Entries tagged with msn - Channel 10

MSN UK Launches WALL•E Portal

sarahintampa — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:58:00 GMT

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.

MSN Toolbar, Now with Silverlight Goodness

Larry — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:03:00 GMT

The new MSN Toolbar is out, and it now has a new crunchy Silverlight center. Features include starting a search from anywhere, adding RSS feeds to your Live.com page with a single click, and one-click access to maps for all the addresses on the page you're viewing.

For more on the MSN toolbar, check out Max's Channel 8 demo of the toolbar with Stefan Weitz.

And of course you can download the toolbar here.

MSN Environment Launched

sarahintampa — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:59:00 GMT

For eco-warriors and environmentalists, there's a new channel on MSN that will be of interest: MSN Environment. On this site, you can read news and blogs, watch videos, get eco-friendly tips, plus get access to tools like a carbon calculator and a water usage meter. The site is only on MSN UK (for the U.S., we have MSN Green instead), but there are certainly features on the site that will appeal to everyone interested in these issues.

If you want to follow various sections of MSN Environment, there are several RSS feeds to choose from, including:

Environment Blog: Matthew Yeomans is the co-founder of Custom Communication an online media consultancy that provides environmental reporting. He reports for MSN on The Climate Report blog.
Environment Features: All the feature stories from MSN Environment Editor including analysis.
Environment Photos: All the photo stories from MSN Environment Editor including analysis.
Environment News: Updated throughout the day with breaking and feature news stories
Environment Videos: Stand alone features from VideoJug
Green Living : Reports on Green Living

(via vnunet)

Find Cheaper Gas on MSN

sarahintampa — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:38:00 GMT

The price of gasoline just seems to be going up and up and up, but there are online tools to help you find the lowest prices in your area. One of these tools is available right from MSN Auto. On the gas prices page, MSN Auto displays the prices for gas in your zip code by using data that is updated daily via the Oil Pricing Information Service (OPIS). More than 90,000 stations across the country are covered so you can find the best prices. (via Click)

Watch Madonna's Concert Live on MSN

sarahintampa — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:47:00 GMT

On April 30th, Madonna will be performing at the Roseland Ballroom in New York. But you don't have to buy a ticket or be in New York to see this show - it will be available for you to watch via a live stream on MSN at http://music.msn.com/Madonna. You can visit the site now and sign up for reminders about the concert so you will be sure not to miss it. Reminders can be added to your calendar (MSN Calendar, Outlook, Apple iCal, Google Calendar, or Yahoo! Calendar) or you can sign up for Windows Live Alerts, which will remind you via Windows Live Messenger, email, or mobile phone. You can also browse through and watch previous concerts on MSN which have featured artists like the Hives, Sheryl Crow, Amy Winehouse, and more.

MSN's A-List

sarahintampa — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:50:00 GMT

There's a new MSN page available at http://a-list.msn.com where you can find the most popular searches and headlines on MSN. The page features one hot topic per day and related searches at the top and below, are other popular searches and headlines, including the top web searches, the top people searches, the top videos, the top MSN.com headlines, the top movies and DVD rentals, the top five in Sports, the top Deals, the top health stories, the top tech stories, and more. What a nice way to get access to all the top news from one convenient page! Pretty cool! (found via SEO and Tech Daily)

Original Programming Coming to MSN

sarahintampa — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:15:00 GMT

MSN is about to unveil original programming for the MSN.com platform. The programming will include original series like "In Need of Repair," a home-improvement show/comedy featuring hosts who might not know as much about home repair as they think. Another, "the Men's Room," features fashion tips for men who aren't into mags like GQ and Details. "Seven Secrets About..." will take a light look at pop-culture celebs and "50 Greats" spoofs VH1-like list shows. On a more serious note is "What on Earth is Going On?", a series focused on raising social awareness.

Additionally, the Xbox 360 is poised to become the online hub for its web-connected users, who will also receive their own original content like "Scary Funny", a horror/comedy and "Culture Smash," a pop culture/entertainment news magazine.

New MSN Toolbar Beta Released

sarahintampa — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:45:00 GMT

The new MSN Toolbar Beta, powered by Silverlight, is now available for download from beta.toolbar.msn.com. The toolbar, with its Vista-like UI offers drop-down previews of MSN content in areas like News, Entertainment, Sports, Money, Autos, Shopping, Lifestyle, Health, and more. You can preview the content in these areas without having to leave the web page you're currently on thanks to drop-down windows showing the info in a preview pane. You can also get breaking news alerts and comparative search results from the toolbar - a feature that auto-populates the search box with your search query when you perform a search on another engine. This is very much like what Mahalo is doing with their sidebar tool, but without the sidebar taking up space on your screen.

Get MSN Direct on Windows Mobile

sarahintampa — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:49:00 GMT

You can now get easy access to info like weather, stocks, news, entertainment stories, and sports on your Windows Mobile device via the MSN Direct service. The service, which provides info from the MSN Mobile Portal, uses Wi-Fi and 3G connections,not FM radio like the MSN Direct-enabled nav devices do.

You can get MSN Direct if your mobile device is Windows Mobile 5.0 or higher. From your mobile phone, go to phone.msndirect.com in your phone's browser, or you can download the app from that same link and install via ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device center.

From PC to PND

sarahintampa — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:14:00 GMT

At CES, Garmin announced that their new nüvi 780 GPS unit will use the MSN Direct service. This service dynamically updates the portable navigation device (PND) with important information that drivers can see at a glance. MSN Direct, which transmits over FM airwaves, sends info like live traffic, weather, fuel prices, movie listings, local events, news, and stock prices to the device.

Another great feature of the 780 is its ability to integrate with Windows Live Local. From your home PC, you can look up destinations, or even entire Live Maps Collections, and send them to your device by using the new "Send to GPS" option. This can be done without having to physically connect your device to your PC nor does it require the device to have an internet connection. Instead, all the updates are done over FM airwaves. Now you can plan your trip at home, then send the data to the device before you leave. Or, if you're not a good planner, you can use the hands-free microphone and speaker to call someone for help and have them send the directions to your device while you're on the road.

The MSN Direct service uses MSN's SPOT network to deliver the data. MSN Direct is free for the first three months then is $50 per year afterwards. You can also choose to pay $130 for a lifetime subscription instead. You can try this device yourself next time you are renting a car at Avis Rent A Car. Avis Where2, based on the nüvi 780, will soon be available for rent with any Avis vehicle or just (Via Inside Microsoft)

MSN as a Shopping Tool

sarahintampa — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:03:00 GMT

These days, more and more people are eschewing the hustle and bustle of the malls and the crowds in favor of doing their holiday shopping online. Online shopping is a convenient time-saver, but sometimes it can still be hard to know where to begin. For that, MSN Shopping brings you several guides to help you find just the right gifts for your friends and family this holiday season. Here are 5 tips to help you get started shopping online:

1. Get Shopping Advice: if you need tips, how-to's, ideas, or detailed information about a product, technology, or trend, you should check out the MSN Shopping Advice Guide. Complete with Consumer Reports, Expert Guides, Buyer Guides, and Editor Picks, you can not only learn about a product or technology, like Plasma TVs, but also find out which ones were rated the best by Consumer Reports. There are also tons of guides, picks, & lists, like the Most Unique Toys and Games, Classic 80's Toys Make a Comeback, the Office Survival Guide, or a guide to Holiday Wines.

2. Gift Ideas from the Today Show - a video guide: MSN and NBC got together to create a 9-episode, clickable Holiday Guide featuring episodes like Sports Gifts, Gadget Guru, and Procrastination Central (I should watch that one!). In every video, you can click on a green arrow to link to the product being discussed.

3. Alternative Gifts - Giving to Charity: the holiday season is a good time to think about giving to those less fortunate. Charitable donations make a great gifts for those people on your list who don't want or need "presents." The Alternative Gift Guide offers you the chance to find a worthy charity instead. Whether it's saving endangered species, saving the rainforest, or giving the gift of a goat through Heifer International, the Alternative Gift Guide can help you make a lasting difference.

4. Green Gifts: Feeling a little guilty over your materialistic urges? Then do the right thing and Shop Green at MSN. Here you can find items made from recycled materials, items made from sustainable materials, energy-saving solutions, or chemical-free solutions.

Galeria de Fotos do Windows Live agora com publicação para Flickr

Galileu — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:58:00 GMT

Muitos usuários pediram e a equipe da Microsoft responsável pelo programa de edição e organização de fotos respondeu. A ferramenta que fará parte da suíte completa de serviços Windows Live, chamada Galeria de Fotos do Windows Live, virá com integração com o Flickr. Isso mesmo, você poderá publicar suas fotos ao Flickr ou ao Windows Live Spaces direto do programa sem ter que entrar na Web. Detalhe importante, os metadatos e as Tags, ou Marcas, serão retidos ao fazer a publicação para o Flickr.

Uma atualização automática via Windows Update trará as novas funcionalidades na forma de versão Beta 2.2 dos serviços Windows Live. Quem não tiver a suite e quiser instalá-la é só ir ao http://get.live.com para baixar qualquer um dos produtos. No Brasil, isso inclui o Windows Live Messenger, o Windows Live Mail, o Galeria de Fotos do Windows Live, o Windows Live Writer, a Toolbar e o Family Safety. Lembramos que esses produtos ainda estão em Beta, portanto o desempenho e a estabilidade não é igual a de um produto final. A suite de ferramentas está disponível tanto para o Windows Vista como para o Windows XP com Service Pack 2.

Confira as imagens:

Fonte: http://blogs.msdn.com/pix/archive/2007/10/18/do-you-use-flickr-then-check-out-windows-live-photo-gallery-beta.aspx

Vídeo: Conheça o Novo Windows Live Spaces

Galileu — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:50:00 GMT

O Windows Live Spaces já está no ar com uma nova cara e novas funcionalidades. Entre os destaques estão a melhoria no recurso de Fotos, que agora permite o upload de 500 fotos em alta resolução por mês, e o novo recurso de Eventos, onde você pode criar um espaço online para cada e qualquer evento que você quiser. Assista o vídeo com Priscyla Alves, Gerente de Serviços Windows Live da Microsoft Brasil.

Medstory debuts on MSN Health and Fitness

bcrounse — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 21:23:00 GMT

Back in April I posted information on HealthBlog about Medstory, the medical search company that had recently been acquired by Microsoft. I interviewed Medstory founder and CEO, Dr. Alain Rappaport, who I have known for nearly a decade. Alain and I first met while I was co-founding a venture-backed technology company aimed at facilitating physician-patient communication and collaboration. Little did we know at the time that many years later our paths would cross once again under Microsoft's umbrella.

Dr. Rappaport called me last week to say that Medstory is now fully integrated with MSN’s Health and Fitness site. He wanted me to be among the first to know and invited me to take it for a test drive.

After navigating to MSN Health and Fitness, I initiated a search on Prostate Cancer. Right away, I noticed that my search yielded Medstory's unique and rather colorful “dashboard".

The dashboard is made up of categories. Under each category is a list of related health topics that are most pertinent to the search being performed. The color bar next to each topic illustrates its degree of relevance to the subject of the search. For instance, one of the categories for a search on Prostate Cancer is Tests and Procedures. The most relevant topic in that category is the PSA Test. When I click on PSA Test, I have the option of refining my search to include both Prostate Cancer and PSA Test, or PSA Test alone.

Should I decide to search for both terms, the most pertinent articles containing both terms will be revealed. I'm given similar choices each time I conduct a search adding a third, fourth, or fifth term to my list. I also have the option of jumping to articles that are associated only with the new term I'm selecting from the dashboard. I also have the choice of using a "Site Search Results" tab that only reveals articles on MSN, or "Health-Related Web Results" that will return health information from all across the worldwide web. Note that the categories include Complementary Therapies and Nutrition; two that will be especially popular with consumers.

Prior to founding Medstory, Dr. Rappaport had had an illustrious career in artificial intelligence research and data mining. He says he turned his attention to improving how consumers and clinicians find and use medical information because healthcare is an industry that is driven by information. It is not enough, he says, to provide links to information. Search engines must become intelligent enough to understand a user’s intent. “We need a web that knows versus one that just links”, said Dr. Rappaport. “We are moving the center of gravity of search to return an understanding of what the user wants. Our core objective is to provide meaningful information that is also actionable.”

Dr. Rappaport said he teamed up with Microsoft because of the opportunity to engage with customers and partners all around the world who are now coming forward to help us innovate and use this technology. “Even in parts of the world where populations are medically underserved", he said, "providing relevant and timely information, will make a difference”.

Of course, this is just the beginning of many health related applications and services for both consumers and medical professionals that you'll be seeing from Microsoft and our partners in the months and years ahead. But for now, the next time you are seeking information about health or wellness, navigate over to MSN Health and Fitness and take Medstory for a spin. I think you will like what you see.

Bill Crounse, MD Worldwide Health Director Microsoft Corporation

MSN Mobile: Because I'm always on the run

Larry — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:00:00 GMT

MSN Mobile Service launched today in the US, offering a single point of access for MSN Media Network, Hotmail, Live Search, MSN Money, Spaces, Messenger, and weather.

The MSN Mobile team incorporated the feedback from thousands of users and designed this from the ground up and optimized it for specific models to give customers quick and easy ways to get the content and services on the go.

The new launch can be found by pointing your mobile browser to mobile.msn.com.