If you have yet to receive the memo, Games for Windows Live Marketplace has been shut down for good as of yesterday. Microsoft states that userswill no longer be able to purchase new content through the marketplace, but previously purchased software will still be available to re-download. As Microsoft’s Xbox platform switched from Microsoft Points to local currency, the Games for...
Online ads can be annoying and it appears Microsoft is working on a way to focus these ads more towards your likes and away from your dislikes. We ran across the Microsoft Personal Data Dashboard that will let you filter out the unwanted ads and let those you might be interested in through. These filters will likely impact ads you see over on Outlook.com and on your Windows Phone. ...
Microsoft has altered the text displayed when tweeting from Windows Phones. Instead of displaying "via Windows Live", which is what we've become accustomed to with integration on the mobile platform running through the Live ID (soon to be 'Microsoft Account'), any tweets published from a Windows Phone will now display "via Microsoft". This is another step in the withdrawal of the Live...
Microsoft has released some more information detailing the Windows Live services for the next upcoming instalment of the software giant's operating system. As the company continues to move away from the Windows Live and Zune brands, Microsoft Account begins to take over with services such as Messenger and Hotmail being rebranded for easier recognition. The UI hasn't been the only...
Though they had a good run, it appears Microsoft's Zune and Windows Live brands are going the way of the Dodo. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview shows that the Windows Live group of applications have been replaced by a pre-installed "Windows Communications" group. "Windows Live ID," the current all-in-one login for Microsoft services, will be replaced with the generic "Microsoft Account...
It seems Microsoft has worked some magic on backend services for Windows Phone, as users and sites alike are reporting they're now able to view images that are attached to tweets in the People and Picture hubs. Twitter integration is handled via Windows Live, which was introduced in the Mango update, but was limited to displaying text-only tweets. Now when viewing "What's new?" in the...
![Live ID WP7 app integration [Developers]](https://www.windowscentral.com/sites/wpcentral.com/files/styles/w300h225crop/public/resource_images/live-wp7.png?itok=0xr-ZXQ7)
An in-depth article has been published over at BuildMobile, which covers how Windows Live ID can be integrated into a Windows Phone application. The app will then be able to gain access to the user's contacts, profile detail, information from Messenger and SkyDrive, and everything else that's available via the Messenger Connect API. What should be noted (as mentioned in the article) is...
Skydrive, Microsoft's cloud storage system, has recently been updated to add HTML5 support. It gives Skydrive a more user friendly interface that reminds me a lot of the Windows File Explorer. It lays everything out in a simple, straight forward fashion that anyone can pick up with ease. Performance has also increased with focus on the following areas: Improvement for many core tasks...
![Xbox Live services now out for WP7 [Update]](https://www.windowscentral.com/sites/wpcentral.com/files/styles/w300h225crop/public/resource_images/unhappy-xbox-live.png?itok=kD8YRPmD)
We all thought the worst was over after the Marketplace outage yesterday with scheduled maintenance, but now it seems Xbox Live is having an issue on multiple WP7 devices with backend Windows Live services. If you head on into the Xbox Live hub and await for the automatic update process to start, you should be left with a forever hanging "Updating..." at the top. Both myself (Omnia 7)...
One of our readers, Kibosh, has posted on our forum that he seems to be experiencing some issues with language in the Marketplace. Being fluent in Dutch (with good English), he has trouble browsing and - in rare cases - using apps on his device due to the Marketplace being displayed in French. I'm a Dutch speaking Belgium guy owning a nice HTC Mozart and I'm happy with it. Only there...
![OneNote over the cloud synchronization [How To]](https://www.windowscentral.com/sites/wpcentral.com/files/styles/w300h225crop/public/resource_images/OneNoteStock.jpg?itok=Nh-4jew3)
Do you find yourself using tabbed OneNote Notebook with Microsoft Office on your computer? Do you use a Windows Phone 7 device? Why not have your Notebook synchronized to your device and note on the go? Follow the below step-by-step instructions to get yourself set up. Go to office.live.com on your PC, and make sure that you have a OneNote file created. If you've used OneNote from your...
We knew Microsoft adding phone locating services to Windows Live in the form of "Find My Phone" and now we've seen it in action. The Find My Phone services are found on your Windows Live home page under "Devices". You'll see a list of all your Windows Live supported devices and under your Windows Phone, you'll see the Find My Phone options. When you click on "find this phone" you are...
We've made mention that one way to prepare for Windows Phone 7 is to establish a Windows Live ID. If you times slipped by and you haven't created a Windows Live ID, don't worry. During the initial set-up of your Windows Phone 7 device, you're given the option to sign in with an existing Live ID, skip the step all together or create a Windows Live ID from your phone. While some may opt...
Windows Live will be a major component for Windows Phone 7 and if you're not familiar with Live, some of the terminology can be a little confusing. You have Windows Live, Windows Live Mail, Hotmail, Live mail, Hotmail calendar and contacts as well as Live calendar and contacts. Here's a simple glossary that may help shed some light on Windows Live. Windows Live: The online portal to...
Windows Phone 7 has made an appearance on the Xbox Live website as a showcase of things to come this holiday season. Microsoft certainly has all of their ducks in a row but what about you? Have you already prepared yourself for when you’ve actually have one of the new devices in your hands? If you’ve already have a Windows Live ID or are already a member of the Xbox Live community than...
Windows Phone 7 will be getting Live Messenger. It's the when and by whom that has become a bit of a mystery. Microsoft is farming out its development but now two developers have staked a claim for developing Live Messenger for Microsoft. There were reports last month that Bewise was working on the application. Now, another developer, Miyowa, is stepping forward claiming they are...
With Windows Phone 7 right around the corner, is there anything you can do to prepare for the new Windows Phones? Windows Phone 7 will offer a lot of new features and capabilities and while we all will have a learning curve with the new system, there are a few things you can do to get a leg up on things. Three areas come to mind; Windows Live, Xbox Live, and Zune. Ease on past the...
Microsoft is sharing a new promotional video for Windows Phone 7 over at the Microsoft Showcase. The video highlights Windows Phone 7's cloud capabilities. Taking you to from the phone to the web to the PC, the video touches on several ways you can use cloud services via Windows Live and Xbox Live. It also touches on the upcoming Windows Phone Live services that can be used to secure...
Microsoft has released Windows Live Messenger for the Zune HD. Messenger for the Zune will let you check out social updates from Facebook, Flickr, or MySpace and chat with your friends. It also supports Facebook Chat just like Messenger on your Windows PC. Messenger is available for download through the Zune Marketplace and could be a good indicator on what Messenger on Windows Phone...
Microsoft released Windows Live Essentials 2011 yesterday afternoon. While the Windows Live software package is focused on PC functionality and Windows 7 integration, there is a growing connection to Windows Phones. Especially Windows Phone 7. For those not familiar with Live Essentials, it is a series of tools and applications that range from Family Safety filters for the internet...