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MSN Explorer 8


Question

Any news on MSN Explorer version 8.

Availability

Features

and so forth.

edit: To save a second post do any of you know about the status of Microsoft's new Windows Media "Corona" technologies.

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The newest version of MSN Explorer still uses the candy style icons and UI look.

I have enclosed a crappy pic of some snap shots below which I was forwarded by a friend.

The new logon screen uses a grey background with circular user pics, that bubble out on mouse over.

Lower left is a guest box for logon where anyone with a .net passport can enter a user name password and log in.

The side bar has been redesigned to include Messenger Online contacts and exchange contacts by default. Top recent favorites are also displayed on the side bar.

The top arch style has been cleaned up, and the back forward buttons are still in the orignal position with less space between.

The contacts icon leads you to a more developed contact screen. Rather then a drop down list of online contacts (now in side bar) Calendar has also been renamed organizer.

The media player is the same as in current MSN 7 with standard slide up style for playing of videos.

A new Icon on the scene is the folders link. It now will let you browse your hardrive aswell as webfolders.

Microsoft has stepped up its MSN8 advertising and business promos hoping to lead those in the services industry to start using messenger as a way for customers to contact them and book instant reservations, say if you are a resturant for example.

The MSN UI is themeable to a certain extent, in the demonstration, when MSN8 brought up a resturant web site, the scheme was able to display colors matching the look of the resturants MSN services page. To give a blended look.

I circled the new parts in Red...

Microsoft_Network_Explorer_8.jpg

U.S version was shown at the presentation. :( In all it looks just as Gay as MSN explorer 7 does. No offence, but it really seems like Microsoft is heading down the road to having MSN Explorer almost be like a mini OS. Maybe 3-5 years MSN will be like a windows for newbies.

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i dunno about you guys but i would love to get a copy of the betas or any builds for that matter and test it out...if anyone does have the beta, let us no ;)

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It looks Gay because it is not MSN Explorer 8, all those pictures show is just some silly screenshots microsoft stuck together for a video showing how .net technology would help people in their day to day business. Therefore all those screenshots show is possibly some of the functionality we will see in MSN Explorer 8, but the GUI will not be used.

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"...All those screenshots show is possibly some of the functionality we will see in MSN Explorer 8, but the GUI will not be used."

Don't be silly :p

MSN Explorer 8 will have that GUI or another possible varrient. But it will be very, very close.

They will not redesign the GUI to not look gay or much diffrent from what it is today. What we see as Gay, is viewed by Microsoft and the MSN team, as usability.

MSN has spent thousand of man hours on its design trend, and is continuing to develop it. I think many are hoping for apple style elements, or a new sharp look like many of the themes people here have developed for XP.

MSN is on its design trend, and they seem to be sticking to it. Microsoft is proud of its soft pastel like colors, and clay looking icons.

The bottem line is based on who they have outlined they are designing for, a new internet user, MSN explorer will carry the MSN look and will unfortunately be very, very gay looking. Just as it is now.

You can read http://www.uiweb.com for a take on what goes through the mind of a designer at microsoft.

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Also here is some more info on it: - Found in December.

As of now, the slate of enhancements are truly astounding. This will be the first major release since the original release in 2000.

What is on the list, or already included: New "Dr. Watson" (software that monitors quality of service, and upon any crash reports the data to the Mars Data Center), a totally revamped Mail Center which will be able to integrate with other mail (voice or data!) services (imagine going to one inbox to view email and voicemail from multiple sources. Verizon is currently in testing with Microsoft with this.), revamped media player integration, revamped user tile interface, new screensaver functionality, new theming functionality (how open and accessible the theming functionality will be is not spec'd out yet), new "task-based" templates to send photos/files, and new richer email editing features. It will also integrate with .NET My Services allowing for new roaming and shared calendaring, new personal lists, and much more.

There is work on integrating "natural language" instrumentation...meaning "speaking" or ordering MSN Explorer to do this task or that task. Since this has just started, there is doubts that this will be included on this release. Along similar lines,work is progressing on a consumer (MSN) focused .NET My Services Personal Information (PIM) client separate from MSN Explorer. There will also be a PIM client focused on knowledge workers, and one available for the Pocket PC too.

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Originally posted by shockz

I don't know what that other stuff is...

but this is the MSN Explorer 8.0 I have seen:

http://shockz1104.tripod.com/images/aolvsmsn.jpg

you have to copy and paste that in your address bar to see it

Cool New Feature in MSN Explorer 8.0:

The side bar will be collapsable.

BTW: I got that image from TradeWind, and he knows alot about the upcomming version.

- shockz

I tried that MSN Explorer 8 out a couple days ago. Didn't look like the one in that screenshot. It wasn't set up for Canada either, so I went back to version 7.

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See that one in the comparison screenshot, of MSN Explorer 8 and AOL, doesnt look as gay.

Hopefully they will take that kinda direction. The way the side bar is on the right, thats kinda like what Paul thorret mentioned in his article on Longhorn, about long horn having a bar on the right handside with net content.

Microsoft would love to work in some kinda deal like that for the desktop I bet. 'Tis a place to display ads.

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Originally posted by net-cruizer

I tried that MSN Explorer 8 out a couple days ago. Didn't look like the one in that screenshot. It wasn't set up for Canada either, so I went back to version 7.

hmmm... well as long as it doesn't look like the first couple shots - then its cool. Do you mind posting any screen shots of the version you tried out???

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I would like to see a bigger screenshot aswell, of the one shockz posted from Trade wind.

That looked allot better then the normal gay ui msn uses.

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Originally posted by OCP Gamer

it would be really kool if someone can tell me where they got it from?!?!! please..i like it?!

these sshots are probably from a very early alpha release within MS (dunno how they obtained the sshots from MS, tho)

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