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BigBlueBall provides news, tips, tricks and support for all major instant messengers including AIM, MSN, Yahoo!, ICQ, Trillian, and many more. Read on...
 

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Instant Messaging

MSN Messenger Center

[ discussion forum | download ]

MSN Messenger is the fastest growing instant messaging program, and currently ranks #2 (behind AIM/ICQ). I'll be honest, regardless of what you think of Microsoft or Bill Gates, MSN Messenger has the best interface and is the easiest instant messenger to use. It's clean and extremely functional. No, not perfect, but a very well-designed application.

MSN Messenger News

Quickbot 2.0 released: next generation of Windows Live Agents!

Quickbot is a Windows Live Agent, that will come in handy if you want some entertainment when you get bored. You can talk to it about anything, have it tell you jokes or quotes, play games, and perform many other useful tasks (translations, news, sports results, spell checks, ASCII art and so on).


It is been a 1 year since Quickbot has been announced to public, and after this period of time majority of things changed, many functions added, and it became even more intelligent and quick than it was before!

Screenshot:


How to use it?

• Add bot@techie.com to your contact list.
• Send message START to him.
• Enjoy talking with robot.

All the new functions in version 2.0:

• calc - calculate any expression
• weather [city] - gives temperature, local time and weather
• google [search string] - searches in Google.
• spell or ~ [text] - spell check (marks incorrect words with brackets)
• define [text] - gives word definition
• slogan [text] - gives slogan for any word (uses sloganizer.net)
• equation [expression] - calculates equation with explanation
• ext [text] - filetype description
• textart / textart2 / textart3 / textart4 / textart5 [text] - makes an ASCII art from input text
• reverse [text] - reverses text
• mix [text] - mixes text according to cambridge theory.
• password - generate random password
• joke - random good joke
• insult - generates random insult
• cat - random funny cat photo
• start - shows all functions
• stats - robot online statistics
• en-ge, ge-en [text] - English <-> German
• en-fi, fi-en [text] - English <-> Finnish
• en-ru, ru-en [text] - English <-> Russian
• en-pr, pr-en [text] - English <-> Portuguese
• en-sp, sp-en [text] - English <-> Spanish
• sp-fr, fr-sp [text] - Spanish <-> French
• fr-en, en-fr [text] - French <-> English
• en-it, it-en [text] - English <-> Italian
• en-nl, nl-en [text] - Dutch <-> English
• en-zt, en-zh, zh-en [text] - English <-> Chinese simp.
• en-kr, kr-en [text] - English <-> Korean
• jp-en, en-jp [text] - Japanese <-> English
• jp-zh, zh-jp [text] - Japanese <-> Chinese
• kr-zh, zh-kr [text] - Korean <-> Chinese
• en-no, no-en [text] - English <-> Norwegian
• en-le, le-en [text] - English <-> leet-English
• cnn - last 10 news from CNN
• bbc - last 10 news from BBC
• reuters - last 10 news from Reuters service
• wired - last 10 news from Wired service
• soccer - last soccer results
• nba - last NBA results
• youtube - top 10 viewed videos for today from YouTube
• quote - random quote
• md5 [text] - calculates md5 hash
• delphi [function] - gives delphi function description
• str-hex [text] - returns hex from string
• hex-str [text] - returns string from hex
• urlencode [text] - encodes string to url format


dnreg.org/bot/
 
 

Windows Live Wave 3: Separate Installers available now

For those of you who want to try out the latest betas of Windows Live Wave 3, separate installers for each application are now available (so you could just download and install Windows Live Messenger 9 only, if you wish). The apps include Live Mail, Messenger, Movie Maker, Photo Gallery, Toolbar, Family Safety, Outlook Connector, and Writer.

Clicking this link will take you to the Windows Live site where you can choose which beta you'd like to install. More detailed info regarding the WLM9 Beta can be obtained here.
 
 

A-Patch for Windows Live Messenger 9 Wave 3 Released!

A-Patch is a lightweight program designed to enhance your Windows Live Messenger experience. It does this by giving you a multitude of options, over 56, which allow you to customize the look and feel of Windows Live Messenger, even change some functions.

Current Version for Wave 3: 1.42 (build 3) ~ WLM
Updated: 21/9/2008
Supported Versions: 9.0 (14.0.5027.0908)
Total Features: 56

Download:
A-Patch for Windows Live Messenger, MSN Messenger & Yahoo! Messenger
 
 

Windows Live Wave 3 beta goes public

Have you been drooling over the latest screenshots of Windows Live wave 3? Now get yourself in on the action. Microsoft is launching the official Windows Live Wave 3 beta today.

Watcher of all things Microsoft Live, LiveSide.net has the links to the official downloads from Microsoft, that include the latest versions of Live Messenger, Movie Maker, Mail with Calendar synchronization, Writer, Photo Gallery, Family Safety and the Outlook Connector. These downloads have been confirmed as functional, and in the case of Windows Live Messenger will install "Version 2009, build 14.0.5027.908"


Download: http://g.live.com/1rebeta3/en/wlsetup-all.exe

Here's a list of changes and new bits in the new Windows Live Messenger 9 Beta (14.0.5027.908) that went live today

• Change your dashboard background ("scenes"), big inbox icon to the right, Personal Status Message separated from "music you're currently listening to", colored display picture frames to show current status, new buddy list icons, What's new feed and relocated promotional tabs.
• Favorites and Groups features, left-aligned display pictures in the convo window, added Segoe UI font

New discoveries:

• Hover-over contact options menu (Send an IM, send an e-mail, etc.)
• New Layout tab in Tools > Options allows you to customize the appearance of your contact list window (screenshot).
• New (softer) sounds for contact signing in, new e-mail, incoming/outgoing voice or video call, new Windows Live Alert and nudge.
• System sounds now have the same editor as signature sounds.
• Links in display names are not clickable. Those in PSMs are.
• Say goodbye to "Out to lunch", "In a call" and "Be right back". The Messenger statuses are now limited to "Available", "Away", "Busy" or "Appear offline".
• New "What I'm listening to" icon.
• Chat history button added to conversation window.
• Sharing folders feature makes room for Windows Live Skydrive: Click Files > Publish files online in the conversation windows. NOTE: Clicking "View your online files" in the hover menu on your own Display Picture opens a faulty link (skydrive.live-int.com instead of skydrive.live.com)
• New Display Picture options for webcam owners: Webcam snapshots and Tile with moods.
• Clicking your Display Picture in the main window allows you to change your Display Picture again (in 8.5 this just showed your contact card).
• Word wheel now offers Search for profiles and Live Search options.
• Invites you to add MessengerTV@live.com, the Messenger TV bot, to your contact list

 
 

IMinent adds text bubbles to IM Booster

IM Booster is a free add-on for Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger. Made by IMinent, IM Booster has been updated to include what they call Buddy Bubbles -- basically text in your IM messages that appears in a bubble, themed with a clever character. While it's cute, it's currently limited to only Windows Live Messenger (WLM) support and their own pre-defined bubbles. You can type your own messages in those bubbles, and they hint that in the future you'll be able to create your own bubble designs.

Here's a brief video demo of the new Buddy Bubbles in action:


Fortunately, IM Booster also provides other functionality, including libraries of custom emoticons, the ability to create your own photo emoticons and interactive avatars.

You can read more about IM Booster, the new Buddy Bubbles and the other features in the IMinent newsletter.

7:30am PDT CORRECTION: As noted in the comment below, you CAN type your own messages in the bubbles. It's the bubble design itself that is currently limited to the predefined designs.
 
 

WLM9 on the way?

As reported in mess.be another Beta build of WLM9 has appeared (build 14.0.3921.717) Don't get too excited, because you won't be able to download it yet. Some new highlights:

• New look, with colors and headers resembling the new Windows Live header
• New Groups feature
• DP pictures are now displayed on the left-hand side in conversation windows (hopefully Microsoft will give users the choice of making it appear on the right-hand side like v8.5)
• New Photo sharing feature.

Stay tuned for more news as and when it becomes available.
 
 

Windows Live Messenger comes to the Blackberry

Microsoft and Research in Motion (RIM) have collaborated on numerous occasions over the years. Their successful partnership has even led to speculation about a takeover of the Canadian-based wireless device company.

Even though the rumors remain unconfirmed, a new collaboration between the two companies has been announced for this year. The deal involves the integration of Windows Live services on the BlackBerry platform. The results of this collaboration will be available over the next few months. This means that the users will be able to enjoy their e-mail and also instant messaging services from their BlackBerry. Users will be able to work with a HTML supported e-mail and also links, graphics and contact photos will be available. The instant messaging will allow group chats, an avatar picture, emoticons, chat logging and it will also offer the send / receive files feature.

"When you think about our Web services, all of those will very much have a strong and stronger mobile component for them moving forward," Phil Holden, a Microsoft director for mobile services said, according to InformationWeek. He also added: "It's really about extending the PC access to the mobile phone in ways that are very similar."

The new phones shipped will come equiped with the services and users who already own the phone will be able to download it. Unfortunately, people won’t be able to enjoy Windows Live services without their carrier’s permission.
 
 

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Random Display Picture

Courtesy of MessengerMods
Display pictures are a cool way to express your personality, your mood, or your sense of style. Our sister site MessengerMods has over 1,000 free display pics, custom emoticons and chat backgrounds for MSN Messenger. They also have a step-by-step guide for changing your display pic, creating your own pics and more. Check it out!

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