It looks like Microsoft is pulling a Google and offering their most popular apps in a unified package. Well, it’s not exactly like the Google Pack because Microsoft is only including their own homegrown programs, whereas Google also includes some third-party software (such as Norton and Skype).
The site you’ll need to visit for the unified installer is http://get.live.com/wl/all. It is currently available (for me at least) with several new releases of their applications, such as Live Messenger 8.5, Live Writer, and Live Photo Gallery. Here’s everything that’s included:
- Windows Live Mail (email)
- NEW Windows Live Photo Gallery (photo management) – This is similar to the built-in Vista Photo Gallery, but it has some new enhancements. The great thing is that it is available on versions of Windows prior to Vista as well.
- NEW Windows Live Writer (desktop blog publisher) – I haven’t been able to tell much of what’s new in this release, but the build number is 12.0.1277.816 and it’s labeled as “Version 2008″ instead of “1.0″. The only thing I’ve seen new so far is a built-in “Insert Video” option and the ability to justify text. I’ll make a separate post regarding this app when I get more information on the changes. UPDATE: Here’s a list of what’s new
- Windows Live OneCare Family Safety (parental controls)
- NEW Windows Live Messenger 8.5 (instant messenger)
- Windows Live Toolbar (for your browser)
And here’s a video of how the entire process works:
Source: Vista Blog
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BetaNews is reporting the following about Live Writer:
Quoting:
“Windows Live Writer is seeing the most changes, with an expansion to 32 languages, and 55 countries. The new version makes it easy to upload video from a host of video services into an entry, as well as new formatting options. Image upload to Blogger has also been added.”
Microsoft Releases Suite of Windows Live Software
Haven’t had a chance to download it to try.
Yep…but they missed the biggest thing of them all! XHTML support.
I just created a post on the new features as listed by the Live Writer blog:
[cybernetnews.com]
Guess what. It won’t install on a Vista 64 or XP 64 system. Microsoft not supporting one of their own products. Who would have guessed?
Yikes, that’s not good! I’m sure you’re not the first person to discover this though, so hopefully they’re already working on support for 64-bit processors.
And an unwanted “bonus”: it installs Windows Desktop Search, whether you want it or not, in fact without even telling you.
[zoliblog.com]
It didn’t for me, but I’m running Vista so Desktop Search is technically included with the operating system. I guess these are Microsoft’s programs though, and with that they are free to do what they want.
Yes, I forgot to mention, but it’s obvious: Vista already has the same search, so Live Install will only drop it onto XP.
The good news: despite the new universal installer, you can still uninstall individual components, and leave the only one worth using – Live Writer – on your system.