- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows XP
- Date added: March 18, 2003
- Total Downloads: 15,500,035
- Downloads last week: 72,972
- See full specifications
A newer version of MSN Messenger for Windows XP is available.
(Download doesn't provide access to previous versions of this program.)
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 475 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
This program improves on its predecessor, MSN Messenger, with the ability to share folders and files locally with fellow users. Windows Live Messenger also serves up the standard emoticons, multiplayer-only gaming, free PC-to-PC calling, mobile phone messaging, and video chatting in a full 640x480-pixel screen. VoIP capabilities allow you to call telephones around the world for a fee, although you can't receive inbound calls from landlines or cell phones.
During the quick installation, Windows Live Messenger offers optional shortcuts, a sign-in assistant, and Rhapsody music software, as well as the ability to change your Internet Explorer home page to MSN. You can store up to 600 contacts, integrated with your Windows Live Mail account. We found the integration a bit heavy-handed, especially when links opened in IE rather than our default browser. Also, like most dedicated chat clients, the program is a memory hog.
The Sharing Folders feature lets you and your buddy transfer files by displaying a mirror of each others' files. You can drag and drop files into the chat window or Sharing Folder. Microsoft includes a free scanner for checking files for viruses, but it didn't recognize our Symantec AntiVirus. It's unclear whether the shared files are stored on both computers or on Microsoft servers, but you can access the files offline. We wish help were offline, too, especially since the online help is so general. While Windows Live Messenger isn't yet the ultimate communications hub, it's a solid, fun, multimedia chatting tool.
Watch the CNET video review of MSN Messenger for Windows XP:
Publisher's description
From Microsoft :MSN Messenger is an instant-messaging program that notifies you when your friends are online so you can send messages or chat with several friends at once. In addition, MSN Messenger notifies you when you have new e-mail in your Hotmail account and allows you to access your inbox with the click of a button. You have full control over who can contact you and view whether you are online. At any time, you can see a list of all users who have added you to their lists, and you can easily block them if you choose to do so. You can also invite someone in your list to meet over the Internet or to play an Internet game using NetMeeting. The program will even notify you when someone you are communicating with is typing so you can avoid overlapping messages. MSN Messenger also offers integration with Outlook Express 5.0.
You can visit chat rooms and join in, arrange your contacts into groups, select emoticons from a drop-down list, and get quick access to all of MSN Messenger's features with a single click. The latest version features miscellaneous minor updates.
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