Windows Live is the collective
brandA brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies".-Concepts:...
name for a set of services and software products from
MicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices...
. A majority of these services are
Web applicationIn software engineering, a web application or webapp is an application that is accessed via a web browser over a network such as the Internet or an intranet...
s, accessible from a
browserA web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
, but there are also applications that need to be
installedInstallation of a program is the act of putting the program onto a computer system so that it can be executed....
. There are three ways in which Windows Live services are offered:
Windows Live EssentialsWindows Live Essentials is a suite of freeware applications by Microsoft which aims to offer integrated and bundled e-mail, instant messaging, photo-sharing, blog publishing, security services and other Windows Live entities...
applications, web services, and mobile services.
Windows Live was first announced on November 1, 2005. In its initial release, several Windows Live properties were rebranded and enhanced from Microsoft's
MSNMSN, formerly The Microsoft Network, is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services...
set of products and services.
Windows Live is the collective
brandA brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies".-Concepts:...
name for a set of services and software products from
MicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices...
. A majority of these services are
Web applicationIn software engineering, a web application or webapp is an application that is accessed via a web browser over a network such as the Internet or an intranet...
s, accessible from a
browserA web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
, but there are also applications that need to be
installedInstallation of a program is the act of putting the program onto a computer system so that it can be executed....
. There are three ways in which Windows Live services are offered:
Windows Live EssentialsWindows Live Essentials is a suite of freeware applications by Microsoft which aims to offer integrated and bundled e-mail, instant messaging, photo-sharing, blog publishing, security services and other Windows Live entities...
applications, web services, and mobile services.
Windows Live was first announced on November 1, 2005. In its initial release, several Windows Live properties were rebranded and enhanced from Microsoft's
MSNMSN, formerly The Microsoft Network, is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services...
set of products and services. However, MSN still exists alongside Windows Live as a means of delivering programmed content (as opposed to customized content and communications). Although the new branding might suggest closer technical ties to the
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
operating systemAn operating system is an interface between hardware and user which is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of the computer that acts as a host for computing applications run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating...
and services, the two are available separately. Microsoft said that Windows Live "is a way to extend the Windows user experience".
Windows VistaWindows Vista is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
provides a link in its user interface to download
Windows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Mobile...
, and Windows 7 will see the removal of applications such as
Windows MailWindows Mail is an e-mail and newsgroup client included in Windows Vista. It is the successor to Outlook Express. Microsoft previewed Windows Mail on Channel 9 on October 10, 2005....
,
Windows Photo GalleryWindows Photo Gallery is a photo management, tagging, and editing tool developed by Microsoft, and is included with all editions of Windows Vista. Themed photo slideshows with smooth transitions are only available in the Home Premium and Ultimate editions...
and
Windows Movie MakerWindows Movie Maker is a video creating/editing software included in Microsoft Windows. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie. New effects and transitions can be made and existing ones can be modified using XML code....
and replaced with the
Windows Live EssentialsWindows Live Essentials is a suite of freeware applications by Microsoft which aims to offer integrated and bundled e-mail, instant messaging, photo-sharing, blog publishing, security services and other Windows Live entities...
suite, a software that allows the downloading and installation of similar offerings from Windows Live. Some web-based Windows Live services such as Windows Live SkyDrive are available outside of Windows, however these services are integrated closely with the Windows Live Essentials suite of applications.
Besides Windows Live, which is mainly aimed at
individualsA person is a legal concept both permitting rights to and imposing duties on one by law. In the fields of law, philosophy, medicine, and others, the term has specialised context-specific meanings....
, there are some other Web properties from Microsoft that are branded as "
LiveThe following Microsoft services has been branded with the word "Live":* Windows Live, a set of services and software products mainly aimed at individuals* Microsoft Office Live, a set of services aimed at small businesses...
":
Microsoft Office LiveMicrosoft Office Live is a set of Internet-based services designed for consumers and small businesses interested in creating a website or storing and sharing documents online. As of 2009, it consists of two services, Office Live Workspace and Office Live Small Business.-Office Live Workspace:Office...
for
small businessA small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. The legal definition of "small" often varies by country and industry, but is generally under 100 employees in the United States and under 50 employees in the...
es, the
Xbox LiveXbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
multiplayer gamingA multiplayer video game is one which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time. Unlike most other games, computer and video games are often single-player activities that pit the player against preprogrammed challenges and/or AI-controlled opponents, which often...
and content delivery system for
XboxThe Xbox is a video game console produced by Microsoft. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console market, and competed with Sony's PlayStation 2, Sega's Dreamcast, and Nintendo's GameCube...
and
Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft, and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles....
, and the Games for Windows - LIVE multiplayer gaming service for
Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces...
. On January 23, 2009, Microsoft announced that Office Live services will be converged into Windows Live services.
Windows Live services
| Service |
Website |
Description |
Status |
Windows Live AccountWindows Live Account is the website for Windows Live users to manage their identity and relationship with Windows Live. Features of Windows Live Account include:* updating user's information such as first and last names, address, etc...
|
account.live.com |
The service for updating your Windows Live identity and managing your Windows Live relationship |
Final |
| Windows Live Admin Center |
admin.live.com |
Provides e-mail hosting for web site owners |
Final |
Windows Live AgentsWindows Live Agents are chatterbot agents for Windows Live Messenger that is part of Microsoft's Windows Live services. They provide users the ability to interact with the agents through Windows Live Messenger to get more information about specific topics....
|
agents.live.com |
Interactive chatterbots through Windows Live Messenger that allow users to get more information about specific topics |
Discontinued (2009-06-30) |
Windows Live AlertsWindows Live Alerts, formerly MSN Alerts, is a part of the Windows Live services from Microsoft that allows users to get notification of time-sensitive events and information from various alert content providers...
|
alerts.live.com |
Send information updates to your email inbox, mobile device or Messenger |
Final |
Windows Live BarcodeWindows Live Barcode is a part of Microsoft's Windows Live services. It allows users to transfer information between various media and handsets via Quick Response Code , a two-dimensional matrix barcode...
|
|
2D barcodes that can be used to store information or link to the mobile web |
Discontinued |
| Windows Live Betas |
|
Website listing Windows Live beta services available for download |
Discontinued (2008-09-17) |
Windows Live CalendarWindows Live Calendar is a time-management web application by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live services. It is integrated into Windows Live Hotmail, the way that MSN Calendar was integrated into the MSN Hotmail service...
|
calendar.live.com |
Time management service which allow users to organize appointments, schedule meetings, set reminders, and share their calendar events |
Final |
Windows Live CallWindows Live Call is part of Microsoft's Windows Live services. It integrates into Windows Live Messenger to allow users to make PC-to-PC and PC-to-Phone voice and video calls...
|
|
Part of Windows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Mobile...
|
Final |
Windows Live EssentialsWindows Live Essentials is a suite of freeware applications by Microsoft which aims to offer integrated and bundled e-mail, instant messaging, photo-sharing, blog publishing, security services and other Windows Live entities...
|
download.live.com |
A suite of Windows Live software applications. Essentials are installed via a single installer, which allows users to select and install only the specific applications they wish. The installer is to be integrated in Windows 7 to allow users to download software such as Photo GalleryWindows Live Photo Gallery is a photo management and sharing application released as a part of Microsoft's Windows Live initiative. It is an upgraded version of Windows Photo Gallery, which is a part of Windows Vista...
or Movie MakerWindows Live Movie Maker is a video creating/editing software that is a part of Microsoft's Windows Live initiative. It is intended to replace Windows Movie Maker that is currently included in Windows Vista, similar to the way Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live Mail replaced Windows Photo...
|
Final |
Windows Live EventsWindows Live Events is an online service by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live range of services that enable users in Windows Live Spaces to share and plan different types of Events happening around them while collaborating with other services such as Windows Live Calendar and Windows Live...
|
events.live.com |
Manage and plan different types of events and share them with others using Windows Live CalendarWindows Live Calendar is a time-management web application by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live services. It is integrated into Windows Live Hotmail, the way that MSN Calendar was integrated into the MSN Hotmail service...
, SpacesWindows Live Spaces is Microsoft's blogging and Social Networking platform. The site was originally released in early 2004 under the MSN Spaces name to compete with other social networking sites...
and AlertsWindows Live Alerts, formerly MSN Alerts, is a part of the Windows Live services from Microsoft that allows users to get notification of time-sensitive events and information from various alert content providers...
|
Discontinued (2009-09-03) |
Windows Live ExpoWindows Live Expo was described by Microsoft as an "online social marketplace". The website ceased operations on July 31, 2008.The site was similar to Craigslist in that it provided online classifieds...
|
expo.live.com |
Online classifieds |
Discontinued (2008-07-31) |
| Windows Live Family Safety |
fss.live.com |
Parental Controls similar to Windows VistaWindows Vista is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
's Family Safety feature |
Final |
Windows Live FavoritesWindows Live Favorites was a part of Microsoft's Windows Live range of services. It allowed users to access and edit their favorites from any computer...
|
favorites.live.com |
Synchronizes your favorites between computers and lets you share favorites |
Discontinued (2009-04-14) |
Windows Live FrameItWindows Live FrameIt is a Microsoft service under the Windows Live brand. It is aimed to extend the functionality of digital photo frames or any RSS enabled devices, allowing users to customise the content delivery from multiple sources...
|
frameit.live.com |
Extends the functionality of digital photo frame devices, allowing users to customise the content delivery from multiple sources such as RSS feeds |
Beta |
Windows Live GalleryWindows Live Gallery is a part of Microsoft's Windows Live range of services. It is a center for gadgets, extensions and add-ons for various Windows Live services and products including:* Gadgets** for Windows Sidebar...
|
gallery.live.com |
A center for collections of developers' add-ons for Windows Live products |
Final |
Windows Live GroupsWindows Live Groups is an online service by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live range of services that enable users to create their social groups for sharing, discussion and coordination....
|
groups.live.com |
Enable users to create their social groups for sharing, discussion and coordination |
Final |
| Windows Live Help Community |
helpcommunity.live.com |
Collection of forums and message boards to communicate with other users of Windows Live products |
Discontinued (2008-06-06) |
Windows Live HomeWindows Live Home is a web portal launched by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live services. It aims to bring many of the Windows Live services together in one place...
|
home.live.com |
Provides a central location to access Windows Live services, monitor status information, and navigate to other Windows Live sites and services |
Final |
| Windows Live Hotmail |
mail.live.com
hotmail.com |
Free webmail service using AJAX technology featuring email, contacts and calendarWindows Live Calendar is a time-management web application by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live services. It is integrated into Windows Live Hotmail, the way that MSN Calendar was integrated into the MSN Hotmail service...
services |
Final |
| Windows Live ID Windows Live ID is a single sign-on service developed and provided by Microsoft that allows users to log in to many websites using one account...
|
login.live.com |
Works seamlessly with Windows Live services and allowing multiple sign-ins with different accounts |
Final |
Windows Live MailWindows Live Mail is an e-mail client from Microsoft's Windows Live set of products. It is intended to be a successor for Outlook Express on Windows XP and Windows Mail on Windows Vista...
|
download.live.com/wlmail |
Desktop mail client designed to succeed Outlook Express Outlook Express was an e-mail/news client that was included with Internet Explorer versions 4.0 through 6.0. As such, it was also bundled with several versions of Microsoft Windows, from Windows 98 to Windows XP, and was available for Windows 95 and Mac OS 9. In Windows Vista, Outlook Express is...
on Windows XPWindows XP is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, and media centers. The name "XP" is short for "eXPerience"...
and Windows MailWindows Mail is an e-mail and newsgroup client included in Windows Vista. It is the successor to Outlook Express. Microsoft previewed Windows Mail on Channel 9 on October 10, 2005....
on Windows VistaWindows Vista is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, with full RSSRSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format...
support |
Final |
Windows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Mobile...
|
messenger.live.com |
Instant messaging, personal file sharing and outgoing Voice over IP Voice over Internet Protocol is a general term for a family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over IP networks such as the Internet or other packet-switched networks...
client |
Final |
Windows Live Movie MakerWindows Live Movie Maker is a video creating/editing software that is a part of Microsoft's Windows Live initiative. It is intended to replace Windows Movie Maker that is currently included in Windows Vista, similar to the way Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live Mail replaced Windows Photo...
|
download.live.com/moviemaker |
Video editing software similar to Windows Movie Maker Windows Movie Maker is a video creating/editing software included in Microsoft Windows. It contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie. New effects and transitions can be made and existing ones can be modified using XML code....
with additional enhancements that makes home video editing easier |
Final |
Windows Live OneCareWindows Live OneCare is a computer security and performance enhancement service developed by Microsoft for some of its Windows operating systems...
|
onecare.live.com |
Rebranded as Microsoft Security Essentials
Computer Security Service. Features its own Anti-Virus program, back-up utility, and a software firewall. |
Discontinued (2009-06-30) |
Windows Live OneCare Safety ScannerWindows Live OneCare Safety Scanner is an online scanning, PC cleanup, and diagnosis service to help remove of viruses, spyware/adware, and other malware...
|
safety.live.com |
Free PC scanning and health service to help delete viruses and other threats |
Discontinued (2009-06-30) |
| Windows Live People |
people.live.com |
The contact book service which allows users to keep track and synchronize their contact's information |
Final |
| Windows Live Personalized Experience |
my.live.com |
An all-in-one home page featuring a customisable RSS aggregator, gadgets and search tools |
Final |
Windows Live Photo GalleryWindows Live Photo Gallery is a photo management and sharing application released as a part of Microsoft's Windows Live initiative. It is an upgraded version of Windows Photo Gallery, which is a part of Windows Vista...
|
photogallery.live.com |
Similar to Windows Photo Gallery Windows Photo Gallery is a photo management, tagging, and editing tool developed by Microsoft, and is included with all editions of Windows Vista. Themed photo slideshows with smooth transitions are only available in the Home Premium and Ultimate editions...
with additional enhancements that will make posting photos to Windows Live SpacesWindows Live Spaces is Microsoft's blogging and Social Networking platform. The site was originally released in early 2004 under the MSN Spaces name to compete with other social networking sites...
and Soapbox easier |
Final |
Windows Live PhotosWindows Live Photos is a part of Microsoft's Windows Live service that allow users to upload their photos to the computing cloud and share them with other users to allow them to access the photos from a web browser...
|
photos.live.com |
Photo storage service which allows users to upload and share their personal albums and photographs with other Windows Live users |
Final |
Windows Live ProfileWindows Live Profile is the website for Windows Live users to manage their profile information. It is similar in function to Facebook's profile feature in which it displays information about the particular user, their recent activities, and their relationship with other Windows Live users...
|
profile.live.com |
Allow users to manage their profile information and displays information about the particular user, their recent activities, and their relationship with other Windows Live users |
Final |
Windows Live QnAMSN QnA , was a question and answer service, part of Microsoft's MSN group of services. It is somewhat similar to Google Answers, but closer in function to Yahoo! Answers...
|
qna.live.com |
Rebranded as Live Search QnA then subsequently MSN QnA |
Discontinued (2009-05-21) |
Windows Live Search CenterWindows Live Search Center was a proposed desktop search program from Microsoft's Windows Live division...
|
desktop.live.com |
Rebranded as Windows Search 4Windows Search is an indexed desktop search platform released by Microsoft for the Windows operating system...
|
Discontinued (2006-12-12) |
Windows Live ShoppingWindows Live Shopping was a shopping website, part of Microsoft's Windows Live range of services. It was built on AJAX technology, and was fully customizable. It featured 40 million products from more than 7000 online stores, and allowed users to compare items and prices...
|
shopping.live.com |
Rebranded as MSN ShoppingMSN Shopping has been replaced by Bing Shopping. It was a part of the MSN web portal.MSN Shopping was an online comparison shopping site in competition with Yahoo.com and eBay. It aggregated millions of product offers from thousands of retailers. MSN Shopping allowed users to search or browse...
then subsequently Bing ShoppingBing Shopping is a products search service and part of Microsoft's Bing search engine. It is customised for finding products available for sale on the web. The results provide information such as product pictures, pricing, and description...
|
Discontinued (2007-02-20) |
Windows Live SkyDriveWindows Live SkyDrive is part of Microsoft's Windows Live range of online services. SkyDrive is a file storage and sharing service that allows users to upload files to the computing cloud, then access them from a web browser...
|
skydrive.live.com |
Password-protected online file storage and sharing, includes Windows Live PhotosWindows Live Photos is a part of Microsoft's Windows Live service that allow users to upload their photos to the computing cloud and share them with other users to allow them to access the photos from a web browser...
and Office Web AppsOffice Web Apps are free web-based version of Microsoft's Office productivity suite. It includes the Word Web App, Excel Web App, PowerPoint Web App, and OneNote Web App. The web apps allow users to access their documents directly from anywhere within a web browser , as well as share files and...
for management of photos and Office documents |
Final |
Windows Live SpacesWindows Live Spaces is Microsoft's blogging and Social Networking platform. The site was originally released in early 2004 under the MSN Spaces name to compete with other social networking sites...
|
spaces.live.com |
AJAX based version social networking, blogging, and photo sharing site |
Final |
| Windows Live Sync |
sync.live.com |
File sharing and synchronization service acquired by Microsoft and now branded as a Windows Live service |
Final |
Windows Live ToolbarWindows Live Toolbar is a toolbar designed as part of Microsoft's Windows Live range of services. It is the successor to MSN Search Toolbar. It includes Windows Desktop Search which runs in the background and indexes all files and emails...
|
toolbar.live.com |
A toolbar which adds itself to Windows Internet Explorer, allowing quick access to a user's Windows Live SpacesWindows Live Spaces is Microsoft's blogging and Social Networking platform. The site was originally released in early 2004 under the MSN Spaces name to compete with other social networking sites...
, Hotmail, FavoritesWindows Live Favorites was a part of Microsoft's Windows Live range of services. It allowed users to access and edit their favorites from any computer...
and Live Search from a button on the toolbar |
Final |
Windows Live TVWindows Live for TV is a Windows Media Center application that was part of Microsoft's Windows Live services...
|
|
An additional program for Windows Media CenterWindows Media Center is an application with a 10-foot user interface designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub for the living-room TV. It is included in Windows XP Media Center Edition, which must be installed as an operating system, as the application cannot be added to an existing...
which will provide access to Windows Live SpacesWindows Live Spaces is Microsoft's blogging and Social Networking platform. The site was originally released in early 2004 under the MSN Spaces name to compete with other social networking sites...
, MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Mobile...
, and CallWindows Live Call is part of Microsoft's Windows Live services. It integrates into Windows Live Messenger to allow users to make PC-to-PC and PC-to-Phone voice and video calls...
on large-screen monitors or TVs |
Discontinued (2008-06-24) |
Windows Live Video MessagesWindows Live Video Messages is a Windows Live service by Microsoft. It combines digital video with e-mail into a service that allows all webcam users to create, send, and receive video messages to anyone in their Windows Live Contacts list, even when they are offline...
|
videomessages.live.com |
Combines digital video with e-mail into a service that allows all webcam users to create, send, and receive video messages to anyone in their contact list, even when they are offline |
Beta |
| Windows Live Web Messenger Windows Live Web Messenger was the browser-based version of Windows Live Messenger developed by Microsoft which allowed users to send instant messages online and in real-time with others using the .NET Messenger Service from within a web browser...
|
|
Now part of Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live People
Online version of Windows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Mobile...
which allow users to talk online and in real-time with others using the .NET Messenger ServiceThe .NET Messenger Service is an instant messaging and presence system developed by Microsoft in 1999 for use with its MSN Messenger software and used today by its current instant messaging clients, Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Messenger for Mac...
from within a web browser. |
Discontinued (2008-10-30) |
Windows Live WiFi CenterMSN WiFi Hotspots, previously Windows Live WiFi Hotspot Locator, was a website which helps users to locate wireless Internet hotspots worldwide and view their positions on a map using Live Search Maps....
|
wifi.live.com |
Allow users to search for wireless networks that are available and displays information about them |
Discontinued (2007-02-16) |
Windows Live WiFi Hotspot LocatorMSN WiFi Hotspots, previously Windows Live WiFi Hotspot Locator, was a website which helps users to locate wireless Internet hotspots worldwide and view their positions on a map using Live Search Maps....
|
hotspot.live.com |
Rebranded as MSN WiFi HotspotsMSN WiFi Hotspots, previously Windows Live WiFi Hotspot Locator, was a website which helps users to locate wireless Internet hotspots worldwide and view their positions on a map using Live Search Maps....
|
Discontinued (2007-02-16) |
Windows Live WriterWindows Live Writer, developed by Microsoft, is a desktop blog-publishing application that is part of the Windows Live range of products. It features WYSIWYG authoring, photo-publishing and map-publishing functionality, and is currently compatible with Windows Live Spaces, SharePoint blogs,...
|
writer.live.com |
Desktop blog publishing tool |
Final |
Mobile services
Window Live for mobile are a set of customised Windows Live services specifically created for mobile devices. It is offered via three channels - through Client-based (for
Windows MobileWindows Mobile is a compact operating system developed by Microsoft, and designed for use in smartphones and mobile devices.It is based on Windows CE, and features a suite of basic applications developed using the Microsoft Win32 API. It is designed to be somewhat similar to desktop versions of...
and other supported mobile devices such as
NokiaNokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
phones), Web-based (for
WAPWAP can stand for:* Wandering Atrial Pacemaker* Wapanese* Wireless Application Protocol* Wireless access point* Women Against Pornography* WriteAPrisoner.com* Wild Animal Park * Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta...
or GPRS-enabled mobile web browsers), or
SMS- Companies and organizations :* Sabooj Maroon Swapna , a fan club of Mohun Bagan AC in Kolkata, India* Southdown Motor Services, a former UK bus company* Youth Party of Slovenia, a Slovenian political party...
-based services.
| Mobile Service |
Client |
Web |
SMS |
Website |
Description |
Development Stage |
| Windows Live Calendar Mobile |
|
|
 |
|
SMS service for users to query today and tomorrow's appointments in their Windows Live CalendarWindows Live Calendar is a time-management web application by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live services. It is integrated into Windows Live Hotmail, the way that MSN Calendar was integrated into the MSN Hotmail service...
|
Final |
| Windows Live Home Mobile |
|
|
|
mhome.live.com |
Displays a list of What's New feeds of your contacts, similar to Windows Live HomeWindows Live Home is a web portal launched by Microsoft as part of its Windows Live services. It aims to bring many of the Windows Live services together in one place...
but targets mobile devices |
Final |
| Windows Live Hotmail Mobile |
|
|
|
m.mail.live.com |
Web- and client-based version of Windows Live Hotmail that targets mobile devices, and allow new email alerts via SMS |
Final |
Windows Live Messenger MobileWindows Live Messenger Mobile is the version of Windows Live Messenger that is aimed to be used in mobile devices. There is a WAP-compatible version that may be used on any mobile device, and also specific client versions designed for Windows Mobile, Blackberry and Nokia Series 60 devices.-Windows...
|
|
|
|
mim.live.com |
Web- and client-based version of Windows Live MessengerWindows Live Messenger is an instant messaging client created by Microsoft that is currently designed to work with Windows XP , Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Mobile...
that is designed for mobile devices, and allow users to send instant messages via SMS |
Final |
| Windows Live Photos Mobile |
|
|
|
mphotos.live.com |
Web-based version of Windows Live PhotosWindows Live Photos is a part of Microsoft's Windows Live service that allow users to upload their photos to the computing cloud and share them with other users to allow them to access the photos from a web browser...
designed for mobile devices for photo viewing and uploading. Client-based version allows upload of photos directly from a mobile phone camera |
Final |
| Windows Live Profile Mobile |
|
|
|
mprofile.live.com |
View and update user's own Windows Live ProfileWindows Live Profile is the website for Windows Live users to manage their profile information. It is similar in function to Facebook's profile feature in which it displays information about the particular user, their recent activities, and their relationship with other Windows Live users...
information using a mobile device |
Final |
| Windows Live People Mobile |
|
|
|
mpeople.live.com |
Web-based version of Windows Live People designed for mobile devices for access to contact information. Client-based version allows integration of the Windows Live contact list with the mobile device's address book. Also allow users to query contact information via SMS |
Final |
| Windows Live Spaces Mobile |
|
|
|
mobile.spaces.live.com |
A customized version of Windows Live SpacesWindows Live Spaces is Microsoft's blogging and Social Networking platform. The site was originally released in early 2004 under the MSN Spaces name to compete with other social networking sites...
that targets mobile devices |
Final |
| Live Mesh Mobile |
|
|
|
m.mesh.com |
Web-based version of the Live MeshLive Mesh is a data synchronization system from Microsoft that allows 5GB of files, folders and other data to be shared and synchronized across multiple devices. Once a folder is set for synchronization, it will be available in all devices, and any changes made to the content of the folder will be...
webpage that is designed for mobile devices. The client-based version allow instant synchronisation of photos, videos and documents that resides on the Windows MobileWindows Mobile is a compact operating system developed by Microsoft, and designed for use in smartphones and mobile devices.It is based on Windows CE, and features a suite of basic applications developed using the Microsoft Win32 API. It is designed to be somewhat similar to desktop versions of...
device |
Beta |
Live Mesh
Live Mesh is a
software as a serviceSoftware as a Service is a model of software deployment whereby a provider licenses an application to customers for use as a service on demand. SaaS software vendors may host the application on their own web servers or download the application to the consumer device, disabling it after use or...
platform released on April 23, 2008 that enables PCs and other devices to connect with each other through the internet. Live Mesh is part of
Live ServicesLive Services is a development center and supplier of software development kits for the Windows Live and Azure Services Platforms...
, one of the building blocks of Microsoft's
Azure Services PlatformMicrosoft's Windows Azure Platform is a cloud platform offering that "provides a wide range of internet services that can be consumed from both on-premises environments or the internet"...
- a "cloud" platform hosted at Microsoft data centers. Live Mesh allows applications, people, and devices to be synchronized across multiple devices using FeedSync and
cloud computingCloud computing is the provision of dynamically scalable and often virtualised resources as a service over the Internet on a utility basis. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure in the "cloud" that supports them...
technologies. It is designed to give developers the ability to easily develop and scale up applications that can run on a wide variety of devices. Live Mesh currently consists of:
- Mesh Operating Environment - software component that manages the synchronization relationships between devices and data
- Live Desktop - online cloud storage service that allows synchronized folders to be accessible via a website
- Live Mesh Remote Desktop - software that allow users to remotely connect and manage to any of the devices in a synchronization relationship
- Live Framework - a REST
Representational state transfer is a style of software architecture for distributed hypermedia systems such as the World Wide Web. The term Representational State Transfer was introduced and defined in 2000 by Roy Fielding in his doctoral dissertation...
-based application programming interfaceAn application programming interface is an interface in computer science that defines the ways by which an application program may request services from libraries and/or operating systems. An API determines the vocabulary and calling conventions the programmer should employ to use the services...
for accessing the Live Mesh services over HTTP
Features and functionalities of Live Mesh are expected to be integrated into the Windows Live "Wave 4" release. The Windows Live, Live Services Platform, and Live Mesh teams was merged into a single Windows Live team in January 2009.
Search services
Bing, a replacement of the search engine
Live Search, was originally named
Windows Live Search (and
MSN Search prior to that) and was once part of the Windows Live family of services. Windows Live Search once occupied the homepage of
Live.comWindows Live Personalized Experience is a customizable portal launched by Microsoft in early November 2005. It was one of the first Windows Live services to launch.- Features :...
, the domain for all Windows Live services. However, on 2007-03-21, Microsoft decided to separate its search developments from its Windows Live services family, forming part of the
Live Search and Ad Platform. As part of this reorganization, the new search brand,
Live Search, was consolidated with
Microsoft adCenterMicrosoft adCenter , is the division of the Microsoft Network responsible for MSN's advertising services. Microsoft adCenter provides pay per click advertisements.-History:...
, a part of Microsoft's Platform and Systems division. However, Microsoft recognised that there was a brand issue as the word "Live" continued to remain in the brand. As an effort to create a new identity for Microsoft's search services, on 2009-06-03, Live Search was officially rebranded as
BingBing is the current web search engine from Microsoft. Unveiled by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on May 28, 2009 at the All Things Digital conference in San Diego, Bing is a replacement for Live Search...
.
Developer services
Live Services is a development center and supplier of software development kits (SDKs) for the Windows Live Platform that provides developers with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), documentation and sample codes for several Windows Live services. It also provides information on getting started with developing for Windows Live services, access to community areas and relevant blogs, and announcements of future releases and innovations.
Additionally, Live Services also includes Windows Live Quick Applications, which provides customizable out-of-the box solutions and source codes for specific web scenarios using Windows Live services.
Microsoft Live Labs
Microsoft Live Labs is a partnership between
MSNMSN, formerly The Microsoft Network, is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services...
and
Microsoft ResearchMicrosoft Research is a division of Microsoft created in 1991 for researching various computer science topics and issues. It currently employs Turing Award winners C.A.R...
that focuses on applied research for
InternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
products and services at
MicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices...
.
Live Labs are headed by Dr.
Gary William FlakeDr. Gary William Flake is a Technical Fellow at Microsoft and author of the book, The Computational Beauty of Nature , which is used in college courses worldwide. He has numerous publications spanning over 15 years which have focused on machine learning, data mining, and self-organization...
, who prior to joining Microsoft was a principal scientist at
Yahoo!Yahoo! Inc. is an American public corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, , that provides Internet services worldwide...
Research Lab and former head of research at the Web portal's
OvertureYahoo! Search Marketing is a keyword-based "Pay per click" or "Sponsored search" Internet advertising service provided by Yahoo!.Yahoo began offering this service after acquiring Overture Services, Inc....
Services division.
Live Labs' focus is on applied research and practical applications of
computer scienceComputer science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation, and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems. It is frequently described as the systematic study of algorithmic processes that create, describe and transform...
areas including
natural language processingNatural language processing is a field of computer science and linguistics concerned with the interactions between computers and human languages. Natural language generation systems convert information from computer databases into readable human language...
,
machine learningMachine learning is a scientific discipline that is concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to learn based on data, such as from sensor data or databases. A major focus of machine learning research is to automatically learn to recognize complex patterns and...
,
information retrievalInformation retrieval is the science of searching for documents, for information within documents and for metadata about documents, as well as that of searching relational databases and the World Wide Web...
,
data miningData mining is the process of extracting patterns from data. As more data are gathered, with the amount of data doubling every three years, data mining is becoming an increasingly important tool to transform these data into information...
,
computational linguisticsComputational linguistics is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the statistical and/or rule-based modeling of natural language from a computational perspective. This modeling is not limited to any particular field of linguistics...
,
distributed computingDistributed computing is a field of computer science that studies distributed systems. A distributed system consists of multiple autonomous computers that communicate through a computer network. The computers interact with each other in order to achieve a common goal...
, etc.
| Service |
Website |
Description |
DeepfishDeepfish was an experimental browsing software system for mobile devices that uses a zooming user interface, being developed at Microsoft Live labs...
Suspended |
http://www.livelabs.com/deepfish |
Allow users to display and zoom into web contents on their Windows Mobile devices similar to the desktop format without requiring additional work by the site author |
| FeedSync |
http://feedsync.mslivelabs.com |
Extensions to RSS and Atom feed formats designed to enable the aggregation of information by using a variety of data sources |
| Live Clipboard |
|
Allow users to cut, copy and paste rich data between webpages and browsers using an XML format |
| Entity Extraction |
|
Using machine learning to identify meaningful text in documents and turn the unstructured web into a rich set of tagged documents |
ListasListas is a tool for the creation, management and sharing of lists, notes, and favorites, being developed at Microsoft Live labs. It allows users to quickly and easily edit lists, share them with others for reading or wiki-style editing, and discover the public lists of other users.The Listas...
|
http://listas.labs.live.com |
Allow users to create and share lists (text, images, links, RSS feeds, etc.) |
PhotosynthPhotosynth is a software application from Microsoft Live Labs and the University of Washington that analyzes digital photographs and generates a three-dimensional model of the photos and a point cloud of a photographed object. Pattern recognition components compare portions of images to create...
Released |
http://www.livelabs.com/photosynth |
Displays a large collection of photos in a reconstructed three-dimensional space. |
| Social Streams |
http://socialstreams.livelabs.com |
Conducts data mining on social media including blogs, newsgroups and websites, and allows users to see whether the stories are increasing or decreasing in popularity and frequency at a glance using graphs showing the real time movement of the number of mentions of both the people and the places mentioned in the highlighted story |
| Thumbtack |
http://thumbtack.livelabs.com |
Allow users to collect contents across different websites and put it into a Thumbtack collection. This collection can then be shared with others or kept private. Gadgets in Thumbtack allows users to compare items in the collection and arrange them according to their needs. The service also utilizes machine learning and natural language techniques to extract information and display them in these gadgets in a meaningful way. |
Relay Service
Suspended |
http://relay.labs.live.com |
Allow users to expose a Windows Communication Foundation based service to the Internet from behind a firewall or NAT |
| Seadragon |
http://www.livelabs.com/seadragon |
Smooth, seamless browsing of vast quantities of visual information, on wall sized diplays or mobile devices, regardless of the amount of data. |
Security Token Service
Suspended |
http://sts.labs.live.com |
Online identity management service that provides an Information Card Windows CardSpace , is Microsoft's client software for the Identity Metasystem. CardSpace is an instance of a class of identity client software called an Identity Selector. CardSpace stores references to users' digital identities for them, presenting them to users as visual Information Cards...
that enables offloading authenticationAuthentication is the act of establishing or confirming something as authentic, that is, that claims made by or about the subject are true...
functions, irrespective of the agent signing in is a user logging-in to web sites and services or a site or service owner to authenticate users. Requires an Information Card compliant store and identity selector to use |
| Volta Volta is an experimental developer toolset for building multi-tier web applications, developed at Microsoft Live Labs. It allows developers to split their application easily into different client and server parts throughout the development lifecycle. Volta integrates with Microsoft Visual Studio...
|
http://www.livelabs.com/volta |
Developer toolset that enables multi-tier web applications by splitting it into different client and server parts |
| Web Sandbox |
http://websandbox.livelabs.com |
Provides website builders a virtualization platform to test the Sandbox and find out whether it prevents the attacks web users most concerned about |
Blue Vapor / Flair
Most original Windows Live applications and services used a visual theme known as
Blue Vapor or
Flair. While the new headers has replaced Blue Vapor on most Windows Live sites, Blue Vapor remains in use on sites such as Windows Live Silverlight Streaming. An example is shown below:
Windows Live 2.0
With the public beta release of the
Windows Live Wave 2.0 Suite ("Wave" refers to the group or wave of products to be released), a new visual theme was released to enable the
AeroWindows Aero is the graphical user interface and the default theme in most editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 , operating systems released by Microsoft. It is also available in Windows Server 2008. Its name is a backronym for Authentic, Energetic, Reflective and Open...
transparency effect in
Windows VistaWindows Vista is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
. This theme remains in use on sites such as Windows Live Personalized Experience. An example is shown below:
Windows Live 3.0
Microsoft has released a new theme for their Windows Live Wave 3.0 services. Instead of simply changing the colour of the header, this new visual theme allows users to customize their pages on Windows Live using a set of pre-selected background pictures. Several of these themes are dynamic and will change according to the time of day and the current weather condition of the user. It is currently implemented in all but a few Windows Live services. An example is shown below:
Windows Live Butterfly
The
Windows Live Butterfly awards program (formerly the
MSN Butterfly program) was a program whose members were given the benefit of new Microsoft software to test before the beta releases went public and they were in direct contact with the program managers for Windows Live products.
Microsoft had initiated the Windows Live Butterfly program in order to recognize the contributions made by exemplary beta testers. Prospective 'butterflies' were selected by the Windows Live product team and were nominated for a term of one year, after which they could be renominated.
The Windows Live Butterfly program was closed in June 2009.
See also
- Microsoft Office Live
Microsoft Office Live is a set of Internet-based services designed for consumers and small businesses interested in creating a website or storing and sharing documents online. As of 2009, it consists of two services, Office Live Workspace and Office Live Small Business.-Office Live Workspace:Office...
- Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
- Games for Windows - Live
External links