Its raining Betas everywhere .. Soon after Microsoft announced that new version of MSN Messenger will be called Windows Live Messenger, they released the program for Beta testers .. The download size is huge, double the size of previous versions but I still decided to test it. So I downloaded it and installed it.. Here’s my experience with it …
Whats New ..?
- The interface: It clearly says “The Future of MSN Messenger” in the main window. They have redesigned the interface yet again .. I said “Wow ..!” when I first looked at it ..! Its more colorful (You can customize the colors) and its more sleek.. You can find most of the common task in the main interface without right clicking .. Just hover over a contact and most useful tasks are visible ..
- Offline Messaging: Its finally arrived for MSN Messenger (Oops) … Windows Live Messenger supports Offline messaging now .. It tells you that your messages will be delivered when next time they sign in to the service ..
There is an Offline Message section in options window too :
- Video Chat: The Video and voice chat is redesigned and it looks sleek ..! This isnt of much interest to me, but others may be interested in it ..
- Shared Search: This was there in 7.5 too .. Its more like Yahoo Messenger’s
s: keywordsearch . .. Just put a keyword and click on Search button and first three results are displayed in the conversation window .. And unlike Yahoo messenger, the search results are shown in multi user conversation windows too … - Personal Music Message: Guess, they have infact listened to some of my suggestions
.. Now MSN Messenger installs a plugin to Windows Media Player that will allow users to set their personal message to whatever song they are listening too .. Better late then never .. 
The link in the status message opens music.msn.com site for the song and album information .. It gives a notification window when its changing your status :
- Better Contact Options: Phew .. This is the best thing they have added IMHO .. Now you can set Nicknames of your contacts, so its easy to identify who is who .. As I stopped using Messenger Plus after Sandi’s investigations, this was the feature that I found missing since .. Thankfully they have added it ..
- In built virus scanning: You can install a free virus scanner from Windows Live Security centre. And then all files you share will be first scanned for viruses before you can run them .. The thinking is good … but how many people will trust Microsoft’s antivirus ..? Anyways its free so I decided to test it .. But it didnt installed on my system (it got stuck on 27% ) .. I guess it was due to poor performance of my connection …
- Shared Folders: The file sharing is now redesigned as Shared Folders .. It didnt work on my system as it requires NTFS..
Any Problems ..?
Apart from complicating file transfers, I didnt find anything mentionable as annoying .. The resource usage is increased though .. Most features require your contacts to be using the same version to work as I wasnt able to send or receive files from my friends who were using 7.5 version ..
Overall ..
Overall I find it good .. With this version, MSN messenger is now coming at par with Yahoo Messenger providing roughly all the features available in YIM … Both have changed voice chatting to PC to PC calling .. Both have integrated search features and photo sharing features … Both now eats same amount of memory (wasnt this expected ?) .. Anyways .. lookwise Windows Live Messenger appeals to me .. Lets see what features they will add in the final version ..
I have uploaded more screenshots to Flickr and added more comments there .. Check those too .. 
Nice Review there batty, can u tell me where to download it ?
It was released to Beta testers only .. You will get an error message if you try to run it if you are not a registered beta user .. There is a workaround for it but I am not gonna list it here ..
..
You can download the program from here …
Search for the workaround yourself ..
finally MSN Messenger is heading towards the Yahoo highway
Nice man, liked it
The UI is much better than current one but I am worried about memory usage…does it take more than yahoo messenger? Yahoo messenger sucks my memory like hell..I need some lite version of messenger..
thanks buddy! these days i don’t get time to read any mags… so i’m just deaf n blind about the happenings. thanks for the review.
the live messenger seems tempting. if its really that good, i won’t mind to shift to that. but i love the yahoo emoticons
hey, i downloaded msn 8 beta and when i try loggin in a sign comes up and says ” The Passport ID to sign in is not alowd to acces the Beta version of msn” what do i do? how can i fix it, if u help me it wud be great
can someone send me an invite pls??
Lianacortis@hotmail.com
I am a beta tester.But my windows is screwed a lot of new features doesnt work.I need to reinstall windows.
gooooooooood
cool
thanxxxxxxxxxx
Windows Live Messenger suck like hell
how do you share files to all contacts in one sweep, there must be a way round individual folders… come on you computer literates…
Heya! If u have any invites left cud u send me one please?!? Im dying to see wat everyone’s talkin about! Smarkham14@hotmail.com Thanx if u can send me one!
Oh Stephen .. I just gave away my last invite .. But dont worry .. They’ll be sending me more invites soon … I’ll send you then ..
Okay .. !
Like your evaluation. looking for Windows Live Messenger Beta virus scanner. Don’t find it on security site.
The Passport ID to sign in is not alowd to acces the Beta version of msn! Why I get that message? Can anyone help me??
Carlos you will need Windows Live Messenger invite to use the new beta. If you want, I can send you an invite ..
..
Oh I see
Please send me an invite, the messenger seems so cool! Love the pics.
Okay Carlos, just sent you WLM invite ..
Enjoy !
Hi Shahab,
I am getting a connection error which I think might be because of not having proper invite. I saw the link for beta 8 on MSN Today, so I downloaded and installed. I need invite to be able to use it.
Do you have any spare invites ? Please send me one on shishircc at hotmail. Thanks !
Regards
Shishir
Shishir, I just sent my last invite to my friend .. Anyways. dont worry, I’ll send you an invite as soon as I get .. :)…
hey ppl…i dont no who u r but anyway…….hi……..
Hi Melissa ..
..
Yeah my name is Emmanuel, I ‘ve the same problem with the Messenger Live Beta 8 saying that ( The passport used sign is not allowed acess to this beta version of messenger. 810003cc) I ‘ve been doing alot of reasearch on forums in Google and it looks like I need an invitation, if someone have one! ‘please’ send me one I am dying to use the MSN Beta 8. It seems amayzing so if somebody help’s me it would be really helpful! to me. This is my E-mail addy: ( emmanueloski_16@hotmail.com ) Thank you.
Sincerely.
Emmanuel Martinez.
nevbhoday@hotmail.com
would be sincerely appreciated if someone could send me an invite
hey here’s one for you Nev and you too Emmanuel.
thanks ollyss,
much appreciated dude
Nev
Please can somone send me and invite it would really be appreciated
My e-mail is rudypooindaloo@hotmail.com
anyone got an invite? peter_benton@hotmail.com
I have the beta on another email account but I never got any invites?
Has anyone got their share folder to work, doesn’t like me or my mate(must be him), remote assistant doesn’t work properly and music mix keeps crashing.
Any help any one.
If you really help there might be an invite as i have some left or I might be greedy and keep them for me alll me hahahahahahahaha
but beleive me its shite
How much RAM does Windows Live Messenger use, as indictated by Task Manager?
There’s an issue with the personal mess. that can be typed. When I type in a message and hit enter, it pops up on the screen right under the last message I typed but no header next to it listing screen name…does anybody know how to change this so I get the header listing the screen name next to every entry? ….thanx JUST LOVE THE MESSENGER
thanks
thanks can u send to the install file
i want to download plug-ins for my msn beta….can anione help??????how to download???
error 800072ee6 cant remember how to fix it had it befor….anybody please
ummmz it hasnt let me sign in for like 2 days saying it is temporarily unavailable wat is wrong with it??? wen i first downloaded it, it let sign in now itz gone all stupid??
hi i want to use live mail beta version can any body send me a invitation,i will be very thank ful his/her. waiting invitation fom anbody plz do hurry up.take care bye
hello friends.can we use this window live messenger as multi?? plz tell me how can we use multimessenger.my ema il is wasem_aslam@hotmail.com
hi i want to use live mail beta version can any body send me a invitation,i will be very thank ful his/her. waiting invitation fom anbody plz do hurry up.take care bye
my id is junaidkhan288@hotmail.com
I managed to download and login in, I think. But all my 7.5 contact lost.
Very hard to ask them to install new version, and no choice have to uninstall and use back 7.5.
Why can’t msn look into this problem? Allow all msn user to msg even using different version?
Windows Live Messenger is really neat and I’m really looking forward to using it later on when it comes because i certainly chat with my friends and I like to socialize,so I’ll be waiting so keep on makin!!!!!
Windows Messenger is coool and I really like it more than any Messenger!!!!
Hey i hv this unsual problem dont know if any of u guys faced it but i get da same offline message again and again whenever i log in. It very irritating and comes every time i log in to msn. ny idea wht should be done ??
Interesting .. Never happened to me .. Lets see if someone else has got some clue ..
hello i am very desperate to get messenger back onto my hotmail because my icon suddenly started not appearing so i had been hearing that i had the old hotmail version anyway so i thought this would be the best way to get a new fresh hotmail and a newer version so i am realy in need for some help please.thank you
ay i just wanted ta show u my adress well all i can say is any help wud be so apreciated u know i just wanna instant chat again and i think hotmail is the best for that allrite
all respect.
i like the window live messenger is nice cause i can leave a messenger event though someone is offline
keep up to good work!
I like the window live messenger and it can leave a message even though it is offline
keep up to good work!
hey could you send me an invite too.please
Well since you are being so generous to everyone
can I ask for an invite too ?
Lol Nikhil … You bumped up a two year old article ..
.. I dont think you need any invite to use Live Messenger now .. 
super je program
im tonik MC
This messenger really really sucks .. It scans whole computer b4 even downloading messenger .. god save world from microsoft
OI!!!
es lo mejor que ha pasado en messenger gracias