Microsoft has announced the availability of 3 Windows Live products today, all of which are beta.
Windows Live Mail is the free consumer client Microsoft will invest in moving forward. It is a superset of existing free clients and will replace Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail desktop beta. While it used to be a paid feature, Hotmail customers can now access their account for free in Outlook 2003 and Windows Live Mail.
Windows Live Writer is a blogging tool that has been available in the US since August of last year. The tool was very well received by US bloggers at launch since it provides increased product functionality for Windows Live Spaces users and it also allows publishing to many of the largest blogging products in the world.
Windows Live Messenger 8.5 will also go out with a largely back-end update, but includes feature updates such as new look and feel in sign-in and conversation window, new emoticons, and integration with Windows Live OneCare Family Safety.
Download: Windows Live Writer Beta 2
Download Windows Live Messenger 8.5 Beta 1:
Download Windows Live Mail Beta:
Screenshots: Messenger 8.5 Beta 1 Gallery | Writer Beta Gallery
View: Messenger Blog posting | Mail Blog Posting
Windows Live Mail is the free consumer client Microsoft will invest in moving forward. It is a superset of existing free clients and will replace Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows Live Mail desktop beta. While it used to be a paid feature, Hotmail customers can now access their account for free in Outlook 2003 and Windows Live Mail.
Windows Live Writer is a blogging tool that has been available in the US since August of last year. The tool was very well received by US bloggers at launch since it provides increased product functionality for Windows Live Spaces users and it also allows publishing to many of the largest blogging products in the world.
Windows Live Messenger 8.5 will also go out with a largely back-end update, but includes feature updates such as new look and feel in sign-in and conversation window, new emoticons, and integration with Windows Live OneCare Family Safety.
US (En) | US (Es) | GB (En) | India (En) | French | German | Spain | Chinese (Simplified) | Japanese
US (En) | US (Es) | GB (En) | India (En) | French | German | Spain | Chinese (Simplified) | Japanese
Additional information about Windows Live Mail:
This client service is similar to Outlook Express and Windows Mail software but is optimized to work with Windows Live Hotmail and other Windows Live services. Windows Live Mail beta is designed to work with Windows Live Hotmail, providing a similar UI and familiar interaction model. The client will offer additive features to Windows Live Hotmail, made possible by bringing together client software with services including things like offline mail and account aggregation.
- Offline mail
- Windows Live Hotmail account aggregation
- Additional account aggregation for POP and IMAP mail accounts
- RSS feed aggregation
- More advanced photo-sharing capabilities
- More advanced search via integration with Desktop Search
- Additional safety (AV scanning, anti-phishing, anti-spam protection across aggregated accounts for customers who do not have an AV product)
- Additional integration with Windows Live services including Spaces

Digg this story!
Last edited by Rob on 30 May 2007 - 23:38
C
C
Nevermind, post updated with working link.
Yeah for now. That's the placeholder for the new one. Jeez.
Yeah for now. That's the placeholder for the new one. Jeez.
I'm just saying by posting just a link and not saying anything... some people may get mad
Yeah for now. That's the placeholder for the new one. Jeez.
I'm just saying by posting just a link and not saying anything... some people may get mad
Ah right. Nothing works anyways. Everything is broke!
Starts a download here.
very odd
I also cannot log into WLM's 8.1 client after running this.
I open Task Manager and start the installation, WL Messenger processes appear then after 30 secs they disapear but WL Messenger hasn't installed.
Any ideas?
I have numerous error logs in Event Viewer ie
The description for Event ID (0) in Source (WLSetupSvc) cannot be
found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information
or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You
may be able to use /AUXSOURCE = flag to retrieve this discription;
see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the
event: Services stopped.
__________________________________________________________________
Product: Windows Live Installer -- Error 1706. An installation package for
the product Windows Live installer cannot be found. Try the installation
again using a vaild copy of the installation 'dashboard.msi'
For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Last edited by windows tester on 30 May 2007 - 23:15
Release notes!
If you install any combination of the Messenger 8.5, Mail, or Writer betas on one computer, each beta must be the same language version. If you try to install one of these betas in a different language, the installation will fail.
http://get.live.com/betas/installer_release_notes
This is madness!
THIS IS SPARTAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
well. except live mail
C
C
that doesn't seem to work under XP
lol...or maybe some got in a hurry....si`
Does not work with Vista Ultimate.
after you log in look at the splash screen
screenshot of my msn after using a-patch: http://i7.tinypic.com/4podnhw.jpg
windows live mail desktop link on main page is same build for me, where is link for new version?