During the opening keynote address at the 2009 International Consumers Electronics Show (CES 2009) in Las Vegas, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer announced a new partnership with Dell, focused on Windows Live. Ballmer indicated that the final Builds of Windows Live Essentials components (namely Wave 3) would be pre-loaded by default on all Dell computers, starting with February 2009. The items among the Windows Live Essentials line-up, which was released to web on January 7, 2009, include: Messenger, Mail, Writer, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker beta, Family Safety, and Toolbar.

“We're announcing a partnership with Dell to preinstall Windows Live Essentials, and our Live Search on all of their consumer and small business PCs worldwide. Dell will be the first major PC maker to preinstall Windows Live Essentials on all of their consumer PCs,” Ballmer stated.

The deal with Dell is not only about pushing Microsoft's Windows Live cloud components, reunited under the Essentials brand, on consumers. The search agreement with the OEM giant is weighing even more heavily for the Redmond company.

“Beginning in February, Dell will distribute Live Search on a majority of consumer and small business PCs that it ships globally. Live Search will be the default search engine in the browser, and the PCs will also include our Live Search-powered toolbar. Dell is the #1 PC provider in the U.S. and #2 worldwide. This agreement will give many new users the opportunity to experience Live Search over the three-year period of the agreement. We're excited to be working with Dell to deliver a great search experience to its customers around the world,” Angus Norton, senior director, Live Search, revealed.

According to Microsoft, new Dell machines in 23 countries will have Live Search set as the default search engine for the browser, including: “Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.” However, in addition to Dell, Microsoft has also wooed HP. New Hewlett-Packard computers shipping in the U.S. starting in January 2009 will also have Live Search as the default search provider.

“Dell will be including Windows Live Essentials pre-installed on most of their consumer and small business PCs worldwide, starting in February. Because Windows Live Essentials helps with so many of the things that you do every day on your PC (like e-mail, instant messaging, and photo sharing), now when you get a new Dell PC, you can get started as soon as you take it home,” Brian Hall, general manager for the Windows Live Business Group, explained.

Windows Live Essentials Messenger is available for download here.

Windows Live Essentials Mail is available for download here.

Windows Live Essentials Writer is available for download here.

Windows Live Essentials Photo Gallery is available for download here.

Windows Live Essentials Movie Maker beta is available for download here.

Windows Live Essentials Family Safety is available for download here.

Windows Live Essentials Toolbar is available for download here.