Good-bye Windows Live, Hello Microsoft Apps

When Windows Live was introduced in 2005, it took me a while to get accustomed to adding "Windows Live" to Hotmail, Windows Messenger, Windows Movie Maker, Windows Photo Gallery, and the other programs that eventually became Windows Live Essentials*.

With the changes announced today at the Building Windows 8, it is time to start getting adjusted to new terms.  After all, when logging on to Windows 8 with your Microsoft account (formerly Windows Live ID, the apps will be immediately available with the information provided by cloud services. 

The chart below was provided at the Building Windows 8 blog showing the new breakdown of software and services.

Service	Windows 8	Windows Phone	Web/HTML 5 (live.com)	API (dev. live.com)	Earlier Versions
Account	Microsoft account	Microsoft account	Account.live.com	OAUTH	Windows Live ID, Passport
Storage/ Docs	SkyDrive app, SkyDrive Desktop	SkyDrive app, Office app	SkyDrive.com	REST, JSON	FolderShare, Live Mesh, Windows Live Mesh
Email	Mail app	Mail app	Hotmail.com	EAS	Windows Live Mail, Outlook Express
Calendar	Calendar app	Calendar app	Calendar.live.com	EAS, REST	Windows Live Mail, Windows Calendar
Contacts	People app	People app	People.live.com	EAS, REST	Windows Contacts
Messaging	Messaging app	Messaging app	Integrated in Hotmail and SkyDrive	XMPP	MSN Messenger
Photos/ Videos	Photos app, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker	Photos app, Camera Roll	Photos.live.com	REST, JSON (via SkyDrive)	Windows Live Photo Gallery, Windows Live Movie Maker

Even if you aren't testing Windows 8 Consumer Preview, the live.com links all work.  Go ahead, give it a try.  Check your calendar at http://calendar.live.com or look up a contact at http://people.live.com.

See the Building Windows 8 blog for additional information about the rebranding of Windows Live as Microsoft Apps.  Detailed information has been promised in upcoming articles about Microsoft account, cloud services, SkyDrive, Hotmail, Messenger, as well the work Microsoft is doing with Skype.  

*Windows Live Essentials Applications

• Windows Live Family Safety 
• Windows Live Mail 
• Windows Live Mesh 
• Windows Live Messenger 
• Windows Live Messenger Companion 
• Windows Live Movie Maker 
• Windows Live Photo Gallery 
• Windows Live Sign-in Assistant 
• Windows Live Writer 
• Bing Bar 
• Microsoft Outlook Hotmail Connector 
• Microsoft Silverlight