Announcing the Windows Live suite with unified installer

Today Chris Jones, Corporate Vice President of Windows Live Experience Program Management, has announced the availability today of new betas for the new wave of Windows Live applications. These new beta releases showcase Microsoft's goal in releasing the new Windows Live applications together. These new betas are being released with a brand new unified installer for the Windows Live suite. Users will be able to download a single installer for the Windows Live suite in which they can pick and choose the specific Windows Live apps they want to install on their PC's.

To showcase the new installer for the Windows Live Suite - I've got a video demo on how the new installer works. Check it out:


Video: Windows Live Installer Demo

The unified installer is an impressive addition to Windows Live and is a much easier install experience for the user.

Shipping with today's betas is also the broad availability of the new Windows Live Photo Gallery. Previously, Windows Live Photo Gallery was a closed beta. With the new unified installer for the Windows Live Suite, users can now choose to install Windows Live Photo Gallery. I'll be talking more about Windows Live Photo Gallery in separate post very soon.

The Windows Live suite currently consists of Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Writer, and Windows Live Photo Gallery with Windows Live OneCare Family Safety. These applications bridge the gap between the Windows Vista PC and the Windows Live web services. Windows Live Mail allows you to sync your email and contacts from Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Photo Gallery lets you publish your images to Windows Live Spaces. Overall, the Windows Live suite is designed to extend your Windows experience by tapping into Windows Live. Of course choice comes with the Windows Live Suite as well. You can use Windows Live Mail to check any POP3 or IMAP email account and Windows Live Writer supports a great variety of online blogging services.

Give the Windows Live Suite a try today.

Update 1:16PM PDT - Looks like the Windows Live installer page is now online. Give it a shot!

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Comments

  1. amanzi
    Posted on: September 06, 2007 at 6:47AM  

    Why is it that Microsoft are trying so hard to push things towards 64 bit, but can't even release their own software on 64 bit?

  2. dragun
    Posted on: September 06, 2007 at 8:13AM  

    I totally agree about 64 bit. If you read the release note, it even goes so far as to give you a KB artilce on what to do. The problem, no such article as KB938275, which it say to read.

    Not too impressed with lack of support for we that are 64 bit useers.

  3. chakkaradeep
    Posted on: September 06, 2007 at 6:41PM  

    I liked the Live installer except for one weird thing.Why did Live installer wanted to stop my google talk before completing the installation ? its weird !!

    Here is my blog entry on that - http://chakkaradeep.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/windows-live-installer-suite-released/

    Any idea Brandon ?

  4. Brandon LeBlanc
    Microsoft
    Posted on: September 06, 2007 at 7:03PM  

    Chak, let me see if I can find out why the installer needed to close Google Talk. Looking at your screenshot you should have been able to choose "ignore" to proceed with the install but may have to restart.

    By the way, nice blog :-)

  5. amanzi
    Posted on: September 06, 2007 at 11:06PM  

    Brandon, what's your opinion on the lack of 64 bit support? I'm surprised that you and the rest of the Vista team aren't running 64 bit.

  6. Brandon LeBlanc
    Microsoft
    Posted on: September 06, 2007 at 11:10PM  

    amanzi, I actually run many differnet scenarios in order to best provide content for my readers (such as yourself) here on the Windows Experience Blog. I have both a laptop and desktop PC running 64-bit - putting me in the same position those of you running 64-bit are in with being unable to run the latest betas.

    However I also run several 32-bit PC's as well in which I have the betas installed.

    On my 64-bit PC's I have Virtual PC 2007 installed with a Vista Ultimate image I use for testing that I have the new Windows Live betas running on so I can still use the Windows Live betas on my 64-bit PC's that way.

    - Brandon

  7. chakkaradeep
    Posted on: September 06, 2007 at 11:33PM  

    Brandon, thanks :)

    I didnt try ignore though :(, But it would be good if Live suite doesn't depend on Google ,lol :D

  8. someone
    Posted on: September 07, 2007 at 3:19AM  

    Brandon,

    That Windows Live Installer silently resets the IE7 homepage to MSN.com in Vista and sets the default search to Windows Live. Is this giving user choice? I had to change the homepage at least 2 times after running the installer.

  9. Brandon LeBlanc
    Microsoft
    Posted on: September 07, 2007 at 3:27AM  

    someone, when you reach this page here prior to launching the installer (http://get.live.com/WL/config_all">http://get.live.com/WL/config_all) it has a bunch of check boxes for options before the installer launches. On the right hand side you will see settings you can opt out of - one of which includes making MSN.com your homepage. You'd want to unselect this prior to launching the installer.

    If you just launch the installer without going to this page - I believe it will automatically change your homepage to MSN.com.

    Microsoft intended users to go to http://get.live.com/WL/ first and follow the steps there in installing the Windows Live suite.

    - Brandon

  10. someone
    Posted on: September 07, 2007 at 4:42AM  

    Right, thank you. And the apps feel great as a suite. Hoping MS will add Windows Live Movie Maker, Windows Live DVD Maker, Windows Live Calendar (Desktop version) and Windows Live Audio Editor.

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Trackbacks

  1. Posted by: Josh's Windows Weblog on September 05, 2007 at 2:15PM

    Today Microsoft is making available a Windows Live Suite , this is an effort to make it easier to for

  2. Posted by: Robert McLaws: Windows Vista Edition on September 05, 2007 at 4:52PM

    Brandon LeBlanc has a great write-up of the new Windows Live Suite , complete with a video. Unfortunately

  3. Posted by: Mark Johnston's Blog on September 09, 2007 at 4:46PM

    Windows Live is all starting to come together - at the software installer level at the very least :-)

  4. Posted by: The Windows Experience Blog on September 24, 2007 at 3:39PM

    Today Microsoft is releasing the Beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 which was announced by Nick White

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