groups | Enable users to create their social groups for sharing, discussion and coordination | Final |
| Home | Provides a central location to access Windows Live services, monitor status information, and navigate to other Windows Live sites and services | Final |
| Hotmail | Free webmail service using AJAX technology featuring email, contacts and calendar services | Final |
| Hotmail Calendar | Time management service that allow users to organize appointments, schedule meetings, set reminders, and share their calendar events | Final |
| ID | Works seamlessly with Windows Live services and allowing multiple sign-ins with different accounts | Final |
| Desktop mail and calendar client designed to succeed Outlook Express on Windows XP and Windows Mail on Windows Vista, with full RSS support | Final | |
| Mesh | File sharing and synchronization service based on FolderShare and Live Mesh technologies. Supports PC-to-PC and PC-to-Cloud synchronisation, and supports synchronisation of program settings such as Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office between multiple computers. Also allow users to remotely access their computers via the internet. | Final |
| Messenger | Instant messaging, personal file sharing and outgoing Voice over IP client | Final |
| Messenger Companion | An add-in for Internet Explorer that allow users to share a webpage with their friends on Windows Live, see links to webpages the user's friends have shared and comment on these shared pages. | Final |
| Movie Maker | Video editing software similar to Windows Movie Maker with additional enhancements that makes home video editing easier | Final |
| Office | A cloud-based document management service built on top of Windows Live SkyDrive. It allow users to view and edit Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote documents directly in the web browser using Office Web Apps, and allow sharing and co-authoring of these documents with other users. | Final |
| Photo Gallery | Similar to Windows Photo Gallery with additional enhancements that make posting photos to SkyDrive and Facebook easier | Final |
| Photos | Photo storage service that allows users to upload and share their personal albums and photographs with other Windows Live users | Final |
| Plug-ins | A central repository for collections of developer plug-ins for Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Movie Maker, and Windows Live Writer | Final |
| Profile | Allow users to manage their profile information and displays information about the particular user, their recent activities, and their relationship with other Windows Live users | Final |
| Service Status | Allow users to get information about the current performance of Windows Live services including Hotmail, Calendar, Contacts, Messenger, Messenger Social, SkyDrive, and Mesh, as well as checking the past history of service statuses during the past 14 days | Final |
| SkyDrive | Password-protected online file storage and sharing, includes Windows Live Photos and Windows Live Office for management of photos and Office documents | Final |
| Writer | Desktop blog publishing tool that can publish to popular blogging services and make use of SkyDrive for photo storage. | Final |
Mobile services
Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone Live is a free online companion service for Windows Phone 7 mobile devices that provides users with a free mobile phone back-up solution by wirelessly synchronizing contacts, calendar appointments, photos, and OneNote notebooks with a password-protected online portal. Users can access and manage their information stored on their Windows Phone 7 devices via the online portal using their Windows Live ID, as well as accessing a set of features for remotely ringing, locking, mapping, and erasing their lost phones. This service integrates tightly with other Windows Live services including Windows Live Contacts, Windows Live Calendar, and Windows Live SkyDrive.[7]
iOS
Microsoft released a Windows Live Messenger application on the iOS App Store, which allows users on mobile devices running the iOS to communicate with their Windows Live Contacts via the .NET Messenger Service. In addition to the instant messaging functionalities, the application also allow users to view their Messenger social feed, their friends' Windows Live Profile, as well as integration with Hotmail and Windows Live Photos.
Feature phone
Windows Live also provides customised services specifically created for feature phones. It is offered via three channels - through Client-based (for Windows Mobile and other supported mobile devices such as Nokia phones), Web-based. (for WAP or GPRS-enabled mobile web browsers), or SMS-based services.[8]
| Mobile Service | Client | Web | SMS | Exchange ActiveSync | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Live Calendar Mobile | 
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Web-based version of Windows Live Calendar designed for mobile devices to view, schedule and manage calendar appointments and events. SMS service for users to query today and tomorrow's appointments in their Windows Live Calendar | Final | |
| Windows Live Contacts Mobile |
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|
|
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Web-based version of Windows Live Contacts designed for mobile devices for access to contact information. Client-based version allows integration of the Windows Live contact list with the mobile device's address book. Also allow users to query contact information via SMS | Final |
| Windows Live Groups Mobile |
|
Web-based version of Windows Live Groups designed for mobile devices | Final | |||
| Windows Live Home Mobile |
|
Displays a list of What's New feeds of all contacts, similar to Windows Live Home but targets mobile devices | Final | |||
| Windows Live Hotmail Mobile |
|
|
|
|
Web- and client-based version of Windows Live Hotmail that targets mobile devices, and allow new email alerts via SMS | Final |
| Windows Live Messenger Mobile |
|
|
|
Web- and client-based version of Windows Live Messenger that is designed for mobile devices, and allow users to send instant messages via SMS | Final | |
| Windows Live Office Mobile |
|
Web-based version of Windows Live Office designed for mobile devices for documents viewing and management. | Final | |||
| Windows Live Photos Mobile |
|
|
Web-based version of Windows Live Photos designed for mobile devices for photo viewing and uploading. Client-based version allows upload of photos directly from a mobile phone camera | Final | ||
| Windows Live Profile Mobile |
|
View and update user's own Windows Live Profile information using a mobile device | Final | |||
| Windows Live SkyDrive Mobile |
|
Web-based version of Windows Live SkyDrive designed for mobile devices for accessing documents stored on the cloud. | Final | |||
| Windows Live Spaces Mobile |
|
A customized version of Windows Live Spaces that targets mobile devices | Final |
Search services
Bing, a replacement of the search engine Live Search, was originally named Windows Live Search (and MSN Search prior to that) and was once part of the Windows Live family of services. Windows Live Search once occupied the homepage of Live.com, the domain for all Windows Live services. However, on March 21, 2007, Microsoft decided to separate its search developments from its Windows Live services family, forming part of the Live Search and Ad Platform. As part of this reorganization, the new search brand, Live Search, was consolidated with Microsoft adCenter, a part of Microsoft's Platform and Systems division.[9] However, Microsoft recognised that there was a brand issue as the word "Live" continued to remain in the brand.[10] As an effort to create a new identity for Microsoft's search services, on June 3, 2009, Live Search was officially rebranded as Bing.[11]
Developer services
Windows Live Messenger Connect is a collection of APIs and common controls that allow developers to have a deeper control and offers access to the core Windows Live services and data through open and easily accessible application programming interfaces (APIs). Messenger Connect is built on standard web technologies such as ASP.NET, Microsoft Silverlight (in-browser and out-of-browser models), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Adobe Flash, PHP, and Java and is designed to work with any technology or device. Messenger Connect unites the previously separate APIs of Windows Live into a single API that is based on industry standards and specifications.
User interface
All Windows Live websites sport a common theme. Different themes have been used on the sites with each phase of product release, called "Waves." Each Wave has a set of online services and desktop programs (Windows Live Essentials). The web services are labelled by each Wave, for example, Windows Live Hotmail Wave 4. The programs from Windows Live Essentials are usually called by a year number, for example, Windows Live Messenger 2011.
Blue Vapor / Flair
Most original Windows Live applications and services used a visual theme known as Blue Vapor or Flair. This theme no longer exists on any of the current Windows Live properties. An example is shown below:
Wave 2
With the public beta release of the Windows Live Wave 2 Suite[12] ("Wave" refers to the group or wave of products to be released), a new visual theme was released to enable the Aero transparency effect in Windows Vista.[13] This theme remains in use on sites such as Windows Live Gallery. An example is shown below:
Wave 3
Microsoft released a set of new themes for their Windows Live Wave 3 services, which allows users to customize their pages on Windows Live using a set of pre-selected background pictures. Several of these themes are dynamic and change according to the time of day and the current weather condition of the user.[14] This theme remains in use on sites such as Windows Live Admin Center. An example is shown below:
Wave 4
In addition to the themes provided in Windows Live Wave 3, the release of Windows Live Wave 4 provided additional themes for users to customise their pages on Windows Live, with several dynamic themes that changes according to the time of day and weather conditions at the user's location. Several of these newly added themes are similar to wallpapers originating from Windows 7.[15] In addition, the Windows Live Wave 4 header features a reorganised dynamic navigation menu that displays the number of the user's current online contacts and the number of unread e-mails,[16] as well as an in-built Windows Live Web Messenger service allowing users to connect to the .NET Messenger Service and Facebook chat service to chat with their online contacts while browsing any Windows Live properties using a web browser.[17] It is currently implemented in all but a few Windows Live services. An example is shown below:
Discontinued products and services
| Name | Replaced By | Description | Discontinued Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agents | Interactive chatterbots through Windows Live Messenger that allow users to get more information about specific topics. | 30 June 2009 | |
| Alerts | Send information updates to the user's email inbox, mobile device or Messenger. | 30 September 2010 | |
| Barcode | Microsoft Tag | 2D barcodes that can be used to store information or link to the mobile web. | |
| Call | Allow users to make PC-to-PC and PC-to-Phone (Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)) voice and video calls. | 1 June 2010 | |
| Events | Windows Live Groups Hotmail Calendar |
Manage and plan different types of events and share them with others using Hotmail Calendar, Spaces and Alerts. | 3 September 2009 |
| Expo | Allow users to post online classifieds and search for listings posted by other users. | 31 July 2008 | |
| Favorites | Windows Live SkyDrive Windows Live Mesh |
Synchronizes the user's favorites between computers and allows for the sharing of favorites. | 14 April 2009 |
| FrameIt | Extends the functionality of digital photo frame devices, allowing users to customise the content delivery from multiple sources such as RSS feeds. | 15 December 2010 | |
| Help Community | Windows Live Solutions Center | Collection of forums and message boards to communicate with other users of Windows Live products. | 6 June 2008 |
| Office Live Workspace | Windows Live Office | Offers 5GB of storage space for storing Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook documents and lists online and sharing them with others. Office Live Workspace does not offer collaboration or editing capabilities however. | |
| OneCare | Microsoft Security Essentials | Computer Security Service. Features its own Anti-Virus program, back-up utility, and a software firewall. | 30 June 2009 |
| OneCare Safety Scanner | Microsoft Safety Scanner | Free PC scanning and health service to help delete viruses and other threats. Includes registry cleaner, disk cleaner and defragmenter, network open port scanner, and comprehensive virus and spyware scanner. | 15 April 2011 |
| Personalized Experience | My MSN | An all-in-one home page featuring a customisable RSS aggregator, gadgets and search tools. | 30 March 2010 |
| QnA | MSN QnA | A question and answer service which allow users to ask questions, tag them according to topic, and gain points and reputation for answering other users' questions. | 21 May 2009 |
| Search Center | Windows Search 4 | A desktop search program which provides a unified local and remote indexed search from a unified interface. | 12 December 2006 |
| Shopping | Bing Shopping | An online shopping comparison website which allowed users to compare items and prices of over 40 million products from more than 7000 online stores. | 20 February 2007 |
| Spaces | Migration to WordPress | A blog and social networking service which allows users to create personalized blogs, add friends, and upload photos. | 16 March 2011 |
| Sync and Live Mesh | Windows Live Mesh | File synchronization which allow files and folders between two or more computers be in sync with each other or with the cloud storage on the web. Live Mesh also enables remote desktop access via the internet using a web browser. | 31 March 2011 |
| TV | An additional program for Windows Media Center which will provide access to Windows Live Spaces, Messenger, and Call on large-screen monitors or TVs. | 24 June 2008 | |
| Toolbar | Bing Bar | A toolbar which adds itself to Windows Internet Explorer, allowing quick access to a user's Windows Live Spaces, Hotmail, Favorites and Live Search from a button on the toolbar. | 31 March 2011 |
| Video Messages | Windows Live Messenger | Combines digital video with e-mail into a service that allows all webcam users to create, send, and receive video messages to anyone in their contact list, even when they are offline. | 21 July 2010 |
| Web Messenger | Now part of all Windows Live web services | Online version of Windows Live Messenger which allow users to talk online and in real-time with others using the .NET Messenger Service from within a web browser. | 30 October 2008 |
| WiFi Center | Allow users to search for wireless networks that are available and displays information about them. | 16 February 2007 | |
| WiFi Hotspot Locator | MSN WiFi Hotspots | A website which allowed users to locate wireless internet hotspots worldwide and view their positions on a map using Bing Maps. | 16 February 2007 |
Windows Live Butterfly
The Windows Live Butterfly awards program (formerly the MSN Butterfly program) was a program whose members were given the benefit of new Microsoft software to test before the beta releases went public and they were in direct contact with the program managers for Windows Live products.
Microsoft had initiated the Windows Live Butterfly program in order to recognize the contributions made by exemplary beta testers. Prospective 'butterflies' were selected by the Windows Live product team and were nominated for a term of one year, after which they could be renominated.[18]
The Windows Live Butterfly program was closed in June 2009.
See also
References
- ^ Live.com Site Info
- ^ "Windows Live Wave 3 Reviewers Guide" (PDF). Microsoft PressPass. 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ a b "Microsoft Previews New Windows Live and Office Live Services (press release)". Microsoft PressPass. 2005-11-01. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Looking ahead and bringing you even more". Office Live Workspace Team Blog. 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2009-01-24.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ Thurrott, Paul (2006-01-18). "Windows Live Preview". Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ ce/archive/2008/10/28/the-complete-windows-experience-windows-7-windows-live.aspx "The Complete Windows Experience – Windows 7 + Windows Live". The Windows Blog. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help); External link in|publisher= - ^ Windows Phone 7 – Getting Connected
- ^ "Windows Live for mobile Wave 3 – take your social life on the go". LiveSide.net. 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ Foley, Mary Jo (2007-03-21). "Microsoft severs Live Search from the rest of the Windows Live family". ZDNet: All About Microsoft. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ Keynote with Kevin Johnson at Microsoft
- ^ http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/05/microsofts-bing-hides-its-best-features/
- ^ "Windows Live 2.0 Release Notes". Microsoft. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
- ^ "The Death of Flair - Windows Live's New Look". LiveSide.net. 2007-06-15. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Windows Live Wave 3: New Header UI". LiveSide.net. 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Recapping the rumors: what we "know" about Wave 4". LiveSide.net. 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "More information about Windows Live Wave 4's dynamic header". LiveSide.net. 2010-01-21. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "A new wave, a new look: First look at the Windows Live Wave 4 header". LiveSide.net. 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
{{cite news}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ Excerpt of Windows Live Butterfly acceptance e-mail from Windows Live Beta Team