MSN Spaces debuts

MSN yesterday introduced a beta version of MSN Spaces, a new web logging service. It also released a beta version of MSN Messenger 7.0 and updates to MSN Hotmail. These services will be integrated, the company says.

MSN Spaces offers three levels of control over who may access their Space. It allows users to display their pictures in a slideshow, and share their music playlists. Visitors may sample or purchase tracks on the playlist.

MSN has introduced contact cards to MSN Messenger and Hotmail. These mirror the current look and layout of a contact's Space. Users can also publish their Space to others by way of RSS viewers and aggregators.

Users can post updates to their Space via email. MSN Space also offers 15 backgrounds and five layout templates to allow users to customise their Space.

MSN Spaces is available in 14 languages in 26 markets worldwide.

Changes to MSN Messenger in the beta of version 7.0 include:

• Users now have the ability to 'nudge' or 'wink' at their contacts in order to get their attention by making a noise and playing an animation.
• The ability to automatically let contacts know when you have updated your MSN Space.
• Allowing users to select their availability status before signing into MSN Messenger.

Changes to MSN Hotmail include the fact that users can see the availability status of their contacts even on PCs that don't have Messenger installed, and the aforementioned contact cards.

MSN is used by 360m people per month worldwide and is available in 40 markets and 20 languages.®

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