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More Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 screenshots – hints at Video Messages integration, geo-tagging in Photos, and more!

Feb 21, 2010 2:39 am by damaster | 18 comments

Only one day later, another set of Windows Live Messenger Wave 4 screenshots has been leaked to the web, this time by Chinese website cnBeta.com. Aggregating all the screenshots that we’ve seen in the past few days, we’re guessing that these screenshots originated from some internal press release documents judging by the names and display tiles in these screenshots. Here’s a few extra things that we’ve discovered with these screenshots:

Classic “Contact List” view is still available – as we’ve told you earlier, the expanded “social” pane on the left is collapsible by simply clicking on the icon on the top-right corner. The screenshot on the right shows the collapsed view, with the advertisement in its original size.
Twitter and WordPress connection – one of the screenshots showed us that besides Facebook, you can also “connect” to Twitter and WordPress:

Though we’re not quite sure how it will be “connected” (is it just like Web Activities in Windows Live?), or why there’s a need to “connect” WordPress into a seemingly unrelated instant messaging client.
Possible Video Messages integration – Windows Live Video Messages has been in beta since its introduction back in 2008, and while it is branded with the Wave 3 theme, it didn’t really have much integration with the rest of Windows Live. From one of the newly leaked screenshots, one of the social updates seems to show that Video Messages is now integrated right into Messenger:
Geo-tagging support in Windows Live Photos – One of the social update tiles also hinted at possible geo-tagging support in Windows Live Photos (and perhaps even Photo Gallery!):
New “Friends” view – which allows you to view all your contacts and sort them into categories based on their interests, details, Messenger status, and more:

We’ve also received a tip from robinson who pointed to us a screenshot of the new Messenger emoticon panel from French website Wikikou:

Messenger Emoticons

Evidently, for those of you who prefer the original look showing only the contact list, Messenger Wave 4 will still provide you with that clean look. However, for those who would like to see all their social networks’ contact updates all-in-one place, Messenger Wave 4 is also the way to go. But regardless of which category you fit in, Messenger surely provides some great and seemless integration with other Windows Live services (like Video Messages and Photos) – and we can’t wait to see what other new features there will be in Messenger Wave 4! Stay tuned!

This entry was posted in News and tagged Messenger, Video Messages, Wave 4, Windows Live. Bookmark the permalink.

Andrew
I was worried about WLM after seeing that previous screenshot. Now this is more like it! It looks great! I don’t know how you can really connect to Twitter or WordPress, that makes no sense.
- Damaster – LiveSide.net
  If you can somehow link a Twitter username to your Windows Live contact list, then it’d somewhat make sense. However, WordPress just makes no sense to me….it can easily be done via Web Activities. So we’ll just have to wait and see what it means.
http://menthix.net/ Menthix
From a Google Translate of the Chinese CNBeta article to English:
“For the Windows 7 for us.
No longer supports Windows XP. (Vista SP2 or later can be installed).”
- http://www.twitter.com/wideawakewesley Wesley Williams
  That better not be true. I’ll be gutted if there’s no Windows XP support
  - Damaster – LiveSide.net
    Support for Windows XP SP2 will be officially retired on July 13, 2010. At the rate Windows Live Wave 4 is developing, by the time of final release support for Windows XP would have ended or close to being ended anyway.
  - Chris
    upgrade to windows 7. In my opinion windows 7 is the new XP.
Mario Albertico
These are good developments, but those emoticons just look fugly and very unfriendly. I’m guessing they’re either all animated and their snapshots just happen to be really bad or they’re still a work in progress. They just don’t feel like they belong to the Messenger brand and instead originate from one of those many annoying, talking ads “Click here to download 45+ billion emoticons!”
On a side note, am I the only on having difficulties with this commenting system? I keep having to switch from different logins because they don’t always work. I miss the Windows Live ID sign in…
- James Sterling Young Jr.
  No! You are not alone on missing the Window Live ID sign in. It was easy to sign in and just post and call it a day. Would say more, but I have to finish my application to post this response. LOL!
  - Mario Albertico
    LOL! I swear…pretty soon I’ll have to begin using my Bank of America login as an identity to post here… “Share on Checking Account Statement” checkbox included.
    Joking aside, I know this change helped with the spam problem, but it’s just so true that Windows Live ID was a real convenience when it was around. *sigh*
technogran
I can cross off another of my wishes for Wave 4! Geo-tagging in Photo Gallery! (it’s hardly likely they’d just apply it to Messenger is it?) As for the inclusion of WordPress, well, I can’t figure out what use that will be, maybe commenting on your blog post from Messenger?
More choice in emoticons is a good idea and I am glad to see ‘video messaging’ incorporated as well, it was sort of ‘out on a limb’ up to now.
Getting excited now! Just wish they would launch it all…I’m sick of waiting and these leaks don’t really help! LOL
- Damaster – LiveSide.net
  The early screenshots of Photo Gallery already revealed that it was to have geo tagging support. Have a closer look here: http://livesino.net/images/WindowsLiveMailPhotoGalleryRibbonUI_6AF8/WL4M14.png
  - technogran
    Yes, I have asked for this feature in Live Photo Gallery as have others. Trouble is, its far later than Google Picasa! Why oh why are MS always late to the party? They should be innovating not following others all the time! Many Live Photo Gallery users asked for geo-tagging to be included way back in Wave 3. I am just glad that its going to finally be implemented and hope that you can geo-tag from the edit photos screen
    - Timerever
      Never mind Picasa, that’s a piece of rubbish. I wish the new WLPG Wave 4 has a ‘Places’ feature just like iPhoto ’09. That would be great! Actually I wish there was a version of iPhoto for Windows, because so far there is nothing as good at it is on this side of the fence. Maybe Wave 4 will do it? Hope so!
JohnCz
Re: Connected To “Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, etc”, my guess is there are facilities in Messenger to Quick Post (similiar to “Send and offline instant message”) to those services. I’d also assume there is some configuration for syncing your personal message.
JohnCz
It would be great to see Video Messages finally integrated. I really hope they get rid of Video Messages web site and just use Hotmail. We should be able to…
1. Create Video Message from Hotmail
2. Playback video message within Hotmail, Windows Live Mail or Outlook message view. I don’t think it should be redirecting to a separate site for playback.
wouter52
WTF?! what did they done with the emoticons? they are soo ugly!
- Chris
  Well its a low quality screen shot. PNG is the best to save screenshots in (but it takes up more room)
http://www.pbase.com/brentgv Brent
From a simple aesthetic point of view, I think WLM Wave 4 is going backwards. But that’s just my opinion. I am, of course, waiting to play with the software before I make any decision.