Windows Live Essentials re-emerges in an all-new beta

Over two years since Microsoft's everyday online product suite entered its first round of testing, its "Wave 3" beta is complete, with the result being that the suite that includes its newest online mail client...is entering beta?

Two weeks ago, at a Windows Live rollout event in the Netherlands, attendees were notified that release candidates for what has been called "Wave 3" of its Essentials online general-purpose apps -- Messenger, Mail, Writer, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Toolbar, and Family Safety -- would be made available in a few days. Something similar to that actually did occur, albeit one week later than planned: Microsoft has now officially "launched" its Windows Live apps out of "Wave 3" beta and into what's being described as a public beta, with the stated intention of "launching" into something more closely resembling finality in February.

"About three months ago, we released public betas of the Windows Live Essentials," reads a message posted on the Windows Live development team's blog today. "Since then, we've received a ton of great feedback and we've been using that information to update these programs. We're getting very close to the final release. But before we get there, we're refreshing the beta versions one more time to make sure we've ironed out all the kinks."

Along with this group of Web apps comes the e-mail client that is destined to become the permanent replacement for Outlook Express and the sometimes-supported Windows Mail: Windows Live Mail. The new version breaks free of its connections with, and thus resemblances to, Microsoft Office Outlook, with the result being a cleaner appearance that's not as tightly wound. The personal contacts list, for instance, is a more Web-oriented social affair than a business-oriented electronic Rolodex.

Live Search still has a place in Windows Live, which should confound speculators who remain convinced that "Kumo," a trademark Microsoft officially applied for two weeks ago, will eventually replace it. The company is still trying to find ways to make its search portal unique, this time by adding interactive postcard-like graphics to its front page that compel users to do an impromptu "Where's Waldo" search with their mouse pointers for interesting hotspots.

"We're working hard to get the final versions ready to go as soon as possible," the team blog post reads. "So let us know what you like and don't like, and if you're running into any issues that we need to take care of before we take the 'beta' tags off."

We gave Windows Live Writer a hard time during its last go-round, and are anxious to see whether this latest beta contains the level of improvements that loyal users such as ourselves have requested.