Microsoft just released the BETA version of Windows Live Essentials.

Windows Live Essentials consist a list of useful software by Microsoft like the Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Movie Maker, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Sync and more. It’s all under the Windows Live brand name. Also include is a new version of Windows Live Messenger.

I was curious so I downloaded the whole BETA version of Windows Live Essentials to check out what’s new and the big changes is the new Windows Live Messenger, an IM software that I always use. The contact list has changed, now added a sidebar showing all the social and status update. It can have Facebook and Myspace update there but I somehow couldn’t get it work. I can’t change my display name like before, it couldn’t fancy, it’s very standard with my first name and last name. I don’t like it. I like fancy display name. Add on and hacks of course are not working with the new Live Messenger BETA.

There’s tabbed conversation window but I prefer a separate one. Used it for like a few minutes, couldn’t get myself comfortable with the new one and I uninstalled it and install back the old Live Messenger. I believe this is not a final one, they will change, for sure. As for other essentials software, I didn’t try it though because I never use them.

Download the Windows Live Essentials here. Then share your experience. =D

Do you feel annoying when people press the Nudge button on MSN? Frustration, annoying, that’s what comes back in your mind. I am not teaching you to revenge, (a little bit), but I am teaching you how to do more, Nudge when they Nudge you one time. I believe many people out there already know the tricks, but just of mind of sharing with those who still have no idea. It’s only a patch install into your computer which tricks MSN/Live Messenger to think that you surpass the waiting time for another Nudge.

There’s 2 way. One which doesn’t work for me, not sure about you, but you can try it. This was the way I uses long time ago, but it’s not working for me on my Windows 7, no idea why.

(1) Go to Apatch website, and (2) download Apatch, the file is very small. (3) Unzipped,and start patching. There’s other feature in Apatch, so you can check it out yourself, look for one which says (4) Remove Nudge Delay, and that’s the one which allow you to Nudge many many times.

Way number 2 is using a Script for Messenger Plus. Some people have Messenger Plus addon with their MSN and some don’t, I recommend this addon as with this, you can again, addon more stuff to your MSN. After (1) installing Messenger Plus for your MSN, or if you already have it, go (3) look for a Script called NudgesToolsScript. (4) Install the Script and remember to (5) enable it.

You are ready to Nudge(s). =)

I am not sure any of you who uses Live Messenger (or more likely known as MSN Messenger) in Windows 7 have this problem but I am having it. I don’t know whether is the setting screw it up or is it just a bug.

I have my Live Messenger on as usual, everything is up, the contact windows and conversation windows are all hide nicely in the icon on Windows 7 start bar. Because of the integration of Live Messenger with Windows 7, there’s no more notification icon on your start bar at the clock area like in Vista or XP. So the problem is when I close all the Live Messenger windows, include the contact list, I can’t bring it back on. Assuming it’s fully closed, and logged out and everything, but it’s not. My friend still saw me online on their contact list but with “busy” status while on my side, I did not see any IM activity notification. I clicked on the Live Messenger icon, but it just nothing turned up and I had to end the process and restart the program.

Since Windows 7 is capable of running program in different OS mode, so I’ve decided to run my Live Messenger in XP mode and everything is doing fine now. Even if I closed all the windows, I still can access my contact list via the icon near the clock area. Great. Wonder anyone encounter this problem too?

I haven’t log out my Windows Live Messenger for quite some time until the recent Windows Update which forces me to restart my computer and so I restarted my computer and shutting off everything running. When I re-sign in the Windows Live Messenger, a window popped up. “Happy 10-Year Anniversary, Messenger”.

So now I know that the Live Messenger is now 10 years old, which means that I have uses the Messenger for 9 years. My first login to MSN Messenger was in 2000 and my first email was hotmail which created in 1999. At that time, I didn’t know about the messenger and IM yet, I only know how to email and MIRC chatroom, I was really young as I was only 7 years old in 1999. If I am not mistaken, the first few contact in my MSN Messenger were my brother’s, my cousin sister’s and a primary school friend. I thought him how to sign up for Hotmail and download MSN Messenger and we chatted online once in a while.

Till today, I don’t really chat a lot on Live Messenger (previously known as MSN Messenger). I more likely to stick with social networking. There’s like almost 1000 contacts in my Live Messenger right now and I guess I need to do some cleaning on the contact list to delete some unknown contacts. One problem of having so many contact is that I can hardly sign in my account on the iPod touch IM app.

Talking back to the Happy 10-Year Anniversary Messenger thing, they offered a free gift pack which is a theme pack for the latest Live Messenger. I was curious so I went to download it, then install it.

I kinda regret installing it, the theme is ugly and it changes your conversation window’s background and your display picture. I got no idea how to remove the theme pack.

Then I found out some solution, change back the scene to the original one, then change you display picture back to your own photo and lastly, change your backgroundand remember to click on Set Default on the down-right corner of the Backgrounds window. =)