It's Alive !...Windows Live

Windows Live Mail 5 is Live: Well, almost. It's coming very soon, we promise.  But for those who can't wait, here's a sneak peak at all the new features for Windows Live Mail Beta “M5” (M5 is geek speak for Milestone 5).  If you're a WL Mail beta tester you won’t have to do anything to get it -- your inbox will update automatically.  If you aren't a beta tester, go sign up!
 
Windows Live Portal has been updated, although still in beta it is already in the top 500 most visited websites and still climbing

New Windows Live Messenger 8 beta to be released Today

Windows Live Expo beta, a free online marketplace from Microsoft, helps customers define their own marketplace universe.
Microsoft Corp. today will release a beta version of Windows Live™ Expo (http://expo.live.com) nationwide. Previously in closed beta, Windows Live Expo is now accessible to all U.S. customers and expands the traditional classified ad concept by providing social networking and community features through a trustworthy, convenient and free online service.
“We’ve been watching our own Microsoft® internal marketplace service for the past couple of years and were inspired by employee behaviors. Regardless of the transaction, we noticed that trust and convenience are the key factors to closing a deal,” said Garry Wiseman, product unit manager for Windows Live Expo at Microsoft. “What sets Windows Live Expo apart is that people can set their own search parameters for goods and services. They can define their own marketplace universe.”
Windows Live Local technical preview (pre-beta version) will go live offering “street-side” level imagery for Seattle and San Francisco. Imagery is limited to core downtown areas of the two cities and US customers will be able to access the tech preview directly at http://preview.local.live.com  Windows Live Local technical preview will provide consumers with an early look to provide feedback on the limited release of “street-side” imagery for Windows Live Local. Additionally, consumers can utilize the imagery to augment the current road, aerial, and bird’s eye views currently available when searching for location specific information.
Also announced is that Windows Live in the future (when Vista lanches) will support Media Center. One thing that is already available in US now, which is MSN Remote Record, will be available in Windows Live. The second thing is that when you recorded TV, and you’re not at home but say in a hotel, you can watch the recording through Windows Live!Now that's cool, but I'm afraid it will be available for US only when launched.

AND FINALLY…
Microsoft Office Live was created to empower small businesses with online capabilities that previously have been unaffordable or too technologically complex for to set up and maintain. Microsoft Office Live offerings are geared to small businesses with fewer than 10 employees, and are designed to help you establish an online presence, automate key internal and external business tasks, and collaborate with employees, partners, and customers.
Our current offerings provide your business with the following:

1. A professional Web site with a free domain name (for example, www.northwindtraders.com), company-branded e-mail accounts hosted by Microsoft, and easy design and reporting tools to create and maintain a company Web site


2. An online repository for organizing company documents and contact information in one place to help you manage your businesses operations in a more secure and integrated manner


3. A password-protected workspace, called a Shared Site, for online collaboration with employees, customers, partners, suppliers, and contractors


4. A host of rich, yet simple, online applications for managing your customers, projects, and employees, as well as your sales, marketing, and company information

Here are just a few of the many Microsoft Office Live services:
Microsoft Office Live Basics. With Office Live Basics you get your own domain name (for example, www.northwindtraders.com); you can create a professional business Web site in minutes with our easy-to-use Site Designer tool. Plus, Web site traffic reports let you manage your business Web site without being a Web expert. You also get five company-branded e-mail accounts (for example, jsmith@northwindtraders.com) to help give your company the professional image it deserves. Built on Windows SharePoint Services, Office Live Basics helps your business establish a professional Web presence, with 30 MB of Web site storage. All at no charge.
Microsoft Office Live Collaboration. Also built on Windows SharePoint technology, Office Live Collaboration provides a password-protected online work environment, supplemented with richly functional business management applications. It is offered free of charge during the beta period and afterwards on a monthly subscription basis. Office Live Collaboration allows you to create any number of password-protected Web sites, called Shared Sites, for collaborating among internal employees as well as external customers, suppliers, and vendors.
As part of the Office Live Collaboration offering, you have access to more than 20 powerful and versatile business applications important to managing a business. These tools can assist you in everything from customer and project management to sales, marketing, and human resources. Because Microsoft hosts and supports the entire solution, your company saves the cost of expensive IT infrastructure and maintenance.
Microsoft Office Live Essentials. Office Live Essentials provides all of the features of Office Live Basics and Office Live Collaboration, including domain, hosting, and Web design services; password-protected Shared Sites; collaboration tools; and business management applications. In addition, it provides a Web site with 50 MB of storage, 50 e-mail accounts (with 2 GB of storage each), more advanced Web site traffic reports, and Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 support for advanced Web design. Office Live Essentials is offered free of charge during the beta period, and afterwards at an attractively priced monthly subscription rate