September 9 was, without a doubt, a fiesta for the Redmond company's Microsoft Hardware division. The software giant introduced a wide range of computer peripherals, including the Wireless Laser Desktop 6000, Wireless Media Desktop 1000, the Arc Mouse, the BlueTrack-powered Microsoft Explorer Mouse and Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse, and the LifeCam Show and LifeCam VX-5500 web cams. But that’s not all Microsoft did, as it also debuted a new service designed to integrate with its lineup of LifeCams and to span all the way into the Cloud, namely, Windows Live Video Messages.

“Video Messages offers a groundbreaking way to communicate,” explained Bennie Soto, product marketing manager at Microsoft. “It provides a free, easy and fun way to stay connected and share the special moments in your life without thinking twice about time zones or busy schedules; you’ll never have to plan a specific time for video calling again.”

Windows Live Video Messages is a combination between voice mail, video and email. The service allows users to record video messages, and then to send them to contacts with a Windows Live ID. In addition, the Redmond giant has also released a Windows Sidebar gadget designed to enable Windows Vista users to view, put together and send video messages straight from the desktop. The LifeCam video messages gadget will integrate seamlessly with the following webcams from Microsoft: LifeCam Show, LifeCam VX-7000, LifeCam VX-6000, LifeCam VX-5500 and LifeCam VX-5000. The new service requires users to have Microsoft Silverlight installed.

“We are thrilled to have Video Messages expand the LifeCam products’ unique connection to Windows Live,” added Dharmesh Mehta, group product manager for Windows Live. “With more than 460 million Windows Live customers around the globe and the increased popularity in video communications, we are excited to be a part of this great solution for keeping people in touch.”

The LifeCam video messages gadget is available for download here.