Windows Live was the collective brand name for a set of services and software products from Microsoft as part of its software-as-a-service platform. Chief components under the brand name included web services (all of which were exposed through corresponding web applications), several computer programs that interact with the services, and specialized web services for mobile devices.[1]
According to Microsoft, Windows Live was "a way to extend the Windows user experience".[2] As such, Windows Vista's welcome screen provides a link to download Windows Live Messenger or subscribe to Windows Live OneCare. Additionally, Windows Mail, Windows Photo Gallery, and Windows Movie Maker were not included with Windows 7 and became exclusive to Windows Live.[3] Microsoft announced that Windows 8 would have Windows Live apps included out-of-the-box, and would include built-in synchronization technologies powered by SkyDrive (now OneDrive).[4] The Windows Live brand was phased out in August 2012, coincining with the release to manufacturing of Windows 8. Active Windows Live services remained active but were gradually renamed. The "live.com" domain, however, continues to be used in the URLs for Outlook.com, OneDrive, and the login and signup pages.
History
Windows Live was first announced on November 1, 2005. In its initial release, several Windows Live properties were rebranded and enhanced from Microsoft's MSN set of products and services. However, MSN still exists alongside Windows Live as a means of delivering content (as opposed to customized content and communications).[5] In May 2012, Microsoft began renaming Windows Live services, partly in anticipation of Windows 8, which will integrate many of the Windows Live products and services into the operating system.[6]
Services
Online services
The following services were once part of Windows Live but are still online. Outlook.com and OneDrive still use the "Live" branding in the URL despite dropping the brand name.
The usage of the Live.com domain was later extended to consumer versions of Microsoft Teams, Microsoft To-Do, Microsoft Lists, and others, to distinguish them from the enterprise versions.
| Previous Name | Description | Rebranded to |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar | Time management service that allows users to organize appointments, schedule meetings, set reminders, and share their calendar events. | Outlook.com |
| Hotmail | Free webmail service using AJAX technology featuring email, contacts, and calendar services. | Outlook.com |
| ID | Provides a single sign-on service that allows users to log into various Microsoft products and services. Users can manage their accounts and link multiple IDs together using this service. | Microsoft account |
| Profile | Allows users to manage their profile information and displays information about the particular user, their recent activities, and their relationship with other Windows Live users. | Microsoft account |
| People | The address book service allows users to keep track and synchronize their contacts' information. Allow users to add contacts from other social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google, Flickr, and soon Sina Weibo and Skype to their Microsoft account. | Outlook.com |
| SkyDrive | Password-protected online file storage and sharing, including management of photos and Office documents. Also allow users to view and edit Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote documents directly in the web browser using Office Web Apps, and allow sharing and co-authoring of these documents with other users. | OneDrive |
| — | Note-taking software designed for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration. It gathers users' notes, drawings, screen clippings, and audio commentaries, and notes can also be shared with other OneNote users over the Internet or a network. | OneNote |
| — | Business communication platform that offers workspace chat and videoconferencing, file storage, and application integration. | Microsoft Teams |
| — | Cloud-based task management application that allows users to manage their tasks from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. | Microsoft To-Do |
| — | Allows users to create, share, and track data inside lists. | Microsoft Lists |
Software applications
- Main article: Windows Essentials
Microsoft has released several computer programs with the "Windows Live" brand, a summary of which is included below. Except for Windows Live OneCare (which is marketed with a software-as-a-service licensing model), every product is freeware and published in a software suite called Windows Essentials (formerly Windows Live Essentials). These programs are designed to integrate well with each other, within Windows, and with other Windows Live services such as OneDrive and Outlook.com.
| Service | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Family Safety | Parental Controls similar to Windows Vista's Family Safety feature | Final |
| Desktop mail and calendar client designed to succeed Outlook Express on Windows XP and Windows Mail on Windows Vista, with full RSS support | Final | |
| Movie Maker | Video editing software similar to Windows Movie Maker with additional enhancements that makes home video editing easier | Final |
| Photo Gallery | Similar to Windows Photo Gallery with additional enhancements that make posting photos to SkyDrive and Facebook easier | Final |
| Writer | Desktop blog publishing tool that can publish to popular blogging services and make use of SkyDrive for photo storage. | Final |
| OneCare | A suite of computer security programs with antivirus programs, backup utility, and a personal firewall | Final |
| Toolbar | A toolbar plug-in for Internet Explorer, which allows quick access to a user's Windows Live Spaces, Hotmail, Favorites, and Live Search | Final |
| Messenger | Instant messaging app | Final |
| Messenger Companion | An add-in for Internet Explorer that allows users to share a webpage with their friends on Windows Live, see links to webpages the user's friends have shared, and comment on these shared pages | Final |
Mobile services
Windows Phone
- Main article: My Windows Phone
My Windows Phone is a free online companion service for Windows Phone mobile devices that provides users with a free mobile phone back-up solution by wirelessly synchronizing contacts, calendar appointments, photos, and OneNote notebooks with a password-protected online portal. Users can access and manage their information stored on their Windows Phone devices via the online portal using their Microsoft account, as well as accessing a set of features for remotely ringing, locking, mapping, and erasing their lost phones. This service integrates tightly with other Windows Live services including People, Calendar, and Microsoft SkyDrive.[7]
iOS
- Main article: Windows Live Messenger#iOS
Microsoft released a Windows Live Messenger application on the iOS App Store, which allows users on mobile devices running the iOS to communicate with their contacts via the Microsoft Messenger service. In addition to the instant messaging functionalities, the application also allows users to view their Messenger social feed, view their friends' Profiles, and integrate with Hotmail and Photos.
Feature phone
Windows Live also provides customised services specifically created for feature phones. It is offered via three channels — through Client-based (for Windows Mobile and other supported mobile devices such as Nokia phones), Web-based (for WAP or GPRS-enabled mobile web browsers), or SMS-based services.[8]
| Mobile Service | Client | Web | SMS | Exchange ActiveSync | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendar Mobile | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | File:Yellow check.svg | Web-based version of Calendar designed for mobile devices to view, schedule and manage calendar appointments and events. SMS service for users to query today and tomorrow's appointments in their calendar | Final | |
| People Mobile | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | File:Yellow check.svg | Web-based version of People designed for mobile devices for access to contact information. Client-based version allows integration of the contact list with the mobile device's address book. Also allow users to query contact information via SMS | Final |
| Windows Live Groups Mobile | File:B-check.svg | Web-based version of Windows Live Groups designed for mobile devices | Final | |||
| Outlook.com Mobile | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | File:Yellow check.svg | Web- and client-based version of Outlook.com that targets mobile devices, and allow new email alerts via SMS | Final |
| Windows Live Messenger Mobile | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | Web- and client-based version of Windows Live Messenger that is designed for mobile devices, and allow users to send instant messages via SMS | Final | |
| Windows Live Profile Mobile | File:B-check.svg | View and update user's own Windows Live Profile information using a mobile device | Final | |||
| Microsoft SkyDrive Mobile | File:B-check.svg | File:B-check.svg | Web-based version of Microsoft SkyDrive designed for mobile devices for accessing documents stored on the cloud. Client-based version allows upload of photos directly from a mobile phone camera. | Final |
Search services
- Main article: Bing
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.com, the domain for all Windows Live services. However, on March 21, 2007, 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 adCenter, a part of Microsoft's Platform and Systems division.[9] However, Microsoft recognised that there was a brand issue as the word "Live" continued to remain in the brand.[10] As an effort to create a new identity for Microsoft's search services, on June 3, 2009, Live Search was officially rebranded as Bing.[11]
Developer services
- Main article: Live Connect
Live Connect is a collection of APIs and common controls that allow developers to have a deeper control and offers access to the core Windows Live services and data through open and easily accessible application programming interfaces (APIs). Live Connect is built on standard web technologies such as OAuth 2.0, Representational State Transfer (REST), and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), and is designed to work with any technology or device. Live Connect unites the previously separate APIs of Windows Live into a single API that is based on industry standards and specifications.
Discontinued products and services
| Name | Replaced By | Description | Discontinued Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agents | Interactive chatterbots through Windows Live Messenger that allow users to get more information about specific topics. | June 30, 2009 | |
| Alerts | Send information updates to the user's email inbox, mobile device or Messenger. | September 30, 2010 | |
| Barcode | Microsoft Tag | 2D barcodes that can be used to store information or link to the mobile web. | Never launched |
| Call | Skype | Allow users to make PC-to-PC and PC-to-Phone (Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)) voice and video calls. | June 1, 2010 |
| Events | Windows Live Groups Calendar |
Manage and plan different types of events and share them with others using Calendar, Spaces and Alerts. | September 3, 2009 |
| Expo | Allow users to post online classifieds and search for listings posted by other users. | July 31, 2008 | |
| Favorites | SkyDrive |
Synchronizes the user's favorites between computers and allows for the sharing of favorites. | April 14, 2009 |
| FrameIt | Extends the functionality of digital photo frame devices, allowing users to customise the content delivery from multiple sources such as RSS feeds. | December 15, 2010 | |
| Gallery | Windows Live Plug-ins | A center for collections of developers' add-ons for Windows Live Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer, Toolbar, Spaces, and Live.com, as well as Windows 7 and Windows Vista Sidebar and SideShow gadgets. | October 1, 2011 |
| Home | (Discontinued with Hotmail) |
Provides a central location to access Windows Live services, monitor status information, and navigate to other Windows Live sites and services. | February 18, 2013 |
| Help Community | Microsoft Answers | Collection of forums and message boards to communicate with other users of Windows Live products. | June 6, 2008 |
| Messenger | Skype (Except China Mainland) |
An instant messaging client that allows users to communicate online. | April 8, 2013 |
| Messenger Companion | An add-in for Internet Explorer that allows users to share a webpage with their friends on Windows Live, see links to webpages the user's friends have shared and comment on these shared pages. | 2012 | |
| Office Live Workspace | SkyDrive | Offers 5GB of storage space for storing Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook documents and lists online and sharing them with others. Office Live Workspace does not offer collaboration or editing capabilities, however. | January 21, 2011 |
| OneCare | Microsoft Security Essentials | Computer Security Service. Features its own Anti-Virus program, back-up utility, and a software firewall. | June 30, 2009 |
| OneCare Safety Scanner | Microsoft Safety Scanner | Free PC scanning and health service to help delete viruses and other threats. Includes registry cleaner, disk cleaner and defragmenter, network open port scanner, and comprehensive virus and spyware scanner. | April 15, 2011 |
| Personalized Experience | My MSN | An all-in-one home page featuring a customisable RSS aggregator, gadgets and search tools. | March 30, 2010 |
| QnA | MSN QnA (now discontinued) |
A question and answer service that allows users to ask questions, tag them according to topic, and gain points and reputation for answering other users' questions. | May 21, 2009 |
| Search Center | Windows Search 4 (now part of Windows Vista and Windows 7) |
A desktop search program that provides a unified local and remote indexed search from a unified interface. | December 12, 2006 |
| Shopping | Bing Shopping | An online shopping comparison website which allowed users to compare items and prices of over 40 million products from more than 7000 online stores. | February 20, 2007 |
| Spaces | Migration to WordPress or Sina blogs in China | A blog and social networking service which allows users to create personalized blogs, add friends, and upload photos. | March 16, 2011 |
| Sync and Live Mesh | SkyDrive | File synchronization allows files and folders between two or more computers to be in sync with each other or with the cloud storage on the web. Live Mesh also enables remote desktop access via a web browser. | 2012 |
| TV | An additional program for Windows Media Center which will provide access to Windows Live Spaces, Messenger, and Call on large-screen monitors or TVs. | June 24, 2008 | |
| Toolbar | Bing Bar | A toolbar which adds itself to Windows Internet Explorer, allowing quick access to a user's Windows Live Spaces, Hotmail, Favorites and Live Search from a button on the toolbar. | March 31, 2011 |
| Video Messages | Skype | 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. | July 21, 2010 |
| Web Messenger | Now part of all Windows Live web services | Online version of Windows Live Messenger which allow users to talk online and in real-time with others using the Microsoft Messenger service from within a web browser. | October 30, 2008 |
| WiFi Center | Allow users to search for wireless networks that are available and displays information about them. | February 16, 2007 | |
| WiFi Hotspot Locator | MSN WiFi Hotspots (now discontinued) |
A website which allowed users to locate wireless internet hotspots worldwide and view their positions on a map using Bing Maps. | February 16, 2007 |
| Plug-ins | — | A central repository for collections of developer plug-ins for Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Live Writer. | Unknown |
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.[12]
The Windows Live Butterfly program was closed in June 2009.
User interface
All Windows Live websites sport a common theme. Different themes have been used on the sites with each phase of product release, called "Waves." Each Wave has a set of online services and desktop programs (Windows Essentials). The web services are labelled by each Wave, for example, Hotmail Wave 4. The programs from Windows Essentials are usually called by a year number, for example, Windows Live Messenger 2011.
Blue Vapor/Flair
Most original Windows Live applications and services used a visual theme known as Blue Vapor or Flair. This theme no longer exists on any of the current Windows Live properties. An example is shown below:
Wave 2
With the public beta release of the Windows Live Wave 2 Suite[13] ("Wave" refers to the group or wave of products to be released), a new visual theme was released to enable the Aero transparency effect in Windows Vista.[14] This theme no longer exists on any of the current Windows Live properties. An example is shown below:
Wave 3
Microsoft released a set of new themes for their Windows Live Wave 3 services, which allows users to customize their pages on Windows Live using a set of pre-selected background pictures. Several of these themes are dynamic and change according to the time of day and the current weather condition of the user.[15] This theme remains in use on sites such as Windows Live Admin Center. An example is shown below:
Wave 4
In addition to the themes provided in Windows Live Wave 3, the release of Windows Live Wave 4 provided additional themes for users to customise their pages on Windows Live, with several dynamic themes that changes according to the time of day and weather conditions at the user's location. Several of these newly added themes are similar to wallpapers originating from Windows 7.[16] In addition, the Windows Live Wave 4 header features a reorganised dynamic navigation menu that displays the number of the user's current online contacts and the number of unread e-mails,[17] as well as an in-built Windows Live Web Messenger service allowing users to connect to the Microsoft Messenger service and Facebook chat service to chat with their online contacts while browsing any Windows Live properties using a web browser.[18] This theme remains in use on sites such as Family Safety. An example is shown below:
Wave 5
All Windows Live Metro-styled apps for Windows 8 are designed using the Metro user interface.[19] All web services also features a new Metro user interface. The UI's header contains a pull-down element with allow users to easily switch to Outlook.com, People, Calendar, and SkyDrive. The header's color also changes depending on the web service the user is using, with the exception of Outlook.com which allow users to customize the header's color according to their preference. The new interface also has an in-built Messaging sidebar that allow users to view presence of, instant message, audio call and video call their contacts on Messenger, Facebook chat, as well as Skype. An example is shown below:
Renaming services
The Windows Live service are being renamed as listed:[20]
| Service | Windows 8 | Windows Phone | Website | Previous name or predecessor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account | Microsoft account | Microsoft account | account.live.com | Windows Live ID, Passport |
| Storage | SkyDrive app, SkyDrive Desktop | SkyDrive app, Office app | skydrive.live.com | FolderShare, Live Mesh, Windows Live Mesh |
| Mail app | Mail app | mail.live.com | Hotmail, Windows Live Mail, Outlook Express | |
| Calendar | Calendar app | Calendar app | calendar.live.com | Hotmail Calendar, Windows Live Calendar |
| Contacts | People app | People app | profile.live.com | Windows Live Contacts |
| Messaging | Messaging app, Skype | Messaging app, Skype | Integrated in Outlook and SkyDrive | Windows Live Messenger, MSN Messenger |
| Photos/ Videos | Photos app, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker |
Photos app, Camera Roll | Integrated into SkyDrive | Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Movie Maker |
See also
- Xbox Live – a multiplayer gaming and content delivery system for Xbox
- Games for Windows - Live – a multiplayer gaming service for Windows
- Microsoft Office Live – a web-based service providing document sharing and website creation tools
References
- ↑ "Windows Live Wave 3 Reviewers Guide". Microsoft PressPass. 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
- ↑ Thurrott, Paul (2006-01-18). "Windows Live Preview". Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ↑ "The Complete Windows Experience – Windows 7 + Windows Live". The Windows Blog. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
- ↑ "Windows 8 Developer Preview Guide". Microsoft. 2011-09-13. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
- ↑ "Microsoft Previews New Windows Live and Office Live Services (press release)". Microsoft PressPass. 2005-11-01. Retrieved 2007-06-17.
- ↑ Stross, Randall (May 27. 2012). "Goodbye to Windows Live (and Whatever It Meant)". The New York Times (New York Times).
- ↑ Windows Phone 7 – Getting Connected
- ↑ "Windows Live for mobile Wave 3 – take your social life on the go". LiveSide.net. 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
- ↑ Foley, Mary Jo (2007-03-21). "Microsoft severs Live Search from the rest of the Windows Live family". ZDNet: All About Microsoft. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
- ↑ Keynote with Kevin Johnson at Microsoft
- ↑ Singel, Ryan (2009-05-28). "Hands On With Microsoft's New Search Engine: Bing, But No Boom". Wired.
- ↑ Excerpt of Windows Live Butterfly acceptance e-mail from Windows Live Beta Team
- ↑ "Windows Live 2.0 Release Notes". Microsoft. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
- ↑ "The Death of Flair — Windows Live's New Look". LiveSide.net. 2007-06-15. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
- ↑ "Windows Live Wave 3: New Header UI". LiveSide.net. 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
- ↑ "Recapping the rumors: what we "know" about Wave 4". LiveSide.net. 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ↑ "More information about Windows Live Wave 4’s dynamic header". LiveSide.net. 2010-01-21. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ↑ "A new wave, a new look: First look at the Windows Live Wave 4 header". LiveSide.net. 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ↑ Inside Windows Live: A Preview of Windows Live for Windows 8
- ↑ "Cloud services for Windows 8 and Windows Phone: Windows Live, reimagined - Building Windows 8 - Site Home - MSDN Blogs". Blogs.msdn.com. 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
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