14 DAY TRIAL // The Redmond Company will debut an online service similar to Google Pack. The upcoming product will most likely be marketed in a manner similar to the existing Microsoft Office Live Essentials that is delivered free of charge while in beta and for a monthly fee starting with $29.95 following the release of the final variant of the solution.
Microsoft Windows Live Essentials will make available one-click installations correlated with product update notifications. Chris Overd, writing for LiveSide.net described the product as addressing the vast majority of users and not just specialized clients. "With a central control panel providing information on the various Windows Live application, Essentials should eventually allow automated installations," stated Overd.
The Windows Live Dashboard will act like a centralizing platform for the Windows Live desktop applications. "Essentials also has some pluses for Microsoft. Smaller Windows Live products can take advantage of increased exposure and applications are more likely to stay current. There is also the "small" benefit of getting Windows Live products preinstalled on Vista machines via OEMs, as Google have done recently with their toolbar," wrote Overd.