Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

Davideh — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:35:07 GMT

[IMG]i35.tinypic.com/289bqcn.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]i34.tinypic.com/r9pea9.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]i35.tinypic.com/seoi86.jpg[/IMG]

Just some images :D

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

Davideh — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:27:20 GMT

Hmm, would it be ok if I posted the WLM 9 W3 msi? (beta testa)

_backs away

Or would that go against a ToS?

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

Alasdair — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:29:31 GMT

I agree. It's the little things that make a difference. Although, one of the screens status still says "online".

I must admit that I like new status tiles, but mrx9898 has a point with the "brand thing".

However! If status is going to be applied throughout Windows Live then it’s not exclusive to WLM and class buddy icons make less sense (as other users may just be “contacts” instead of buddies, like they are in communicator).

The display pictures on the left hand side are starting to drive me insane. Reading Left to right is normal for most users and having a big empty gap isn't good on the eyes.

Oh, and I don't ever remember it being suggested in the beta *cough" , so why guys!! Work on requests first!

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

CalumJR — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:45:42 GMT

I've also just noticed something: I love how they've changed the "Online" text to say "Available" instead. That makes much more sense because before, the category was called "Online" even when people were "Busy" or "Away", so "Available" & "Unavailable" or "Available" & "Offline" make much more sense to me!

It's little things like that that please me sometimes! :) lol.

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

CalumJR — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:40:29 GMT

I really CANNOT wait for this! I hope they release the beta this week!

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

Seika — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:09:30 GMT

The tile now looks like Office Communicator.

I like the small links in header, especially Hotmail's. That icon is my new mail notification, and when a mail arrived, I can just click on it to open Live Mail or Hotmail. Second is the spaces shortcut, but the others do seem unused.

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

mrx9898 — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:08:24 GMT

Hmmm... I have a couple of things that I'm not too fussed about with this build. First is that I don't like these new buddy icons, for me, the little messenger buddy works a lot better, because it's kind of a brand thing. Second is that the borders around the display picture looks kind of weird against whatever colour you choose for the UI. Third is that I HATE that the webcam icon is on the very left of the conversation, this just seems to be a waste of space, when they could put it above the display picture or below. And lastly, I just don't feel that it looks to professional, and at the moment, the UI sucks balls. -mrx9898

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

Lassan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:52:11 GMT

I really think the display pictures in the conversation window should remain on the right because we read from the left. So the first thing you look at should be the text and not the DP. I used M1 and found them too disruptive/distracting and had them hidden most of the time.

Gets really annoying with webcam sessions as well, at least to me.

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

ProSieben — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:46:22 GMT

Hi,

i dissagreed abou the new buddy icons. Please let the old status symbols for busy etc... I think that would be make some people disorientate

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

CalumJR — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:24:52 GMT

Another thing to add to Alasdair's list of differences between the two screenshots of the main window:

The favourite contacts have their display picture showing in the first one, yet in the second one they just have their buddy icon showing... I remember you saying the favourite contacts would have their display picture showing so I hope that in the second screenshot it is just an option they have turned off, because I really love the idea of the display picture showing for our favourite contacts but not the other contacts.

Also "search contacts or the web" sounds MUCH better than "find a contact or more".

I really do LOVE this user interface & the favourite contacts feature & coloured borders around the display pictures are FANTASTIC ideas! I really hope they incorporate the coloured display picture borders in their other software & web services!

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

quikboy — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:06:26 GMT

Interesting. It does look improved, on the UI front. I'm going to miss the buddy icons, but the new ones are much better and to the point.

I'm not digging the chat window though. I wish Microsoft could do a better job of visually separating the text in the conversation. Maybe colored speech balloons, or color backgrounds behind the text could do a better job. They're better be a way of closing the darn display pics in the chat too. NO tabs? Argh. And the text input toolbar is still very crappy, with no way to customize what's on it.

"What's New" is a dumb name. "News Feed" or "Friend's Updates" would be better, and I hope we can see more than just a itzy bit. Judging by the screenshots, it's a nice UI change, but I want more new features besides Groups and PhotoShare (stuff I'll never use)

How about iChat-like video effects? Or combining SharedView? A bazillion of things to add.

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

Alasdair — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 04:01:25 GMT

Just a few observations:

1) The left main windows search bar says "search contacts or the web" and the right says "Find a contact and more".

2) The right has a star next to Favourites and the left doesn't.

3) Also, one says the person is 'available' and one says 'online'

Strange. Different builds? Mock ups?

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

AndyD — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:33:11 GMT

I just thought of something: there used to be Windows Live Alerts for Xbox Live related items. eg. people signing in, new messages, et cetera.

I wonder if those will be back?

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

Alber1690 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:29:19 GMT

Wait...so the little buddies in the taskbar are leaving us?

re: Windows Live Messenger – more new features expected

DavidK — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:46:28 GMT

Now this looks better... certainly better than the Windows Live Mail is looking (even with the calendar integration). It's pleasing to see development though. =)