Windows Live! - A reaction - no real innovation
Well
I checked out the Windows Live thingy and am not really very impressed by it.
Microsoft had to do this as a bare minimum reaction to stay in business.And this is exactly what this is. A bare minimum reaction.
Most of the things they announced already exist either on Yahoo! or on Google! and it doesn’t seem like it’s gonna be a better version.
If Yahoo! and Google offer eclairs, I want Microsoft to offer full chocolate bars. That’s how competition should be. But it seems Microsoft has started with giving out eclairs themselves.
What is Windows Live?
Your online world gets better when everything works simply and effortlessly together. That’s the basic idea behind Windows Live. So the things you care about - your friends, the latest information, your e-mails, powerful search, your PC files, everything - comes together in one place. This is a brand new Internet experience designed to put you in control. And this is just the beginning - you’ll see many more new services in the coming months.
What are they offering?
Live.com beta
Have your way with this page. Sign in, get the content you want-news, sports, search results, whatever-add columns, and move stuff around at will. It’s all you.
Seems to be the same as 
But the AJAX seems a lot better and the gadgets thing got me a little interested.
Windows Live Mail beta
It’s all new web mail, built from the ground up. Preview your e-mail without loading a new page each time (like Outlook®) drag and drop messages into folders, and generally power through your e-mail in a flash.
Couldn’t log in to it. It’s not RTM. But I doubt if it will be better than GMAIL.Probably will have a more Microsoft like look and feel. The 2 GB is welcome.
Windows Live Safety Center beta
It’s like taking your PC in for a tune up at the service station. If the service station was free and available 24/7. Get free on-demand virus cleaning and a comprehensive PC health checkup to help keep your PC running its best.
Seems cool. Will be interesting to see what the guys at Symantec would have to say abou this. No firefox support! You got me biased!
Windows LIve Favorites beta
You are away from your own computer and want to get to the important sites you use everyday? No problem, now that your Internet Explorer Favorites can travel with you.
del.icio.us has done it. Yahoo! My Web 2.0 has it. In fact, it does a lot lot more. Nice to see Microsoft has come around to noticing the need. When will roaming profiles be common!
Windows Live Messenger beta
Coming soon - This will be the next-generation MSN Messenger. The name is new, but it will still be free to download Messenger and use most of its features. And there will be some remarkable new ways to instantly share and connect with friends.
Yes, Yahoo! already has Photo Buckets where you can share images with each other in a very nice way. The suggested upgrades to the new version hardly make a dent. Trillian, Yahoo! & ICQ have all those things since a long time!
Windows OneCare Live beta
Coming soon - The things you should have to help protect your PC, but probably don’t because they’re such a hassle. Stuff like virus scanning, firewall settings, tune ups, and software backups-tied up with a bow and delivered to you in a friendly, easy-to-use package that runs quietly in the background.
I didn’t quite understand the difference between this and the Windows Live Safety Centre beta
Windows Live Search beta-mobile
Coming soon - Picture this: You search for a restaurant with your phone, then click on the result to be connected immediately. Plus, you can see detailed maps, driving directions, and more-all formatted to fit the screen on your mobile device.
Yahoo! Mobile exists since 3 years. But well, that was WAP based, atleast the Microsoft iteration assumes people have xHTML browsers and attempts to offer richer content.
It’s too early to comment on these things. But the confused and hurried release of these services might be a reflection of the chaos in the ranks. On one hand Google keeps scoring slowly and steadily, and has had a more number of “first”s. Microsoft, late in the race and all shaken up by the handicap is still recoiling.
Though I am not impressed by Microsoft’s play, it’s nice to see the battle ground heat up.
What I liked:
Didn’t quite get it, but seems cool.
Next step, google or yahoo? Any guesses? I guess Google, but you never know.
2 Responses to “Windows Live! - A reaction - no real innovation”
By kavi on Nov 4, 2005
hey sam
Why dont you network more… The info you put on your blogs might turn outta b very helpful to lodsa ppl!
By sameer on Nov 6, 2005
I guess the search engines do a good job of spidering all content and making it available to whoever needs it