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MSN Premium Beta 4 Released To Testers

Tom Warren   on 04 November 2003 - 03:20 · 30 comments & 2320 views

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The MSN Client Development team has released a new build of MSN Premium tonight. This brings the beta testing stage to Beta 4. MSN Explorer's build number is updated to 9.00.0010.2800 with this update. The update itself is only available by signing into MSN Explorer. It's a background auto-update. Users are reporting that MSN Explorer crashes after the update, we're not sure if this is several isolated cases or a general thing but we've experienced crashing with this updated client.

MSN Messenger 6.x hasn't been updated and remains at build 6.1.0155.

News source: In-House


The following key features are provided in Voice Command:

Voice-controlled hands-free phone. Whether in the car, at the airport or walking down the street, people will enjoy true hands-free phone conversations without ever having to manually dial a number. They can simply say any name from their contact list. For example, they might say "Call Bob Smith," or they could give a number, saying for example, "Dial 555-1212."
Voice-controlled calendar lookup. Checking appointments has never been easier. Regardless of location, consumers can simply ask their Pocket PC, "What's my next appointment?" or "What's my calendar?" and the time, subject and location of each entry will be read aloud.
Voice-controlled Windows Media® Player. Now voice commands can be used as a virtual remote control to select and play music by album, artist or genre so people won't be fumbling for CDs or scrolling through a long list of songs. Consumers can also simply say, "Play music," using Voice Command as their personal disc jockey.
Voice-controlled application launcher. Consumers can open Pocket PC applications with ease using natural voice cues to launch any program, including Internet Explorer, Outlook® Calendar, Contacts and Tasks, games and Calculator. For example, a consumer can say "Start Solitaire," and let the games begin.
"Voice Command provides a significant improvement in speech software that is dramatically changing the way people will forever use their mobile devices," said Pieter Knook, corporate vice president for Mobile and Embedded Devices and Network Service Providers at Microsoft. "The product is a great example of how we're driving synergies between our platforms and devices business to create more powerful mobile experiences for our customers."

Automotive Business Unit Turns Up the Volume on Voice-Controlled Software

Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit developed Voice Command to address consumers' need to be safely connected while on the go. People want access to their personalized information, regardless of location, and research supports this trend. A recent survey revealed that 85 percent of U.S. cell phone owners and 50 percent of PDA owners use their devices while in the car.*

"We've been focused on providing improved communication, entertainment and information to drivers and passengers for the past decade," said Dick Brass, corporate vice president of Automotive Technologies at Microsoft. "No other company has the expertise and technical tools to provide a simple solution like Voice Command to the thousands who need safer, more convenient access to their personalized information both inside and outside the car."

Availability and System Requirements

Available for $39.95 (U.S.) on Handango.com and PocketPC.com, Voice Command is not only an affordable way to enhance a Pocket PC but is simple to install for consumers whose systems meet the following minimum requirements:

Windows Mobile 2003 software for Pocket PC or Pocket PC Phone Edition
Microsoft ActiveSync® 3.7 technology
Microsoft Windows® XP, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition or Windows 98 Second Edition operating system
CD-ROM drive
About the Automotive Business Unit

Since 1995, Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit has worked collaboratively with the auto industry to deliver technology designed for advanced in-car information, navigation and entertainment systems. By extending the company's knowledge of software for use in the car to

Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs, Microsoft is able to deliver the easiest, most convenient and productive software designed specifically to help people take their connected lifestyle with them wherever they go. In addition to offering consumers an alternative means to experience in-car connectivity, Microsoft will continue to provide the automotive industry with its advanced telematics platform, Windows Automotive. Microsoft technology is on the road today in 17 car models from eight manufacturers: BMW, Citroën, Fiat, Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo.


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(1 reply) #1 scottfmcc on 04 Nov 2003 - 03:31
It crashed for me. The update won't install until you close the client completely and restart.
#1.1 mipra on 09 Nov 2003 - 07:10
It's beta. What do you expect? hehe
#2 DJ^TuRKiYe on 04 Nov 2003 - 03:33
QUOTE
MSN Messenger 6.x hasn't been updated and remains at build 6.1.0155.

damnit there goes all the rumors of 6.2 being included.
(1 reply) #3 bangbang023 on 04 Nov 2003 - 03:43
Left MSN open for a good 2 hours and nothing. No update. Tried restarting MSN and all.
#3.1 hobsgrg on 04 Nov 2003 - 03:50
u have to restart ur pc completely to finish the update
#4 Krankerz on 04 Nov 2003 - 04:21
Update ran silently. I restarted MSN after it prompted me to. I just restarted my PC after reading this article, and yes, it crashes right when it starts up, but I can confirm I have the new version. Oh well...looks like it's back to IE 6 for me for some time
(3 replies) #5 mreska on 04 Nov 2003 - 04:26
Yes, I had the "crashing" problem too, nut everything seems to be working ok now, 3 hours after the update. Here is the real problem, I see absolutely NO difference whatsoever, looks like the previous version.
#5.1 Krankerz on 04 Nov 2003 - 05:04
So what did you do to resolve the issue? Just wait 3 hours?
#5.2 midway40 on 05 Nov 2003 - 03:33
Same thing here. I booted up the computer this evening and noticed that instead of "MSN 9" on the icon, it just said "MSN". Opening MSN under offline mode, I discovered that it did upgrade to 2800. Soon after signing in, the crashes started. I am a MSN member so I created a dial-up account for MSN (instead of using its Connection Manager) and will use IE6 to access my mail and money account. Right now, I don't feel like going back to 8.5 and going through a lengthy background upgrade that slows my connection until it finishes.

I will just wait for the MSN 9 final CD to come in the mail.
#5.3 mipra on 09 Nov 2003 - 07:10
many people seems to have this problem over and over with this build eh?
#6 scottfmcc on 04 Nov 2003 - 04:57
If there's something new here, I don't see it. Must be the end of the line for new feature sets....
#7 Crackler on 04 Nov 2003 - 05:54
Mine is now updated, without crashing. Seems to be working just fine so far.
(2 replies) #8 andrewfee on 04 Nov 2003 - 07:22
Anyone got a link to the new installer yet ?
#8.1 Krankerz on 04 Nov 2003 - 14:41
Don't you even read? This is an auto-update. No installer included. If you didn't get accepted to the beta, then don't worry about it and wait for the testers to do their job.
#8.2 andrewfee on 04 Nov 2003 - 18:17
Originally they had said that it would only be available through a new installer, not the auto-update. and seeing as the UK beta hasn't even started yet I haven't been able to officially test it. (I got in, and then a few days later they told me I had been rejected because I didn't live in america, which hadn't been stated when I signed up)
#9 BGuillaume on 04 Nov 2003 - 10:32
no crash over here
#10 jhaygood86 on 04 Nov 2003 - 12:54
I'll test it when I get home. I'm currently on a Windows 98 machine with Fortres Grande, so no installing MSN Premium and letting it auto-update. BTW, This is a high school computer. Nice, 1 GHz Intel Celeron, 512 MB RAM, but Fortres Grande installed...

Yo Guillaume! I finally get to see you on the Neowin Forums...
#11 Dave999 on 04 Nov 2003 - 15:12
Mines here now......no problems at all...running a pavilion 750N (HP)..notice messenger has a few new features....under quick launch theres a thing called quick greets....connected to american greetings... BUT>>> one thing differant is my display pic wont stay on there


#12 Andreas012345 on 05 Nov 2003 - 01:13
[COLOR=blue][SIZE=7][B]It sucks. There is nothing new to this version. SO why ...DAMN!! I hate that.
#13 sclar on 05 Nov 2003 - 01:34
Grrr @ Crashing all the time. I can keep it open if i just hide the 'MSN Error Reporting' box.
(1 reply) #14 mreska on 05 Nov 2003 - 01:44
I'm also having the problem with the display pic, it dosen't seem to want to communicate with messenger, anyone else have this prob?
#14.1 mipra on 09 Nov 2003 - 07:11
I do too..but I think they have resolved that one week ago
#15 dannyres on 05 Nov 2003 - 02:58
hmm yeah i have the dp problem aswell
#16 gabadoo on 05 Nov 2003 - 07:06
if anyone installed the Windows Installer v3 then maybe thats why it crashed after the installation. i had a serious problem with Windows Installer v3 and the msn install... had to do a clean install
#17 Gary_Player on 05 Nov 2003 - 07:16
I'm now at 10.2800 and it works just fine

They have yet to fix any of my bugs though
#18 sk858 on 05 Nov 2003 - 16:46
While MSN Messenger was not updated to version 6.2 in this refresh, the good news for those that bothered to read the beta notes is that from this point forward, they expect to do a beta refresh EVERY WEEK!!
(2 replies) #19 ec4912 on 05 Nov 2003 - 18:23
I had MSN Premium running all day yesterday and it didn't upgrade. I even rebooted. I'm not an official Beta tester, does that mean I won't get the background updates?
#19.1 sk858 on 06 Nov 2003 - 00:04
QUOTE (#19.0)
I'm not an official Beta tester, does that mean I won't get the background updates?

Hmm... let's pretend I'm Microsoft. You have illegally downloaded my beta prelease software without any sort of non-disclosure or other agreement. You could work for a competitor for all I know since you never filled out a beta application.

Remind me again what my motivation to provide you with the refresh is?
#19.2 ec4912 on 06 Nov 2003 - 01:08
Oh well, I shouldn't complain, seems like I'm better off with the latest installer.
#20 trickitup@msn.com on 06 Nov 2003 - 05:06
QUOTE
QUOTE (#19.0)
I'm not an official Beta tester, does that mean I won't get the background updates?



Hmm... let's pretend I'm Microsoft. You have illegally downloaded my beta prelease software without any sort of non-disclosure or other agreement. You could work for a competitor for all I know since you never filled out a beta application.

Remind me again what my motivation to provide you with the refresh is?


I'm not an official tester but mine updated.....but I can't keep it open long enough to do anything....ughhh it keeps crashing

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