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First look at MSN Messenger 7

After being on beta for a very long time, Microsoft finally released the latest version of it’s instant messaging software, MSN Messenger 7.0. This version introduces some new features such as nudge, winks, animated display picture and dynamic display picture. I decided to download MSN Messenger 7.0 and install it on Windows XP Pro.

Winks

Feel like throwing a water baloon to your friend’s face? or would you like to give someone “special” a smooch? You can now do all that using Winks, an animated greetings you can send to your contacts.

There are 15 winks available for you but you can always get some more for the price of AUD $1.00.

Display Picture

MSN Messenger 7 allows you to use animated display pictures and they also have a new feature called dynamic display pictures.

Dynamic display pictures allows you to set your display picture based on your mood. You can change the picture to the happy mode, sad mode, blush mode, shock mode, etc. Once again, you could also create some more dynamic display picture.

Clicking on the “Create dynamic display picture” will automatically sign you into blue mountain for MSN messenger site using your MSN Passport. You can choose four different types of display picture.

Nudge

Nudge is a similar feature to Yahoo! Messenger buzz. It allows you to annoy people by sending them sound and shake their conversation window.

You can disable it though incase you have a really annoying person on your contact list.

Personal Message

You can now display a personal message for your contact to see, and you can also show off your music to the people on your contact list.

To show your music to your contact list, click on the arrow facing down next to your personal message. You can turn it on and your personal message will now change whenever you change song. This feature requires you to use Windows Media Player.

Security

You can now integrate MSN Messenger 7.0 with your anti virus solution and scan any file transfer. To enable virus scanning, go to Tools > Options and then go to File transfer. Tick on the Scan Files for Viruses.

Conference

Improvement to video conference has been made to MSN Messenger 7.0. It has the capability of full screen video viewing. It also have an improvement on audio pc to pc chat.

Handwriting

You can now send message using the Handwrite feature. The Handwrite feature allows you to draw and to handwrite message. To use this feature, you have to click on the handwrite tab on the conversation window. If you don’t have it, you need to install Microsoft Journal Viewer.

Screenshots

MSN Messenger 7.0 Main

MSN Messenger conversation