MSN
Encarta Comes To MSN Mobile
MSN Mobile, available from on any phone at mobile.msn.com, delivers news, email, sports, search, weather, entertainment links like movie listings and horoscopes, and even videos right to your mobile phone. Now you can add one more option to that extensive list: Encarta. The Encarta option is now available from the “All” menu, which is where you’ll find all of the items not listed directly on the main MSN Mobile homepage. From within the new Encarta feature you can check out a quote of the day, read three editorially-selected articles each day, take a quiz, and try to guess the Mystery Picture of the day. However, the most important feature in the mobilized version of Encarta is the article search feature. How many times have you had to whip out your phone and look something up in order settle an argument? I don’t know about you, but this is almost a near-daily occurrence in my house. With Encarta, searching for the answers to those questions is easy - just enter the term in the search box and go. You can rest assured that the answers you find are accurate, too, since it’s coming from the Encarta Encyclopedia. (This is especially good for settling bets where money was involved, too. Not that I would do that, of course).
If you don’t have a smartphone, you can check out the Encarta app here. Otherwise, you can go to the MSN Mobile homepage and have MSN sent to your phone via text message.
Source- Channel 10 Blog
Wallpapers from MSN - Beta
Well worth looking at, even if it is just to grab some great images to go on your wallpaper. Also love the random options 
Using the tool, you can
- download over a 100 great wallpapers
- Crop, rotate and resize images. Add text and speech bubbles to create your own wallpaper
- Set your wallpaper by time or create a slide show of images as your wallpaper
If you would like to learn more about customising your desktop, themes, tips and tricks, start menu and the Windows Sidebar try this great article from the Windows Help and How-to site
Source- MSDN Blog
MSN Toolbar v3.0 available for download
The new MSN Toolbar brings you easy access to great MSN content, Live Search, Windows Live Mail and Messenger. The MSN Toolbar stays with you wherever you go online, keeps you up to date on breaking news, and lets you preview headlines without leaving the web page you are on.
You can also use handy search tools to find anything, and quickly get to your Windows Live Hotmail account. Get in the know and stay there with the MSN Toolbar.
Download Here: MSN Toolbar v3.0
Microsoft previews 3G mobile video service for MSN Mobile
Building on our existing mobile portal the MSN Mobile team has been working hard to introduce our first mobile video service. Designed for 3G phones and 3G networks this service delivers consumer video via our MSN Video service to mobile phones. Available today in the US only this initial release is now in trial and available for use by millions of our users.
Video content will be phased over time, with more added in the coming weeks. Initially today or pretty soon you should be able to see content from MSNBC News, FOX Sports, Dilbert, New Yorker, Dish Diva celebrity interviews, Dateline NBC, Today, Hardball, MSN Money, Stupid Videos, NBC Sports, MSN Autos and a wide range of movie trailers amongst others. During the launch of our trial there are over 2,000 videos available for previewing and more will be added on a weekly basis.
Source- Live with Phil
MSN UK Launches WALL•E Portal
For fans of the Disney blockbuster, WALL•E, you have to go check out MSN UK’s new WALL•E portal. This site has a lot of downloads and other goodies for Windows Live, including Messenger Packs, Display Pictures, and Backgrounds for Windows Live Messenger as well as desktop wallpapers for your PC. You can also download an animated signature which you can use either in your email or as your forum signature. To get access to these free downloads, just visit the portal here: wall-e.msn.co.uk.
Source- Channel 10
MSN Direct Enables Web Sites to Deliver Location Information to GPS Navigation Devices
Today Microsoft Corp. released an open application programming interface (API) for the MSN Direct Send to GPS feature for navigation devices. This allows any Web site to offer visitors the ability to send addresses, business listings, or other locations directly from the site to their GPS unit, eliminating the cumbersome step of re-entering or searching for the same information on their navigation device.
The API is an extension of the MSN Direct feature initially launched at International CES earlier this year. With this updated version, MSN Direct allows any Web site to send location information to navigation devices either wirelessly or via a USB connection. The wireless delivery is compatible with MSN Direct-enabled devices that have the Send to GPS feature, including several units from Garmin Ltd. such as the nüvi 780 and nüvi 880, along with nüvi 5000, nüvi 750, nüvi 760, or nüvi 2×5 series devices with the optional MSN Direct receiver. USB delivery is also compatible with the vast majority of remaining Garmin navigators.
“MSN Direct opens up opportunities for Web sites in a variety of areas — real estate, travel, event planning and food service — to make it fast and simple for visitors to have access to turn-by-turn directions on their navigation device,” said Joe Coco, product unit manager of the MSN Direct initiative at Microsoft. “MSN Direct helps consumers get the most out of their navigation device, while also helping businesses drive more customers to their locations.”
A number of MSN Direct partners, including Garmin and Alpine Electronics Inc., plan to ship or are already shipping GPS products that are compatible with the MSN Direct Send to GPS feature.
“As more and more consumers are using their PC to locate their desired destinations and then needing to find those exact locations on their GPS device, MSN Direct is making that process easier for our customers,” said Roger Jollis, Garmin’s director of OEM and mobile marketing. “Garmin was the first to offer MSN Direct on an automotive GPS, and we are pleased with MSN Direct’s newest innovation because it will be very helpful to our customers.”
For developers, the API is free, simple to integrate and uses standard Web programming techniques. In addition to latitude and longitude, Web sites can send a phone number, address, and other information. Developers can go to www.msndirect.com/developer for more information.
Source- Microsoft Press Release
Minimise-Me From MSN
Microsoft has launched a website for its Live Messenger users : Minimise-Me. WLM users can avail of this new service to build their own emoticons & characters.
Windows Live Messenger users can even create a mini version of themselves. One can also play around with one’s own facial characters like the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, nose, etc. There is also a Celebrity Gallery, where you can customise the images, with the click of an Edit button.
Source: WinVistaClub
Microsoft to take 100% control of MSN Israel portal
Microsoft Corp. plans to acquire the 50.1% it doesn’t already own in MSN Israel Ltd. from partner Internet Gold Ltd., the companies said on Sunday.
The companies said in a statement that they’re "discussing the terms of migration and possible future cooperation." Meantime, they’re still "working together to support employees, advertisers and users."
MSN Israel, established in 2000, is part of the Redmond, Wash., software giant’s portal network, which operates in 44 countries. In almost all these countries, Microsoft wholly owns the portals, the companies said.
Source- MarketWatch
