New MSN Spaces, Messenger 7 Launch

Concluding four months of beta testing, Microsoft has launched final versions of both MSN Messenger 7 and its "Spaces" blogging service. The new releases bring tighter integration and more communication options for Messenger users, including full-screen video and PC-to-PC audio.

To enable MSN Video Conversations, Microsoft announced at CeBIT in March a partnership with Logitech, which provides the technology. MSN Messenger will also connect with mobile phones using SMS text messages, much like recent versions of AOL Instant Messenger.

But communications improvements are only a piece of what Microsoft is serving up to its 155 million users who exchange more than 2 billion instant messages each day.

Personalization has taken a front seat in MSN Messenger 7 with the addition of dynamic pictures and personal messages alongside display names. The new client integrates with both Windows Media Player and iTunes to share information about the currently playing song.

Borrowing a page from its ThreeDegrees test bed, MSN Messenger 7 adds "Winks," which are animations with sound that are designed to grab the attention of IM contacts. Theme packs will also be available, along with free and paid content from MSN partners such as American Greetings, Sprite and Adidas.

In an effort to keep users within the MSN "family," the new Messenger closely integrates MSN services. Users can launch Web searches from within conversation windows, and notify friends or family about updates to their MSN Space using icons called "gleams."

With MSN Spaces, Microsoft says it listened to feedback following its beta launch. The final release gives users 30MB of photo storage and 50 new backgrounds to customize their Space. RSS feeds from a Space can now also be added to MyMSN.

Despite its beta status, MSN Spaces has grown at an immense rate. Microsoft boasts 4.5 million bloggers on the service, and is launching Spaces in three additional countries, including Korea, Austria and Switzerland.

But the service's success also means it has become a potential revenue generator for Microsoft. Advertising will appear on the main MSN Spaces page, and at the top of member Web logs in the form of text links and graphics. Microsoft also plans to launch sponsored MSN Spaces.

"MSN is introducing new opportunities for advertisers on the MSN network that will allow marketers to deeply integrate their brands into consumers' overall communications experience," a company spokesperson told BetaNews.

MSN Messenger won't be spared from new advertising either. Text ads will appear in conversation windows, and Microsoft plans to serve commercials before each MSN Video Conversation session.

MSN Messenger 7.0 Build 777 is available for download via FileForum.