Randy Guthrie - Microsoft Academic Developer Evangelist
http://blogs.msdn.com/MIS_Laboratory

The Windows Live team announced today the release a new versions of web applications that gives anyone (using any kind of computer) some really useful tools.  Here is an overview of what is now available:

• Live Messenger:  With this release, Messenger has been complete redesigned. This well known real time communication tool now includes support for voice, video conferencing, file transfer & graphics exchanges with a whole new look and feel
• Hot Mail: One of the largest free web mail services in the world
• Spaces: Similar to Facebook and MySpace
• Photo Gallery: Store, organize, edit and share your photos on the web
• Live Mail: Same look and feel as Outlook Express but you can link to all of your mail services including Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! and have them all appear in a single in-box
• Live Writer: Great blogging tool (I'm using it right now) that lets you create blog posts with a lot of the core features of Microsoft Word such as cut-and-paste graphics rather than upload, etc.
• Movie Maker: Online tool for making picture and video shows with similar functionality as Movie Maker that came with Windows XP SP1 and Windows Vista
• SkyDrive: Internet-based file storage: Up to 5GB of free on-line file storage accessible from anywhere
• Events: tools for planning an event, managing invitations, and posting event content
• Calendar: Create a calendar on line and share it with family, friends & colleagues
• Family Safety: Online content filtering that allows parents to control access to web content and contact lists

Some of these applications are not new, but are being released with new features and better functionality.  Microsoft's philosophy here is simple: All of these tools focus on helping people communicate and stay in synch with each other.  The main portal page for these new Windows Live Applications are: http://download.live.com .  Remember, these are still beta programs.  That means that they are not fully-baked, and that they will continue to be improved on a regular basis with features being added and changed.  Your feedback is important to making these great products even better.  Have an idea on how to make them better?  Then tell us! Check them out and let me know what you think.  Note: as of this posting, some of the links are not yet live, so check back later if you have a problem

Cheers!

Randy