[Matt]

Microsoft have released a public beta version of Windows Live Messenger 9. New features include:

+ Redesigned interface
One cool feature of the new interface is the frame around the display picture, which changes colour to suit your status - green for available, red for busy, orange for away, faded for offline.

+ Favourites

+ Improved groups function

+ "What's New" Feed
Every time one of your contacts changes their personal message, display picture etc. you'll get a notification in the "What's New" area in the main window.

+ Clickable URLs in personal messages

+ Animated display pictures

+ More personalisation options
You can now define your own unique sound which your contacts will hear every time you sign in. In addition, you can now change the look of WLM with 'Scenes'. Your contacts will see whatever Scene or window colour you have selected whenever they chat with you.

+ Sign in from more than one computer at once

+ Photo sharing



Screenshots:


(Click to enlarge)



If you want to download it (bear in mind it's a beta version), you can here:
http://download.live.com/messenger

What do you think?

[xDramatick]

Sounds wicked, I may try it out.

[Sam!]

Beta version? I aint very computerknowing.

[Matt]

Originally posted by Scampi
Beta version? I aint very computerknowing.

A test version of a program.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softwar...ife_cycle#Beta

[Sam!]

Is that bad lol.

[Matt]

Originally posted by Scampi
Is that bad lol.

Nope.

To put it simply, it's a version of a program which a software developer releases for testing purposes.

Users of a beta program report any bugs they might find back to the developer, so they can fix them before the final version of the program is released.

(Not that it's mandatory to report bugs )

[Hugo]

Does animated mean just simple ones like a few frames,
or like animated from videos ?

[Scarlett.]

DOWNLOADING
Thanks Matt!

[Matt]

Originally posted by tooperfect
Does animated mean just simple ones like a few frames,
or like animated from videos ?

The bundled ones seem a bit more complex than a few frames.

I'm not entirely sure how they work yet.

EDIT: I've had a root around, and it seems that any animated GIF should work

[Tom]

You can't use MSN Plus with it

[Matt]

Originally posted by Tom
You can't use MSN Plus with it

Well, it is a beta version that was only released a few days ago.

I'm presuming MSN Plus will be updated when the final version of WLM 9 is released.

[Scarlett.]

Originally posted by Matt

The bundled ones seem a bit more complex than a few frames.

I'm not entirely sure how they work yet.

EDIT: I've had a root around, and it seems that any animated GIF should work

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

[Tom]

Originally posted by Matt

Well, it is a beta version that was only released a few days ago.

I'm presuming MSN Plus will be updated when the final version of WLM 9 is released.

It probably will be, but past beta's have worked with it. I like it but I'm going back down to version 8 because of the names in code people have

[Matt]

Originally posted by Tom

It probably will be, but past beta's have worked with it. I like it but I'm going back down to version 8 because of the names in code people have

Is the cut and paste screenshot thing a feature of WLM9 or MSN Plus? If the latter, that still works...

Also, rooting around the WLM help site I've found these DP-related notes:

- The recommended pixel dimension for display pictures is 96x96.
- Video clips are limited to four seconds long.
- Users who use a version of Messenger that doesn't support animated display pictures or dynamic display pictures will see only the first frame of your animated display picture.

I'm not sure what they mean by 'video clips', but I'm presuming that affects Animated DPs too?

[Nicky.]

Just downloading

Animated avs for dps ?!! AWESOME!

Thanks Matt!

Might go back to MSN plus though if I dont like it :\

[Lauren]

I don't use MSN plus, so I'm grabbing this one now.

Thanks Matt

[Nicky.]

I downloaded it, and it downloaded everything except the messanger and said it cant be installed xD

Re-trying now though x

[Sam]

I installed it fine, but when I try and open it, i get the sorry for the incovenience but this programme has to close message...

[Hugo]

It's working fine for me. Getting all my friends to download it so I can't star MSN Video DP requests xD

[Lauren]

Still installing mine, will let you know if there's any problems.

[Hugo]

I don't think it supports all of the font codes though. They're not working.

[MarkWaldorf]

Took a while to sign in.

[Hugo]

It's still a little untidy they icons have blackk around them.

[Nicky.]

Originally posted by Markus
Took a while to sign in.

Same here, and all my emotions arn't working

Im not entirely sure how to get back to my old one :\ I has msn plus .. any ideas? Thanks

[Hugo]

Its working fine dididly ine for me