By Ina Fried, 13 December 2005 09:00
NEWS
Microsoft has started limited testing of Windows Live Messenger, an update that expands the consumer instant messaging software into areas such as internet phone calling.
The revamp is essentially an expansion of MSN Messenger. It adds a number of features and continues the program's migration from a place to share short text messages into a manager for any number of modes of communication.
Various enthusiast sites, including BetaNews and Mess.be, reported that a private beta of Live Messenger is imminent, while another fan site, Messenger Blog, offered purported screenshots of the new software. Microsoft initially declined to comment on Monday but the company had promised a beta version would come this month.
Microsoft showed a preview of the instant messaging program at its Live services kick off early last month.
Late on Monday, Microsoft confirmed its plans and offered more details on the MCI arrangement, noting that it is not exclusive. Microsoft said the two companies are initially making the calling features available to customers in five countries - France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US.
Once signed up, though, customers will be able to call to and from more than 220 countries. During the beta period, customers will get one hour of free calling from MCI, with rates for more time starting at about 2 cents a minute for calls to Canada, the UK, the US and western Europe during the beta testing period. Final pricing has yet to be determined.
MSN product manager Karin Muskopf said: "It's a very, very limited beta. We're talking tens of thousands [of people]."
The software is expected to be available to more people and in more regions in the first half of next year.
Muskopf would not say when a publicly available test version would be available or when the final version would ship.
She said: "We're going to see how this beta goes."
As for folder sharing, the new version contains the feature that Microsoft showed in November in which two buddies can create a shared folder simply by dragging a file into their conversation. Either person can add or modify files, with any changes stored on Microsoft's servers and kept in sync on both users' computers. Live Messenger also adds a new contact manager, carrying over address and phone information from MSN Hotmail.
The company also demonstrated evolutions of Live Messenger that would allow it to act as a means of managing contact information and as a hub for social networking, though those features are not part of this beta.
Plans for the Messenger beta were earlier reported by Microsoft Watch.
Ina Fried writes for CNET News.com
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