Messenger took just five minutes to download and install in CNET's tests. With its default setup settings, MSN changed the Internet Explorer home page to MSN Home, made MSN Search the default search engine, and added the MSN Toolbar to IE. Unless you're paying attention and you uncheck the appropriate boxes to prevent these changes, Messenger will ride roughshod over your browser settings -- a potential headache for inexperienced users.
Messenger 7.0 is free, as are its essential features: text, audio, or video chat; online gaming; radio; and file transfers. You'll have to pay, however, for add-ons that Yahoo Messenger offers at no charge, such as Muggins (US$3 each) -- virtual representations of yourself, akin to Yahoo's Avatars -- and animated Emoticons (US$1.50 for a six-pack). Many of these accessories are targeted at the primary school crowd, and customisation of MSN Messenger might get costly for parents.
So what's new? In addition to full-screen video chat that enables parties with Webcams to see larger-than-ever live images of each other, a Shared Search button in the conversation window allows you and a buddy to run joint Web queries. Unfortunately, the tiny chat window displays only three hits, so you'll need to click the More Results link to open the rest of the finds in a separate browser window. Office chatters will enjoy the claim that the new Messenger isn't blocked by corporate firewalls. You'll also get content updates if your buddies write MSN blogs, and you can see what songs friends are listening to on both Windows Media Player and iTunes. If you like to chat on the go, you can take version 7.0 on the road and use it to send text messages via your SMS-enabled mobile phone.
Messenger 7.0 is a breeze to use. Starting a chat session is easy, and the games and radio channel controls are accessible via the top toolbar. We could do without the left-side tabbed column of icons for eBay, Match.com, and other Microsoft business partners, and the floating MSN Today news window was equally unwelcome. For an IM applet, Messenger 7.0 hogs too much desktop space, although you can easily turn off these annoyances via the Tool/Options dialog box. Still, Messenger 7.0 is a first-rate IM app overall and an essential upgrade for its millions of existing users.
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Giorl
09/08/2008, 06:42 AM
rating
8/10
thank to microsoft. brand news
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Sam
16/07/2008, 08:38 PM
rating
7/10
I use msn messenger. This messenger is cool. Its appearance is very good. This messenger has software gestionale system. Which make it fast responsive.
Pros: Easy to navigate.
Watch movies or play games uninterrupted.
Cons: Activation is buggy.
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thewonder
05/06/2008, 10:21 AM
rating
7/10
sounds really cool
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kellsbelles
16/05/2008, 06:45 PM
rating
9/10
awesome, fun and super meeting place for friends!!!!!! :)
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vefol
13/05/2008, 10:29 PM
rating
10/10
MSN one! cool searche
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70-536
01/04/2008, 06:12 AM
rating
8/10
MSN 7 has great features, Yup i agree, all those features are there.
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nirosha
08/01/2008, 07:29 AM
rating
5/10
good work guys
Pros: gbjnmjuytr
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chris manuel
23/10/2007, 06:48 PM
rating
7/10
Pretty good, Tehy do make a version for macs, its at the Mactopia website. Windows Live messenger is a much better vrsion
Pros: Good, Alows free comunication. Get Windows Live MEssenger - Its better
Cons: Not A lot
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brigitte
17/10/2007, 01:16 AM
rating
7/10
it looks good ! but can this product good with the international use?
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buggy
30/08/2007, 03:40 AM
rating
3/10
buggy version, dont use
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