Darren Straight's Blog

I have just this minute opened up Windows Live Messenger and I was in shock when I discovered that 9 new contacts were asking me to add them to my contact list!

I have no idea who they all are so I’ve blocked them for now untill I find how who each one of them really is, as I’m pretty much sure that they are probably all fake accounts of people who are just trying to view my Msn Space!

Anyway they can always email me and ask me!

Update: Well I managed to talk to some of these contacts and apparently they did not add me and don’t know who I am, ohh well, I’ve deleted them from my contact list now!

Chris from LiveSide.net has now posted his second interview with Phil Holden the Director of Windows Live.

This interview with Phil mainly focuses on Windows Live Mail and the upcoming Windows Live Desktop Client. This is the first of several interviews we will be posting this week.

Timing information to be posted shortly

Download Interview
Podcast Feed

Previous interviews:
Talking With Torres
Interview with Phil Holden, Director of Windows Live

Via: LiveSide

The Windows Live Local (Virtual Earth) Technical Preview of the new StreetSide feature is now Live at:

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

There’s also a channel 9 video of it here!

Just came across this Article, it looks like Microsoft will soon be replacing their current passport system with Windows Live ID, but is this just another name change or is it something more, read below for more details:

EXCLUSIVE Microsoft plans to roll its Passport authentication service into the Windows Live family of Web services by 2007, renaming it to Windows Live ID, BetaNews has learned. While the company is keeping mum on specifics, the service will make use of Microsoft’s new InfoCard technology.

Sources familiar with the situation say Windows Live ID is part of up to three-dozen “Live” services currently in development. Some of these products would piggyback on top of preexisting services — like Windows Live Local Search Free Call, which enables users to call businesses directly from search results.
Standalone offerings, meanwhile, would include products like the Windows Live Toolbar and the recently announced Windows Live Family Safety Settings.

While most of these services will not be released by April, when the core Windows Live family is said to be exiting beta, the revelation of a whole host of new Live products in the pipeline indicates Microsoft is placing a major bet on the Web services concept.

A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the existence of Windows Live ID to BetaNews late Monday, calling it the authentication service for Windows Live. “You may consider it a major upgrade to Passport technology,” he said. According to Microsoft, Windows Live ID would play a large part in making upcoming services possible.

“We do plan for Windows Live ID to work with InfoCards in the future,” he continued, although declined to say whether the feature would make it into the service’s initial launch.

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates provided the first clues to the existence of Windows Live ID at the RSA Conference earlier this month, when he said InfoCard was intended to replace Passport and would make password-based authentication obsolete.

With over 30 services potentially taking on the “Live” moniker, industry watchers are warning that the Redmond company risks diluting the brand like it did with the .NET concept.

“Within a matter of months [after .NET's initial release], Microsoft marketers began attaching the .Net moniker to all kinds of products, from Windows .Net Servers, to MapPoint.Net,” said Mary Jo Foley, author of the Microsoft Watch newsletter. “.Net became a meaningless term that even Redmond’s own couldn’t explain concisely.”

According to Foley, Microsoft risks the same result with Windows Live if it isn’t careful. “It seems like Microsoft, its partners and its customers could benefit from some kind of clearly articulated policy as to what will and won’t be considered a Live property.”

The Microsoft spokesperson could not confirm public release dates or the number of Windows Live projects in development, but acknowledged, “you’ll see many more new products in the coming months.”

Via: BetaNews

Leah from the Windows Live Messenger team has recently announced on the Windows Live Messenger Team Blog that an upcoming version of Messenger will be released today, this being Windows Live Messenger 8.0.556, here’s a list of what’s new:

New Feature

• Live Contacts are Live! Click the button on the back of your contact card to enter in all your information (phone number, address, job, spouse , etc). 

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.

Realignment

• Left-aligned your display picture (version 522 had it on the right)
• Slid the ink and handwriting tab over to the right of the conversation window

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

Eliminate Waste (of space)

• 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

Via: Windows Live Messenger Team Blog

This week the Windows Live Local team (formerly MSN VirtualEarth) will be releasing a Windows Live Local technical preview (pre-beta version) at http://preview.local.live.com that will be demonstrating the new “street-side” low level imagery feature for two US Cities: Seattle and San Francisco.

Now at this point in time we only know that the low level imagery will be limited to the core downtown areas of Seattle and San Francisco but hopefuly as time goes by we will start to see more imagery appearing for other cities like London, Madrid, Rome, Paris.

And though this service is not Live yet I do have a screenshot of it, which is the one you can see below, now as you can pretty much tell from the image it appears that you’re actual view of the streets is from inside a car, this kind of reminds me of Virtual New York City Tour because even though that tour is of New York and dosent have a car it’s still using low level imagery, which is the way to go if we want to visit are Holiday over and over again and again until we get bored!

Update: Mark Hatchman at PC Magazine has just posted some more details of the Windows Live Local Technical Preview including the release date and time, which if correct will be today at 12noon PST.

Tomorrow and for the next few week’s or so I’ll be updating a whole lot of my Blog Posts with better quality Images, when I first started of this Blog I started to host all my images on my own site but then I started using ImageShack as I was worried about Bandwidth and Space.

But now I’m seeing that it would be so much better if I started hosting them on my site again, it would not only improve the amount of traffic I get but also be in your favour as you can be rest assured that the Image will always be available as it’s hosted on my site and not somewhere else!

Though saying all this before I do start this work I might try some experiments with flickr because I could always use quick tags!

I was reading about this earlier today and though most of us already knew about what Windows Vista Editions we would see, it’s clear that not everybody knows yet.

That’s why Bill Gates officialy talked about them at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Microsoft unveils Vista editions 
 
Bill Gates talked about Vista at the Consumer Electronics Show
Microsoft is planning six versions of the next incarnation of its Windows operating system.

Three versions of the software, called Vista, will be for home users, two will be for businesses and one will be for emerging markets.

One of the home versions of Vista will include features that let users store and play back TV shows.

No fixed date has been given for the release of Vista but it is expected to be launched by the end of 2006.

Launch line-up

Vista, which was known as Longhorn during its long development, is a major re-working of Windows that makes changes, among other things, to the way the operating system looks and how it handles networking and sound.

Microsoft said the six versions were designed to match the demands different users have for its software. No details have been given about the pricing of the separate versions.

VISTA VERSIONS
Vista Business
Vista Enterprise
Vista Home Basic
Vista Home Premium
Vista Ultimate
Vista Starter

Vista Business will be the basic version for companies of all sizes and includes tools that will help organisations manage their PCs.

The Enterprise version of Vista will have all of the features in the basic version and add to them improved encryption including a BitLocker system that will stop confidential data being viewed if a computer is lost or stolen.

The Home Basic version is intended for those who only want to use their PC to browse the net, use e-mail and create and edit basic documents. It will also include desktop search and security tools.

Vista Home Premium includes everything in the Basic version and adds the new graphical interface called Aero.

Microsoft said it will also have improved media handling abilities so it can help users organise and enjoy their digital images, music and movie collections. Also included will be tools to help people author and burn DVDs.

PCs running the Premium edition will also be able to connect their machine to an Xbox 360 gaming console.

Vista Ultimate has all the features of the business and home editions in one package.

The Starter edition is a streamlined version intended for low powered PCs found in many developing nations.

Also available will be versions made specifically for Europe that, in accordance with an EU mandate, remove the Windows media player.

Microsoft pointed out that the current version of Windows, XP, is available in six different versions though most of these are tuned for the different types of hardware, such as a Tablet PC, people are using.

By contrast Vista versions are organised by what people plan to do with their computer.

“We don’t want customers to be forced into buying something that isn’t going to meet all their needs,” said Barry Goffe, Microsoft’s director of Windows client product management.

Via: BBC

Just came across this new movie on Apple.com, looks very intersting but also quite scary!

After the mysterious brutal death of an old friend, a group of teenagers find themselves in possession of Stay Alive, a next generation horror survival videogame based on the spine-chilling true story of a 17th century noblewoman known as The Blood Countess.

In Theatres: March 24th, 2006
Thriller, Action and Adventure
Rating: PG-13

William Brent Bell (dir.)
Jon Foster
Samaire Armstrong
Frankie Muniz
Sophia Bush
Adam Goldberg

Via: Apple.com | Official Movie site

I have just finished listening a show about Search Engine Marketing and Optimization on Webmaster Radio (webmasterradio.fm) which was titled Strike Point:

Strike Point 

Host(s): Mikkel deMib Svendsen & Dave Naylor
Time: Monday @ 3pm EDT / GMT-4 
 
The first European Show of its kind, addressing issues faced by European Webmasters regarding Search Engine Marketing and Optimization. Expect to be informed on the nuances of maximizing earnings revenue from a European perspective. Irreverent, cocky and experienced…don’t let the Eurotrash fool you! These guys are true experts and a show to not be missed.

And I can definitely say that I love this show especially after what they said about Google and how they could improve but have failed in so many areas, especially in back up plans!

They also might be having a guest coming on from MSN so that will be an interesting show to hear, I recommend you visit this site and listen into the next show!

What is Webmaster Radio?
WebmasterRadio.FM is lifting the “veiled curtain” called the Internet to bring the business community together through an interactive, Internet based radio network. WebmasterRadio.FM offers an all-star line up of radio shows hosted by the most respected names in the Internet business world. Here on WebmasterRadio.FM listeners can find programming with a vast appeal to anyone looking to be a part of a community destination and learn industry specific information from the most successful marketers and technology experts in the world. The LOUNGE (formally the chat room) is open 24/7 allowing listeners to communicate with each other, from around the globe in real time.
 
Our new show line up includes:

• The Daily SearchCast hosted by Danny Sullivan, Editor of SearchEngineWatch and guests Co-Hosts
• Power Source, brought to you by Yahoo! Search, hosted by Tim Mayer & Jeremy Zawodny
• The Hook with Katie Kempner, The intersection of Advertising & PR
• ad:tech Connect hosted by Susan Bratton and Guest Co-Hosts
• Next Stuff Now hosted by Chris Tolles, VP of Topix.net
• Domain Master with Monte Cahn of Moniker.com
• RainMaker hosted by SEGuru (Daron Babin) and Brandy Shapiro-Babin
• SEO RockStars with hosts: Todd (Oilman) Friesen and Greg Boser aka Webguerrilla
• Cover Story with Brandy Shapiro-Babin, David McInnis & Mick Jolly of PRWeb
• Wizards of Web hosted by Jeffrey and Bryan Eisenberg, Future Now, Inc.
• Good Karma, hosted by Greg Niland aka GoodROI for newbies and old-timers as well
• That’s a Wrap hosted by Greg Boser & Daron Babin

Via: Webmaster Radio