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Exclusive: MSN Messenger 7.0 Revealed

Tom Warren   on 29 September 2004 - 19:42 · 381 comments & 173291 views

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Back in May, 2003 we exclusively revealed MSN Messenger 6.0. This time around it's 6.0's bigger brother, 7.0. MSN Messenger is clearly progressing in this early look at 7.0. You now have the ability to sign in as busy/away/offline etc which will please a lot of people. 3 Degrees is finally encorporated into MSN Messenger (something I had been writing about for more than a year). The interface is cleaner, smarter and the features are great!

Winks: Winks allow you to send kisses, hearts and all sorts of silly cartoons to your contacts.

Nudge: Nudge allows you to send a "shake" to your contact. Both your own and your contacts MSN Messenger window will shake, much like how Internet Explorer windows shake using the correct javascript.

Download packs: Download packs will allow users to grab winks/emoticons/display pictures and backgrounds straight from MSN. As these currently don't work we were unable to test them.

Games: Chess Club, Bankshot Billiards Club are included if you're a Instant Games Clubhouse member. Standard Checkers/Solitaire Showdown/Bejeweled/Minesweeper Flags and Tic Tac Toe are still included.

Activities: Activities allow you to share files, calendars, photos and perform tasks such as remote assistance.

Deluxe Display Pictures: Although these are unavailable it seems like MSN are going to supply animated display pictures.

The build in question is 7.0.0205 and carries the beta tag throughout. The main MSN Messenger window is redesigned to show your display picture and includes the ability to scroll through tabs. There's no new options in the main options menu but you can change the position of the tab icons. When a contact signs in using MSN Messenger 6 or above you get the contacts display picture on the sign in toast. Custom emoticons are still the same, they still do not animate or allow animated GIFs etc. Check out the screenshots below for more features and the general user interface. MSN Messenger 7.0 is expected to be released into beta on November 11 with a general "MSN Messenger Wave 10" release as late as February 2005. We'll keep you updated but for now enjoy the screenshots.

Screenshots removed at the request of Microsoft

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(1 reply) #1 vetbangbang023 on 29 Sep 2004 - 19:58
Um and people complain about the bloatedness of AIM? I use both but the contact list is getting smaller and smaller in MSN with each major release. Also, things like the nudge and those "winks" or whatever are very similar to what's in YIM 6.0.

I'm not trying to start a flame war, it's just that everyone here praises MSN like crazy and I can't see why.
#1.1 vetbangbang023 on 30 Sep 2004 - 01:31
Yes bloated. I have a life thank you. I use it to provide well thought out opinions on a subject. Why not try to do the same?
#2 vettimdorr on 29 Sep 2004 - 19:58
"Share Fun Activities" - Yeah, looking at someone's calendar is wicked "fun"
(2 replies) #3 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#3.1 vetbangbang023 on 29 Sep 2004 - 20:00
How the heck did they copy MSN? Yahoo had features that both AIM and MSN just added in, years ago.
#3.2 vetbangbang023 on 29 Sep 2004 - 20:07
If anything, the display picture thing is copied from AIM since it had buddy icons before either of them did.
(1 reply) #4 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#4.1 vetToxicfume on 29 Sep 2004 - 21:05
We definitely like to share wealth, but it's not good if that has to be done at the cost of not getting a credit.
#5 vetlardiop on 29 Sep 2004 - 21:44
NO LINKS. They will be removed immediately and the poster banned. You have been warned
(1 reply) #6 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#6.1 vetlardiop on 29 Sep 2004 - 21:47
We know... but he implied it was real.
(1 reply) #7 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#7.1 vetbangbang023 on 29 Sep 2004 - 22:24
um logging is already in 6.x.
#8 creamhackered on 29 Sep 2004 - 23:01
Yeah quit with the requesting links already....
(1 reply) #9 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#9.1 vetbangbang023 on 30 Sep 2004 - 14:14
That's just a mockup created by some fans of messenger.
(1 reply) #10 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#10.1 creamhackered on 30 Sep 2004 - 23:00
Idiot alert ^^
(1 reply) #11 on 01 Jan 1970 - 00:00
#11.1 vetJoel on 01 Oct 2004 - 15:44
QUOTE
What I don't like about MSN is the way your name pops up on your contacts screens when they come online. It should be more discrete.. I can't get on MSN anymore without a barrage of people talking to me.

So, you sign on to a CHAT program, and you're surprised that people who you've allowed onto your list try to contact you? Why sign in then?

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