My.live.com blog

Unbelievably it’s been over 6 months since we’ve blogged on live.com. The lull is not intended, but can be attributed to the fact that the team is diligently working on strategic customer focused products for the next wave of my.live.com.

Microsoft Online Services Division released a few phenomenal products and had a terrific quarter. The Live Search team revolutionized search and released the “new live search” for a whole new online search experience. We heard the feedback from our customers about real-time traffic re-routing and delivered it as part of this release. It also includes many more breath-taking visualizations and enhancements. Also did you know, you can now talk to “Live-search” on your mobile and it will fetch you the results in a jiffy! The live.com team personally urges everyone to checkout this feature on their mobile handsets… Check here for more details of the new live search.

Considering obvious advantages of co-branding arrangements that associates a single product or service with more than one brand name, partners.live.com team worked closely with some of our partners to foster Live.com's flexible architecture to create co-branded portals. In doing so, we provided our partners with:

- Cobranded URL

- Flexible Logo, Jewel, and page structure

- Customized templates and tabs

- Customized Folders, Feeds, gadgets

We’ve launched the following co-branded live.com pages so far:

Qwest   – Launched 07/02/2007 - qwest.live.com

Verizon – Launched 08/01/2007 - verizon.live.com

Lenovo  – Updated 10/31/2007 - lenovo.live.com

The Windows Live Product Suite made its official debut earlier this month, delivering a comprehensive array of new and updated services.  The integration of the products is really cool, giving you the ability to edit pictures in Windows Live Photo Gallery, share them on Windows Live Spaces, e-mail them directly to family and friends in Windows Live Mail, or put them into your blog via Windows Live Writer – all quickly and with just a few clicks. 

The full suite includes:

· Windows Live Mail

· Windows Live Messenger

· Windows Live Photo Gallery

· Windows Live Writer

· Windows Live Toolbar

· Family Safety from Windows Live OneCare

Installation is easy and offers the option of installing the full collection of products, or selecting only the ones you need.  Find out more and download Windows Live at http://www.windowslive.com/default.html

As a team we shall continue the great work on new stuff. We know you all are eager to know the details! Unfortunately it’s not yet ready to be disclosed. But stay tuned to hear back from us sooooon:-)

We are VERY HAPPY to announce that you can once again see your Windows Live Hotmail using the Live.com mail gadget. You can add the gadget back to your page by clicking here.

Remember, you must be a Windows Live Hotmail user to see your mail - be sure to upgrade if you haven't already!

Thanks everyone for your patience. Please let us know if you're seeing any issues.

Late last week, we released a minor update to Live.com. This update included the following changes:

• International Collection Sharing - Users in many more countries can now share their collections in Windows Live Gallery. While all users have the ability to share their collections via email, we're excited to launch gallery integration for users around the world. We can't wait to see the collections our international users come up with!
• Bug Fixes - We fixed a number of bugs, including one that caused some users to have their name displayed incorrectly. We'll continue making quality improvements to the site with every release.
• Digg Feeds in the directory (U.S. only) - We've added some Digg feeds to the directory. Digg is very popular with several members of the Live.com team, so we thought we'd make these feeds easier for others to find :)
• Mail gadget infrastructure - It's not turned on yet, but this release includes the big changes we need to get the mail gadget working again. There's a bit more work required from both us and the Windows Live Hotmail team, but we're happy to get this milestone behind us. We still can't offer any dates, but we're inching closer and closer to restoring this functionality. We'll keep you posted as we continue to make progress.

Thanks everyone - keep the feedback coming!

Well, it's taken longer than anyone (including us) expected, but we can finally offer an update regarding the mail gadget. We're hoping that sharing this information doesn't jinx us and cause further delays :)

The gadget was pulled due to a security issue, which we initially believed could be fixed in a relatively quick fashion. We take security very seriously, and once we became aware of the issue, disabling this gadget was the best way to protect our users.

As our developers worked with the Hotmail developers to see how we could restore the gadget's functionality (while ensuring your data was secure), it became evident that the task was originally much larger than anyone anticipated. The gadget had to be rewritten to "talk" to Hotmail in an entirely new way, and the Hotmail team needed to add new functionality on their end as well. The time needed to design, implement, and test this new functionality is the reason that the gadget has been broken for so long.

However, there's hope on the horizon! While we can't yet give you a definite date (that would be really bad luck), we believe our developers have entered the home stretch with their bug fixes, and the light at the end of the tunnel is growing ever closer. Once the gadget comes back online, we'll return it to the directory so you can once again add it (if you have removed it), and of course, we'll post a very happy blog post here :)

There is a slight catch, however, that we wanted to alert you to. When the gadget returns, you will need to have a Windows Live Hotmail account to use it. This is the "new" version of Hotmail, which offers much richer functionality than the old one. The good news is that upgrading to Windows Live Hotmail is free, and can be done today, by clicking the link in the upper left hand corner of the screen after you log in to Hotmail. The link should look like this:

If you haven't yet tried Windows Live Hotmail, all of the cool new features are sure to keep you occupied until we get the gadget back online. :) Your email address will not be changed when you upgrade to Windows Live Hotmail.

Thanks very much for everyone's understanding - we know you've been anxious to get this gadget back, and we're doing everything we can to get it to you.

Sincerely,

The Live.com Team

We're very pleased to announce the newest release of Live.com! This latest update includes some great additions to the site. Here's a rundown of what is now available.

Live.com Collections

Have you ever created a page on Live.com and thought to yourself "wow - I wish other people could see this?" Well, now they can! Introducing... Live.com Collections.

You've probably already seen some of the Collections we've created, including our special holiday and celebrity themes (these can now be found under the "Windows Live" folder in our directory), but now we're letting you create your own!

Collections include all the feeds and gadgets on the page (including any settings that you've customized), as well as the page's name, layout and theme.  You can choose to share your page via a link (which can be sent to anyone including your friends, you mom, your dog...) or in Windows Live Gallery, where you can share your creation with the world (Gallery sharing is not yet available in all markets).

To create your own collection, first sign in to Live.com, and then follow these 4 easy steps:
    
     Step 1: Customize your page. If you need help, be sure to check out our product tour.

     Step 2: Select the "Share" link (remember, you must be signed it). 
    

     Step 3: Choose to share your Collection using Gallery or a link:
      

    Step 4: Enjoy sharing your Collection!
    
Looking for ideas for types of Collections to create? Here are some to get you started:

• Your Hometown: Name a page after your hometown. Add the town to the weather gadget, add the local sports team to the FoxSports gadget, add feeds from the local papers, and share with your neighbors!
• Your Friends: Add feeds from all of your friends' blogs and send them a link to add the collection to their Live.com page.
• Pretty Pictures: Create a Collection filled with feeds to some of your favorite photography blogs. Set the number of items displayed in each feed to 1 for some extra color and pizzazz. Share it in Gallery!
• Anything you want - Live.com is your page. Use your imagination and get creative!

Of course, Collections are not just fun to create, but they're fun to add as well. Be sure to keep your eyes on the Gallery as the number of available collections begins to grow. In the spirit of Live.com, once you add a Collection, feel free to customize it however you see fit.

We'd love to see your collections! After you create one, be sure to post the link in the comments of this post. It's a great way for us to see what you're up to.
 

Send to Mobile

Been wanting to try out the Live.com Beta for Mobile, but haven't figured out how to get it on your phone? We've now simplified the process! Simply sign in, and click the "Add Stuff" button. There you will find the "Send to mobile" option. Clicking that link will allow you to send a specially formatted text message to your mobile device, which will let you access your Live.com content from anywhere you go (currently the first page only).

 
(This feature is not yet available in all markets)

Performance

As always, performance was a major focus for the team as we worked on this release. We worked on improvements in a number of areas, but here's where we think you'll see the biggest differences:

• RSS Feeds - The majority of optimization work was done in this area. You should see your RSS feeds appear on your page much faster than in previous releases. Additionally, the amount of data you download has been significantly reduced, which will help speed up page load times (especially for users with slower connections). Finally, we've improved the way we show feed images to be significantly less resource intensive.
• Page switching - We put a lot of work into speeding up the experience of moving between pages. Previously, there would be a noticeable delay after selecting a page before the content could be delivered to you. Now, you should see much better performance in this area, with more of the page being available to you sooner.
• Responsiveness - The team spent a lot of time ensuring that the page is as responsive as possible as it loads your content.  This means that if you just want to search, you'll be able to do so even if the page has not finished loading. This is a subtler change, but that's the point :)

And much much more...

We've worked hard to make sure that this is the best Live.com release to date. We've made lots of little changes and bug fixes that we think will improve your overall experience. This release also includes the groundwork for several other features that we'll be rolling out in the near future. Stay tuned to the blog for more information as soon we can post it :)

So, there you have it - hopefully you're just as excited to start using this release as we were to ship it. As always, let us know what you think in the comments, or by emailing us directly at livefb-at-microsoft-dot-com.

Let's see those Collections!

Wow, has it really been over 2 months since we blogged? First of all, the entire Live.com team wishes you a very (belated) happy new year! Despite some stormy Seattle weather, we'd also like to assure you that we haven't been hibernating. In fact, we're hard at work finishing up some very exciting features which we'll be looking to launch soon. We're not quite ready to announce dates or specifics, but everyone who has seen what's coming agrees that it's very cool.  :-)

While we finish that work up, how about some new content for your existing Live.com page? Here's some of the things that we've recently made available:

• MSN TV Listings Gadget - You can find this by clicking "Add Stuff" and navigating to the Gadgets -> Music, Movies, & TV folder.  You can customize the gadget to show your local listings and your favorite channels so that you never again miss an episode of American Idol (or anything else you may want to watch).
  
• Valentine's Day Collection- In the mood for love? Maybe just some chocolate? Either way, try adding the Valentine's Day collection to your Live.com for some fun holiday content. http://www.live.com/?addTemplate=valentinesday
  
• Celebrity Homepages - Check out http://celebrities.live.com/ for the latest news on Celebrity Collections for Live.com! Not only are these are some great looking collections, but there are cool prizes you can win as well.
  
  (Note that all of this content is available in the U.S.A. - availability may vary by individual country)

Also, we'd like to call your attention to the "Click for the Cause" campaign. Each time you search from http://Click4TheCause.Live.com/, Microsoft will contribute to ninemillion.org, a UN agency-led campaign providing education and sports programs for the nine million refugee youth around the world. Please let your friends, family and colleagues know about this campaign and encourage them to use http://Click4TheCause.Live.com/ when they search. You can also become a friend of ninemillion by visiting the Windows Live Space at http://nine-million.spaces.live.com. Time to start searching!

Yesterday, we released a small update to Live.com, intended to fix a number of bugs and improve the overall experience. While there aren't too many drastic changes that you can see, a number of items are worth calling out:

• Performance Improvements - We told you that we were serious about performance, and we still are. Every time we release an update, the team makes sure that the site is only getting faster. We made several improvements with this release that should make things snappier. Speed is our priority, and we hope you're feeling the benefits. Watch for even more improvements coming soon!
  
• Rename Your Gadgets - You can now rename any of your gadgets right on the page. Simply use the "Edit" menu (found on any gadget), select "Rename" and type in any name you would like.
   
  
• Start Over - Is "My Stuff" stuffed? Want to start customizing Live.com all over again? We now offer an easy way for you to start from scratch, and erase any changes you have made to your page. When you are signed in, simply click the "Start over" link that can be found next to your name (we'll ask if you're really sure before we change anything). Erasing is forever... be sure you truly want a fresh start before clicking that link! We will not be able to recover you data once it is gone. This functionality was previously offered to our anonymous users, but we're happy to now give our signed in users a chance to start over as well.
  
• Stock Gadget Enhancements - In addition to making this gadget more accessible for users using assistive technologies, we've added some nice new features as well. First, you can now add mutual fund symbols as easily as stock symbols - this was a frequent user request, so thanks for the feedback! Additionally, the stock gadget now offers selectable period charts from within the gadget. Expand a quote, and use the arrows under the chart to cycle between 30 day, 90 day, 1 year and intra-day charts!

• New Gadgets - Just in time for the holiday season, the Windows Live Shopping team has released some fun new gadgets to help with your gift buying (even if you're buying for yourself). Click "Add Stuff", select "Gadgets" and then "Shopping" to discover the Gift Buying Guide, Shopping Price Watcher, Window Shopping, Shopping Search Gadget, and more! Have fun with these new gadgets, and keep watching Windows Live Gallery for new user-created gadgets to add to your page!

As always, we love hearing your feedback and want to hear your thoughts! You can email the entire team at livefb-at-microsoft-dot-com. Enjoy the new release!

Our colleagues on the mobile team just finished work on the Live.com Beta for mobile, and we've been very impressed with the results. If you've ever wanted to use Live.com from anywhere, this is the product you've been waiting for!

The gadgets (weather, stock and horoscope) and RSS feeds you set up on your first personalized Live.com page will travel with you, which means you can get the same news and blogs that you read on Live.com wherever you are. Simply point the browser on your mobile device to http://mobile.live.com/ and follow the links to the “Live.com Beta.”

The Live.com Beta for mobile also provides super easy access to other mobile Windows Live services such as your Windows Live Mail inbox, or Windows Live Spaces  simply by using the Service bar, which features the product icons and can be found right below the search bar.

Since it's in beta, the team really needs your feedback to help create a better product. Give it a whirl the next time you are out and about with a little down time – on a bus, in a waiting room, at a flight’s departure gate, virtually anywhere... and let the mobile team know your thoughts by using this form: http://feedback.live.com/eform.aspx?productkey=wlcommobile&mkt=en-us

You can learn more about the beta at ideas.live.com and check out the team's blog at itsallmobile.spaces.live.com to find out more about what they're up to.

Quite a few of you have asked for a way to let users easily add feeds from your blog or site to their Live.com homepage. So we’re happy to release today an “Add to Live” button! With just one click, users can now add RSS feeds or Gadgets from participating sites to their Live.com homepage.

To implement the “Add to Live” button on your site, simply add this code and image to the appropriate page(s) on your site:

<a href="http://www.live.com/?add=http://sampleurl.com/"><img src="wl.gif" border="0"/></a>

When you insert this code:

 1) Replace sampleurl.com with the Web address of your RSS feed, including any subdirectories.
 2) Copy the wl.gif image (just right click the one below and save it to your local machine) to the same directory as the page containing the link or put the full path to its location in the <img src> string.

Let us know if you have any feedback!

we've just released some updates on live.com for both our end-users and developers. yes we just relased some updates 3 weeks ago but hey we love shipping :)

first, dear developers - we know we haven't had the best gadget documentation. We're extremely excited to announce our new gadget SDK, now available here. We'll be improving our SDK continuously and look forward to hearing from you on things that you need us to improve on. we want to help you build the coolest gadgets!

now, dear daily live.com users... we're listening to your feedback as well.

Customer feedback: I have a bunch of gadgets on my live.com page, but I’m having a hard time making this my homepage as it locks up the page until all the gadgets load disabling me from searching and using the browser.

Live.com pages are now more responsive (we’ve made significant perf improvements for loading of rss feeds) and you’re able to search prior to all the gadgets loading. Performance is our top priority and we’ll be making improvements continuously.

Customer feedback: why can’t I just drag a gadget from one page or add stuff/my stuff to another page, much like windows. Right now I can only add a gadget to a page, by selecting that page and then dragging it from add stuff/my stuff.