Allows users to launch searches right from the conversation window

Jul 30, 2010 09:11 GMT  ·  By

With the next generation of its instant messaging client, Microsoft worked to connect users to additional portions of the Cloud, outside of the Windows Live community. But while the focus was placed especially on linking Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 to social networking hot spots, the Redmond company’s own search/decision engine was by no means left out. Users of the Beta development milestone of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 have already been able to take advantage by the close integration of Bing and the IM client.

“With the latest version of Messenger, you can now bring Bing into your conversations in a few exciting new ways. The first way you will be able to do this is through contextual linking. When a term is recognized, a green dashed line appears under that term. When you click on that word, you are given links from Bing to websites, photos, and videos which you can add to your conversation,” revealed Kristin Meldahl, from the Bing team.

Terms from a range of specific categories will be underlined in Windows Live Messenger Wave 4, allowing users to easily perform searches via Bing. According to the Redmond company, whenever customers will use references to brands, bands and singers, places, famous movies, and famous people, Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 will provide them with the necessary links to perform a Bing search right from the conversation window.

“The other way is to use the information from Bing as a search and share experience. You are able to add content that is indexed and searched by Bing directly into your conversation. Let’s say you want to share a video with a friend you are having a conversation with over IM, below are the steps to embed the video: from the IM toolbar you select: Share video from Bing; enter your search term in the Bing search box; click the magnifying glass; pick the video you want to share. Now you can share information from Bing right inside your Messenger conversation,” Meldahl added.

Read additional information about the new features of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 here.

Download Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 Beta and the rest of Windows Live Essentials Wave 4
here.

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