Windows Essentials 2012

[siah1214]

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/windowsexperience/archive/2012/08/07/introducing-the-new-windows-photo-gallery-and-movie-maker.aspx

It's here :) This goes with Microsoft's philosophy of their metro apps being lightweight and portable apps, and desktop apps for the more advanced functions. Still downloading (135 mb)!

[BajiRav]

Any suggestions for alternatives to Mesh? I presume eventually the service will be discontinued so I guess looking for alternatives now would be prudent.

I am looking at alternatives and sugar sync looks promising but a bit ugly looking. :/

[Brandon H Supervisor]

Any suggestions for alternatives to Mesh? I presume eventually the service will be discontinued so I guess looking for alternatives now would be prudent.

i'm going to guess you mean the remote desktop part as skydrive covers the storage

anyway as I suggested to dot matrix, check out TeamViewer. it really is a nice little program

[Eric Veteran]

[Thread cleaned]

Please stick to the topic and don't try to draw others into an argument.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

I am looking at alternatives and sugar sync looks promising but a bit ugly looking. :/

what's wrong with the three main ones? skydrive, google drive, and dropbox?

[Guest]

Messenger 2012 looks pretty much the same and in Windows 8 it still uses old Windows 7 scrollbars and buttons.

[George P Global Moderator]

They only updated Movie Maker and Photo Gallery so far guys, that's all the new blog post talks about. The other apps could get updates later, but I dunno. Movie Maker and Photo Gallery are two apps that don't really have metro counterparts unlike mail, messenger etc. As far as Mesh vs skydrive, I'm expecting more of Mesh's options to find their way back into skydrive (dunno about the RDP parts) but lots of people are asking for the folder to folder sync between devices.

[BajiRav]

what's wrong with the three main ones? skydrive, google drive, and dropbox?

I already explained that in this post. Nothing wrong, just not big enough for me. :p

They only updated Movie Maker and Photo Gallery so far guys, that's all the new blog post talks about. The other apps could get updates later, but I dunno. Movie Maker and Photo Gallery are two apps that don't really have metro counterparts unlike mail, messenger etc. As far as Mesh vs skydrive, I'm expecting more of Mesh's options to find their way back into skydrive (dunno about the RDP parts) but lots of people are asking for the folder to folder sync between devices.

Messenger has seen some icon changes. The video call icons on the IM window are new. The main messenger window also shows a camera icon next to contacts with webcam. These are all new as far as I can tell.

[gate1975mlm]

Will Windows Live Mail be updated with new features?

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

Just installed the update for Messenger and it looks the same as 2011. Hugely dissapointed.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

Just installed the update for Messenger and it looks the same as 2011. Hugely dissapointed.

well duh, the blog clearly states that it's only Photo Gallery and Movie Maker that changed as of now

[HawkMan]

They only updated Movie Maker and Photo Gallery so far guys, that's all the new blog post talks about. The other apps could get updates later, but I dunno. Movie Maker and Photo Gallery are two apps that don't really have metro counterparts unlike mail, messenger etc. As far as Mesh vs skydrive, I'm expecting more of Mesh's options to find their way back into skydrive (dunno about the RDP parts) but lots of people are asking for the folder to folder sync between devices.

Well MS has wanted to kill the folder paradigm since before vista, and with good reason. I suspect they don't want to add more support for something they're trying to get rid of then they have to. So device to device folder sync may very well be gone forever, though maybe they'll instead allow library sync.

[BajiRav]

well duh, the blog clearly states that it's only Photo Gallery and Movie Maker that changed as of now

Messenger has some small updates - mainly related to video.

[Andrea Borman]

When I first read that there was a Windows Live Essentials 2012,I thought it was just a joke. Until I read the news articles and saw the screenshots. And sure enough there is a download for it on the Microsoft website.

But I still have WLE 2009 version.On my Windows Vista,Windows 7 and Windows 8. I have never upgraded to WLE 2011 version. And so I am certainly not going to install WLE 2012.

I read that WLE 2012 is only for Windows 7 and Windows 8. But WLE 2012 looks even worse than WLE 2011 version. From the screenshots it looks more confusing. And there is even more Ribbon than in WLE 2011 version.

And this WLE 2012 has come at a time now,when everybody is angry at the forced update from WLE 2009 to the hated WLE 2011 version. So if you hate WLE 2011,you will hate this WLE 2012 even more.

So as for me,I am not installing this NO WAY. I am staying with WLE 2009 version. Andrea Borman.

[tuckeratlarge]

The Photo Gallery Auto Collage feature is great. Works a dream. You basically have no control but the results are good anyway. Thumbs up.

[Andrea Borman]

Messenger 2012 looks pretty much the same and in Windows 8 it still uses old Windows 7 scrollbars and buttons.

You should not install Metro apps on Windows 7 because they don't belong on Windows 7. As Windows 7 is not built for Metro apps or the Metro theme.

They say Windows Live Essentials 2012 has a Metro Messenger. All the more reason NOT to install this on Windows 7 or Windows 8. Andrea Borman.

[Calum Veteran]

You should not install Metro apps on Windows 7 because they don't belong on Windows 7. As Windows 7 is not built for Metro apps or the Metro theme.

They say Windows Live Essentials 2012 has a Metro Messenger. All the more reason NOT to install this on Windows 7 or Windows 8. Andrea Borman.

I think you're confusing WinRT apps with desktop apps that use the "Metro" design language. The former are only built for Windows 8 (the new "Metro" experience in Windows 8), but the latter can run on both Windows 7 and Windows 8. Zune is an example of a desktop app that employs the "Metro" design language.

As it stands, currently, this release of Windows Essentials 2012 (it's no longer called Windows Live Essentials, for your information) doesn't include a version of Windows Live Messenger that uses the "Metro" design language. The version of Windows Live Messenger (still with the Windows Live name, oddly) included in this release looks pretty much the same as the 2011 version.

[Andrea Borman]

I think you're confusing WinRT apps with desktop apps that use the "Metro" design language. The former are only built for Windows 8 (the new "Metro" experience in Windows 8), but the latter can run on both Windows 7 and Windows 8. Zune is an example of a desktop app that employs the "Metro" design language.

As it stands, currently, this release of Windows Essentials 2012 (it's no longer called Windows Live Essentials, for your information) doesn't include a version of Windows Live Messenger that uses the "Metro" design language. The version of Windows Live Messenger (still with the Windows Live name, oddly) included in this release looks pretty much the same as the 2011 version.

But on the Microsoft website it says Windows Live Essentials 2012.

But as I am running Windows 8 RP on a netbook.That used to have Windows 7 Starter when I bought it,the Metro apps don't work. Because of the screen resolution on netbooks. So I have uninstalled all of the Metro apps and just use the ordinary software on Windows 8.The same as I use on Windows 7.

Windows 8 does still work without the Metro apps. Andrea Borman.

[jesseinsf]

Just installed the update for Messenger and it looks the same as 2011. Hugely dissapointed.

The only difference in Windows Live messenger was the webcam call accept (not the accept button in the notification area) which looks the same as Skype's call accepting buttons. And the black bars on the top and bottom of a webcam video seem to be more black. I can actually see Skype being integrated. :-(

[Andrea Borman]

Well on my WLE 2009 I have Windows Live Movie Maker. But unlike Windows Live Movie Maker 2011,Windows Live Movie Maker 2009 does not support direct record from your webcam.

What's Windows Live Movie Maker 2012 like? Can you still record direct from your webcam like on 2011 version? I wonder if anyone can post a screen shot of Windows Live Movie Maker 2012. Andrea Borman.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Well on my WLE 2009 I have Windows Live Movie Maker. But unlike Windows Live Movie Maker 2011,Windows Live Movie Maker 2009 does not support direct record from your webcam.

What's Windows Live Movie Maker 2012 like? Can you still record direct from your webcam like on 2011 version? I wonder if anyone can post a screen shot of Windows Live Movie Maker 2012. Andrea Borman.

You can record from your webcam.

Screenshot:

[PotatoAlchemist]

Not sure. In my case, I spotted that WLM2012 used way less memory and performance was greatly increased from WLM 2011. Other than that, Paul Thurrott mentioned something about Lync integration too.

Personally, I hope when Windows Essentials 2012 gets "finalized", that Windows Live Messenger 2012 becomes Windows Messenger 2012 or so, with the refreshed Microsoft Lync 2013 codebase and UI.

[Andrea Borman]

You can record from your webcam.

Screenshot:

Is that Windows Live Movie Maker 2011 or 2012 version you are showing me? Andrea Borman.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Is that Windows Live Movie Maker 2011 or 2012 version you are showing me? Andrea Borman.

2012.

[Andrea Borman]

2012.

So Windows Live Movie Maker 2012 version is exactly the same as 2011 version.

The only good thing about WLE 2011, and now WLE 2012 version, is that you can record directly from your webcam. But you cannot in Windows Live Movie Maker 2009.

But that's still not enough to make me give up WLE 2009 version and upgrade to WLE 2011 or WLE 2012 version. Andrea Borman.

[grayscale]

So Windows Live Movie Maker 2012 version is exactly the same as 2011 version.

The only good thing about WLE 2011, and now WLE 2012 version, is that you can record directly from your webcam. But you cannot in Windows Live Movie Maker 2009.

But that's still not enough to make me give up WLE 2009 version and upgrade to WLE 2011 or WLE 2012 version. Andrea Borman.

So in less than 3 paragraphs, at most 4 sentences each, without mentioning the ribbon and Windows XP, what will make you upgrade? :D

OT: A flatter ribbon UI or office 2013-ish would have been nice.