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Category : Microsoft Windows Live

Microsoft_Windows_Live
Windows Live Messenger 8.1 Download

Windows Live Messenger is the next-generation MSN Messenger. It has everything you already love about Messenger—your contact list, emoticons, and instant access to your friends via text, voice, and video—plus new ways to connect and share photos and documents effortlessly. As always, it's free to download Messenger and use most of its features.

Download : Windows Live Messenger 8.1

 
Farshad @ 08:15 | 4 October 2007 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Hotmail Launches in US on Monday

As first reported by BetaNews in mid-April, Microsoft is on track to launch Windows Live Hotmail in the United States on Monday, sources are now confirming. The exit of the revamped service from beta is also being confirmed by an e-mail sent to testers of the service thanking them for their support and saying the product was now ready for public release. It is not yet clear whether the company is allowing the registration of live.com e-mails.

Windows Live Hotmail will offer several enhancements over the current user interface and is built upon Microsoft's AJAX platform. It includes right click menus, a paneled interface, and updated search bar. The UI is very similar to that of Outlook, the company's desktop e-mail application.

 
Farshad @ 01:09 | 4 May 2007 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Search Mobile App Out

Microsoft has quietly released Windows Live Search for Mobile that runs on cell phones, and a Web-based version of Windows Live Messenger aimed at mobile browsers.

No official announcement was made for either product, and sources tell BetaNews the search client was only distributed internally. However, employees were permitted to offer the application freely, and by Thursday it had made its way to several enthusiast Web logs and onto the Windows Live Ideas front page.

Windows Live Search allows the user to access Live Local through an application interface rather than the Web-based client. It is split up into four separate components: a categorical based search, a mapping function, driving directions, and traffic information.

The client pulls maps -- both the standard and aerial type -- from Microsoft's main servers. The user can click and drag the map, and the application would download the additional maps needed automatically. Users can also zoom in and out of maps as needed.


View : http://wls.live.com/

Read the entire story at source

 
Farshad @ 23:53 | 1 December 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Coming to Nokia Phones

Nokia said Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Microsoft to integrate Windows Live Search into its phones, meaning consumers would be able to access the service via both Nseries and S60 phones. The agreement is the second major partnership between the two; Nokia and Microsoft joined in February to support Windows Media on select phones.

Nokia handset users would also be able to access stock quotes, movie times and the Encarta encyclopedia (in select markets) as a result of the deal. The experience would be integrated into the user interface of the phone, meaning a Web browser is not needed to access the services.

Read the entire story at source

 
Farshad @ 05:52 | 21 September 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft's Domain Service Goes 'Live'

Microsoft said late Tuesday that its Custom Domains service had officially launched, making it the third Windows Live project to come out of beta. The service allows a customer to use a custom domain name with Windows Live Mail and Hotmail.

Windows Live Custom Domains is a free service, just like other Live offerings from the company. Additionally, with the final debut, Microsoft has launched a new feature called "open membership."

This would enable someone who owns a domain to allow users to sign up for an e-mail account without prior authorization from the administrator. The accounts would be available through Windows Live Mail and Hotmail, Microsoft said.

To promote this new feature, Microsoft has teamed up with the city of Waterloo, Beligum. Through Windows Live Custom Domains, the city will offer "@waterloo.eu" e-mail addresses to its 30,000 citizens. "We're honored to partner with Waterloo to offer this new technology to their citizens," the company said.

Microsoft isn't the only company trying to bring organizations onto its hosted mail platform. Google offers a similar free service for its Gmail users called Gmail for Domains.

More Windows Live services are expected to come out of beta through the rest of the summer. Microsoft has said over 20 new services are currently planned for the Live platform.

View : Windows Live Custom Domains

 
Farshad @ 08:57 | 28 June 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft launches Windows Live Messenger

On Monday June 19th Microsoft released the final version of its new Live messenger platform to more that 240 million users. Microsoft's new offer comes with basically every modern messaging feature out there from standard chat to PC-to-PC calling and even PC-to-phone calling, the latter being available for a small fee.

“The launch of Windows Live Messenger represents a significant down payment on the Windows Live vision and an important milestone for the business," Martin Taylor, corporate vice president of Windows Live stated.

Windows Live Messenger is available in 26 languages and was designed for Windows XP (Service Pack 2) with Windows Vista support being planned for a later date.

Download : Windows Live Messenger

 
Farshad @ 09:03 | 20 June 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live QnA Beta Signup

This new Windows Live Search vertical offering will help consumers simply find what they need, from anywhere by providing a place for people to ask any question, get credible answers and vote on the quality of the responses on any given topic from a large community of helpful people, not just experts. This service will allow consumers to tap into the power of the online community by facilitating a melting pot of human knowledge that isn't easily accessible or available on the Internet today.

In a one-to-many system, consumers may pose questions to the Windows Live QnA community, thereby creating a store of human knowledge containing facts, opinions and experiences on topics ranging from business, health, arts, sports, technology and more.
People then can rate answers and reputation-based scoring is available so you and others know which sources are most reputable.
Questions are tagged so others can easily find similar or related questions and answers to learn from
The ability to mark and remove inappropriate content

Ultimately, QnA will be deeply integrated with Windows Live Search, providing a rich, integrated searching service - enabling you to search and find answers on the Web, or from experts on a given topic as part of a vertical search experience. Windows Live QnA beta is the latest example of our efforts to continue to redefine search to make it faster and more relevant for our consumers with live connections to information they want. We want to put the consumer in control of their search experience, customize it for their context, present search results in a usable format, and empower users to make their own choices.

View : Signup

 
Farshad @ 03:44 | 7 May 2006 | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Mail M6 Coming Soon

The Live Mail Team gave us a pretty extensive update for Windows Live Mail as they near releasing Milestone 6 (M6) to Beta Testers.

They will be Policy Changes (such as expiration of accounts unusued for 30 days), Performance fixes, Signatures are back and much more! They are releasing a bunch of stuff in M6.

For the complete extended list of updates coming for Windows Live Mail M6 checkout the Hotmail team blog.

View : Web mail musings from the Hotmail team

 
Farshad @ 03:54 | 6 May 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Search to Replace MSN

Windows Live Search will be brought out of beta this summer, Microsoft has said. The change would put the site as the company's flagship search engine, replacing MSN Search, marking the official beginning of a transition to the Windows Live branding. That effort is expected to continue throughout the rest of this year.

Additionally, Microsoft on Friday launched yet another Live service, Windows Live Product Search. The offering is intended to help users search for products for sale online. According to the Web site, the service indexes items from over 100,000 sellers. Users would be able to refine searches by related terms, brands or sellers, as well as change the level of detail of the results.

Read the entire story at source

 
Mohsen @ 17:55 | 5 May 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft Sends Windows Live to College

Microsoft is heading to college campuses to promote its Windows Live service in a new way -- by hosting college e-mail accounts. Called Windows Live@edu, 72 colleges worldwide have signed onto the service and discussions are ongoing with almost 200 more.

The e-mail service provides a familiar interface to many students as it is patterned after Hotmail. However, students do not receive a hotmail.com or msn.com e-mail address, as the accounts it carry the domain of their respective school.

The move is intended to promote the Windows Live suite of services, and also establish continuing loyalty. Although the Live services are traditionally advertiser supported, Live@edu accounts would not show ads to users while they are in school. Microsoft does, however, reserve the right to turn on the ads after they graduate.

Read the entire story at source

 
Farshad @ 07:46 | 21 April 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Safety Settings Unveiled

Microsoft on Tuesday confirmed plans to offer a new service that gives parents more control over the Internet content their children can view without supervision. Called Windows Live Safety Settings, it includes content filtering for the Web, contact list management tools for communication services, and online activity reports.

The program is currently in a limited beta. A version of Live Safety Settings with filtering and reports will be released in summer, with contact management coming by the end of the year, Microsoft said. Both users of Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista would be able to run the application.

Safety settings within the software are based on information provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which are tied to the age of the user. Over and above these guidelines, a parent would also be able to modify these standard settings further.

Microsoft said it was additionally in the process of identifying similar groups in other countries to expand where it offers Live Safety Settings.

Read the entire story at source

 
Mohsen @ 11:25 | 14 March 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft Gives Live Local a New Home

Microsoft flipped the switch on Windows Live Local late Thursday night, replacing its Maps and Directions product with the new service that is powered by Virtual Earth. The former product, which was based on the company's MapPoint technology, was beginning to show its age in light of newer products from Google and Ask.com.

Maps and Directions is not completely gone, however, as Microsoft has allowed visitors to opt to use the older product if they wish. In a welcome message to returning users, the Redmond company boasted about the new and improved features of the product, including new maps, "Birds Eye" imagery, and customizable printing options.

 
Farshad @ 21:54 | 3 March 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

New Windows Live Messenger Beta 8.0.566 Released

New Functionality

See that transfer status of the files you're sharing in your Sharing Folders.
Get your File/Edit/Actions/Tools/Help menus by clicking the arrow next to ?minimize? in the main window/conversation window
Colorization colors the whole main window, not just the header
Scrolling on the emoticon/nudge/wink tool bar. If you keep your window small, you can still get to everything. Oh. We reordered them too so it looks cleaner
Users in English-speaking markets - link to This Blog! from the "Help" Menu.
Contact sorting back to the way you said you liked it alphabetical instead of by status.
Sharing Folders are AWESOME but sometimes you just want to send over one file. Pick your prefered method of file transfer from the sharing button.
Way improved "Add a Contact" Dialogue.

New Icons

Buddy List view (where you sort, or chose to show more details)
The Windows Live Messenger Beta logo at the top
Search button at the very bottom.
Brought back status icons so you can tell ?busy? v. ?away? If you think it looks outdated ? we agree ? we're working on icons that are both good lookng AND show ?busy? v. ?away?

Eliminated Waste

Contacts are closer together so you can fit more in your window
The ME area above your contacts is smaller to make more room for you contact list
Tightened up the space between the display pictures in the conversation window
Removal of Text in several places:
?Search? on the search box in the main window
Names of buttons in the conversation window
?Send? & ?Search? are now both smaller and moved inside the text entry box Turn off your tabs in Tools-->Options-->Tabs

View : ideas.live.com

 
Farshad @ 00:22 | 1 March 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft FolderShare Beta

FolderShareTM allows you to create a private peer-to-peer network that will help you to synchronize files across multiple devices and access or share files with colleagues and friends. You no longer need to send large files via email, burn them to CDs/DVDs and mail them, or upload them to a website. FolderShare allows you to share and sync important information instantly with anyone you invite, making it the perfect solution for personal or small business use.

View : More Information

 
Farshad @ 00:19 | 28 February 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft Improves Live Local, Opens Expo

Microsoft continued to push ahead with updates to its Windows Live services Tuesday, announcing a preview version of Live Local that would allow for street-level views of select neighborhoods, along with a nationwide beta of Windows Live Expo. New services are also expected later in the week.

The updates to Windows Live Local are intended to supplement Microsoft's local search and mapping tools. "As an additional navigational tool, the street-side feature offers a vantage point similar to driving behind the wheel of a car for a close-up, street-level view," the company said in a statement.

At launch, only the downtown areas of Seattle and San Francisco feature street-level imagery. The technology behind the feature is supplied by a company called Facet Technology, which has taken over 700 million high-resolution images -- some 200 terabytes of data.

Several dozen metropolitan areas have been photographed by the company, which could provide some clues as to what areas Microsoft may look to add next.

A nationwide beta of Windows Live Expo will also appear Tuesday, following a successful closed beta period. The service, which operates much like Craigslist, differs in the fact that it adds social networking to the traditional classified advertising concept.

Expo will integrate with other Windows Live services, including Live Local, allowing a user to narrow down searches and find items within a certain distance.

Through the Live Messenger instant messaging client, users would be able to discover new listings through "gleams" next to their buddies names. MSN Spaces integration is also planned, with the capability to post one's own listings on their Space through an optional module.

To facilitate communication between buyer and seller, an option is provided that allows buyers to instant message the seller through MSN and Windows Live Messenger.

In the initial Expo beta the seller would receive a dialog box asking whether or not they would accept messages; in the future an IM bot will handle the conversation allowing for complete anonymity and also indicating the message involves a Live Expo listing.

Both beta services are expected to become available Tuesday evening to the general public.

View : http://preview.local.live.com/

View : http://expo.live.com/

 
Farshad @ 00:08 | 28 February 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft Readies Windows Live 'Vegas'

Microsoft is inviting testers to take part in a new Windows Live beta program called Family Safety Settings. Appropriately code-named "Vegas," Family Safety Settings extends the parental controls in Windows through a downloadable program. Parents can define specifically what content they wish to block.

"It's an a easy-to-use, flexible way to help keep the kind of content you deem inappropriate from reaching your children--like alcohol, pornography, gambling, tobacco, etc. Windows Live Family Safety Settings Beta also lets you create individual accounts for each child, and see activity reports on the Web sites your kids have visited," Microsoft said in an e-mail. The service can be turned off when parents wish to browse the Web.

 
Farshad @ 13:09 | 16 February 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft Rolls Out Live Expo

UPDATED Following three months of internal testing, Microsoft has announced that it is opening its classified listing service Windows Live Expo, formerly code-named "Fremont," to select businesses in the Seattle metropolitan area. The company says a nationwide beta will begin this spring, although it declined to elaborate as to how that would proceed.

Microsoft has marketed Windows Live Expo as a way for businesses to connect, and Windows Live Expo Product Unit Manager Garry Wiseman told BetaNews that it plans to allow Washington-based institutions and businesses, including the University of Washington, Safeco, Washington Mutual and Boeing access into the initial beta.

"We figured we'd try this and see what happens," Wiseman said. He explained that a small-scale beta launch is much easier to manage. Also, by first limiting it to businesses and institutions Microsoft hopes to see if its premise would work well in the real world, since employees have already built trust between one another and are located in the same general geographic area.

Read the entire story at source

 
Farshad @ 08:55 | 10 February 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows OneCare set to launch in June

On tuesday Microsoft made public plans for its security package called Windows OneCare, which comes with anti-virus and anti-spyware tools as well as backup and other utilities. While the company plans to release another beta of the product at the end of this month, Microsoft will accept no new beta testers after the end of April in preparation for a June launch.

Windows Defender would be included with the product, although it is not expected to be integrated into the OneCare console until after the June launch. Annual subscription fees for the service would be $50 USD, although beta testers would receive a promotional price of $20 USD for the first year of service.

View : Windows OneCare

 
Farshad @ 09:06 | 8 February 2006 | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Philips and Microsoft to Launch Cordless, Internet Telephone for Windows Live Messenger Users

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 4, 2006 — Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) are teaming up to introduce the new VOIP433 Dual Phone (incorporating Internet and PSTN phone capabilities), which will provide consumers with a simpler and more unified communications solution. The VOIP433 serves as both a traditional telephone and a VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) phone, allowing users to make and receive Internet calls to their online contacts through the upcoming Microsoft® Windows Live™ Messenger service, the successor of MSN® Messenger, which boasts more than 200 million active accounts worldwide.

Designed for Microsoft and showcased at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the VOIP 433 Dual Phone enables consumers to easily call and connect to anyone listed on their Windows Live Messenger contact list with the simple click of a button. Customers will have three calling choices: free PC-to-PC calling through Windows Live Messenger, allowing users to place and receive voice calls; the MCI Web Calling service, offering Windows Live Messenger users a low-cost PC-to-phone outbound calling option; and traditional landline phone service.

The VOIP433 model’s advanced color screen takes the consumer experience to the next level by allowing users to see their friends’ online presence, displaying dynamic Windows Live Messenger icons, and delivering notification options on the cordless handset, even when users are away from their PC.

“By teaming up with Microsoft, we are demonstrating our commitment to bringing the benefits of VoIP to consumers,” said Nick Dosanjh, vice president and general manager of Philips Home Communication. “IP-based telephony is growing in popularity among consumers making use of their home broadband connections for a whole new range of communications options and services. Our new cordless phone will allow consumers the ability to simplify their communications experiences and reduce their costs while providing them with the convenience of having a phone with live messaging, without sitting in front of their PC.”

The VOIP433 represents an important development in Philips®’ ‘Connected Planet™’ vision, adding telecommunications to entertainment, thus providing consumers with greater freedom to benefit from wireless and Internet-enabled technology wherever they are at home.

“The world of Web-based voice communications is exploding — to consumers’ great benefit. We’re excited to offer the simplicity and freedom of peer-to-peer voice communications by combining Philips’ cordless phone technology with Windows Live Messenger,” said Blake Irving, corporate vice president of the MSN Communication Services and Member Platform group at Microsoft. “The VOIP433 handset with Windows Live Messenger delivers on our vision to extend integrated Windows Live communications beyond the PC. We’re very proud of this product and service and are thrilled to be working with such a strong partner.”

The new VOIP433 Dual Phone is portable and has a simple plug and play feature that provides customers with a worry-free broadband installation experience. Featuring cost-free installation, consumers simply plug the base station into the land line and the USB plug of a PC; the handset is then automatically ready to operate with Windows Live Messenger 8.0. The VOIP433 operates on Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telephone (DECT™) technology, providing consumers with crystal clear sound by reducing noise interference.

The VOIP433 will debut in Europe, Asia Pacific (Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore) and Latin America (Argentina, Brazil) and be available for purchase in the spring of 2006.

 
Amir @ 15:05 | 5 January 2006 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Messenger - Enhancer 1.0 - Enhance up your "Live"

To be honest, I had never tried Windows Live Messenger at all until this beta 1 came out yesterday which seems to be stable enough to run for real use. After playing with it for several hours. I ended up making this enhancement tool for primary stuffs you need and most wanted such as advertisement removing (Both Live and Downgrader), Polygamy, Boost maximum typing text, etc.

Download : Windows Live Messenger - Enhancer 1.0 - Enhance up your "Live"

 
Farshad @ 09:54 | 18 December 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 8.0 Beta Screenshots

Activewin.com has posted 13 hot new screenshots of the Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 8.0 beta. The shots show a variety of new features, check them out! Here are the new features:

    * Unified Contacts
    * 600 Messenger Contacts
    * Word Wheel
    * Edit your contact’s Info
    * Nicknames (Rename your contacts)
    * The Art of Instant Messaging
    * Offline IMs
    * Conversations While Appearing Offline
    * Time Stamps
    * Messenger Face Lift
    * Pick Your Color
    * Toning it Down
    * Display Picture Functionality
    * Frameless Menu Entry
    * Fixed Scrolling
    * Multiple Computers
    * Size Doesn’t Matter


Screenshot : Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 8.0 beta

 
Farshad @ 07:43 | 14 December 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

First Windows Live Messenger Beta Expected This Week

Testers are receiving their invites for the next version of Microsoft's consumer instant-messaging service. It's still unclear whether this version supplants Windows Messenger, but it is certain that it will provide additional VOIP support.

Microsoft is expected to make available to testers this week the first beta version of its Windows Live Messenger instant-messaging service.

According to a posting on the MSN Messenger enthusiast site Mess.be, Microsoft will launch the first Windows Live Messenger beta test on Tuesday, December 13.

Testers report that they have received beta invitations from Microsoft for the new beta over the past couple of days.

The new Windows Live Messenger will be "as fun and reliable as the Messenger you already know, and you lets you keep the contact list and other personal stuff you've got stored in Messenger," according to according to a copy of the beta invitation posted on the ActiveWin.com site.

Microsoft will be including additional VOIP capabilities in the first Windows Live Messenger release. Microsoft first added VOIP support to MSN Messenger as of the MSN Messenger 7.0 release.

Read the entire story at source

 
Farshad @ 08:04 | 12 December 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft Windows Live Mail beta, Screenshots

I just got my Invitation for Mail beta ( Hotmail )

New Features :

Really fast ;)

Search Mail

2 GB of storage
You want storage? You want enough storage for 1,000 hi-res photos? You got it. 2GB worth.

Drag & Drop
Grab it, drag it, drop it in a folder. You are now officially a power user.
The wonderful world of right clicking : Right click power, activate! Right click on a message to reply, delete, or almost anything else. It works for folders, too.

Reading Pane
Quick preview of your email

Info Bar
You just got e-mail from an unrecognized sender. A single click deletes the mail and reports the sender as a junk e-mailer.

Anti-Phishing features
Windows Live Mail beta will warn you when it seems like someone is trying to "phish" for your personal information, and let you zap their e-mail off the face of the earth.

Address AutoComplete
Start typing a name and—pow!—up pops a list of possible recipients from your contact list. Click on the one you want and you're done.

Keyboard shortcuts
You think only a slowpoke would use a mouse? Okay—go nuts with these keyboard shortcuts. More to come.

Rich text editing
Bold or meek, colorful or bland: Make your mail just the way you want. Add a couple Mr. Smiles or Mr. Frowny Faces for good measure.


You can see screenshots of different sections of Mail beta below :

Windows Mail beta Screenshots :

First Page - Today
Inbox
Send New Mail
Calendar
Drag & Drop
Right Click on Emails

;)

 
Farshad @ 20:18 | 9 December 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Virtual Earth Now Windows Live Local

On Thursday, Microsoft plans to retire MSN Virtual Earth after just five months of providing maps and satellite imagery. Its replacement will be Windows Live Local, a service that brings together local search, mapping and business listings under the new Live.com brand.

Microsoft had originally aimed to make the 45-degree satellite views that will be a hallmark of Windows Live Local as part of the original Virtual Earth application. However, when the actual service launched in July, the feature was notably absent.

Read the entire story at source

View : local.live.com

 
Farshad @ 02:43 | 7 December 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft delivers Windows Live Mail beta

Microsoft has sent out a new test version of Windows Live Mail, part of the software maker's push to introduce Web-based counterparts to desktop products. The beta version, sent out to testers this week, goes out under the banner of "Windows Live," launched earlier month. However, it is actually part of a longtime effort to revamp Hotmail, Microsoft's current free, Web-based e-mail service. Microsoft is building Windows Live Mail from scratch, keeping Hotmail and its 215 million active users on a separate system, Brooke Richardson, a lead product manager in Microsoft's MSN division, said. The goal in rebuilding the service from the ground up is to improve performance and enable desktop-like e-mail features found in its Outlook program. An emerging programming technology known as AJAX is central to the effort, she said

Read the entire story at source

 
Amir @ 09:41 | 1 December 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Windows Live Custom Domains - Free Email Hosting

A new service was added to the Windows Live Beta family today - Windows Live Custom Domains. The basic idea is that anyone with a domain can now point their MX record to the Live servers. What that means is that users can have Microsoft's servers hosting their own domain's email accounts for free. There's a restriction of 20 email accounts per domain, with each mailbox getting 250MB of space.

In addition, the same account functions as a Passport account, and can be used to sign in to MSN Messenger, MSN Spaces etc. I'm assuming users also get access to the spiffy, new AJAX-enabled Windows Live Mail Beta service as the webmail frontend for all their accounts, although that isn't explicitly mentioned anywhere on the site. The team that's working on this also has an official blog, just like all the other Live teams do.

View : Windows Live Custom Domains

View : Custom Domains Blog

 
Farshad @ 10:42 | 19 November 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend

Microsoft's Free Web-based Virus Scanner Sends Data Back To Microsoft

As part of the Windows Live services that Microsoft touted Tuesday, the Redmond, Wash.-based developer rolled out a beta version of a free Web service that scans for and removes viruses, removes unnecessary files from the hard drive, and schedules a disk defragmentation. Some users may be uneasy about using the service, however, since by default the virus scanner transmits information about the PC and its applications to Microsoft. Windows Live Safety Center is a free, albeit advertising-supported site. It takes its cue from the also-in-beta OneCare subscription service, which Microsoft's pitching as a persistent security service that can counter developing threats. Safety Center, on the other hand, is an on-demand service only able to detect and delete threats that have already gotten a foothold on the PC.

"It’s like taking your PC in for a tune up and oil change at the service station," said Microsoft on the site.

Its tools include a virus scanner, disk defragger, file clean-up utility, and open port sniffer. All are ActiveX based, so running them requires Microsoft's own Internet Explorer. It works with Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003 systems. By default, the virus scanner reports back to Microsoft with details of the machine, including the operating system (its product ID, among other things), installed drivers, and installed applications. Microsoft said that the collected data would be used to "help us improve scanner features and make better recommendations." The user can choose to not transmit some of this data by clearing a check box in the scanner window.

"If you elect to share your results with us, all reported information is anonymous. No personal information is collected," Microsoft said.

The scanner transmits some information, including the results of the virus scan and its performance on the machine, to Microsoft automatically, no matter what choice the user makes. Microsoft has set up a blog to take comments and criticisms of the new service

 
Farshad @ 15:47 | 5 November 2005 | Source | Printable version | Email this to a friend


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