Feast your eyes on the next version of Live Messenger

May 28, 2007 10:15 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft is hard at work on the development of the upcoming versions of their instant messaging client, email service and writer. Under the Windows Live brand umbrella, the Redmond Company has announced the debut of new beta testing programs for the next stages of Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Hotmail and Writer.

In order to sign up for the testing program, you will have to complete a fairly small survey. Still, the most important aspect of the program is the fact that it indicates new betas that are coming up for Live Messenger, Live Hotmail and Writer. In this context, LiveSide is reporting that it has managed to get a version of Windows Live Messenger 8.5. Currently, users have available Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger) 8.1.0178 Final for download. This piece of news, in combination with the fact that Microsoft is gathering support for the upcoming testing of Live Messenger, reveals that the company will soon release a beta build of its instant messaging client.

The current version of Windows Live Messenger has been made available for download at the beginning of March. The product brings to the table, in addition to the inherent, text chat capabilities, PC-to-PC and PC-to-phone calls, video conferencing, advanced sharing, and interoperability with Yahoo Messenger.

Microsoft has focused on creating the world's largest IM community by delivering compatibility between Yahoo Messenger and its own Windows Live Messenger. Although interoperability is limited, both Microsoft and Yahoo have committed to grow the IM partnership.

Yahoo itself is working on the development of the Yahoo messenger for Windows Vista. With the delivery date "close", although the term close has to be taken loosely, Microsoft is also advancing Windows Live Messenger. The preview that you can access in the adjacent image looks great, just click on the thumbnail to get a "bigger picture" of Windows Live Messenger 8.5.

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Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Messenger 8.5
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