Microsoft has updated its Windows Live platform with a series of new features that it hopes will move it  closer to being a Facebook-like social networking Web destination, the Redmond, Washington-based software maker announced Tuesday. The additions to Windows Live, which Microsoft said would become available to users globally throughout the day, included redesigned versions of Windows Live Home, Events, Spaces, online storage system SkyDrive and altogether new Web services that included Windows Live Groups, Live Photo Gallery and Profile products, Microsoft said. Partnerships With Twitter, Yelp And Flickr Aim To Help Microsoft's Social Plans The changes rolled out Tuesday were expected, as Microsoft first announced certain elements of them in November, and came as the first of what was expected to be a series of five releases for the Live suite of software and hosted services. Microsoft has chosen to make the new and more unified features available at home.live.com, where a decidedly social-network-like look and feel has replaced earlier efforts, including the ability to pull in contact lists from such sites as Facebook and to share information with them, including status updates or content such as photos. The world's biggest software maker has partnered with Web firms including Flickr, Twitter, Pandora, Flixster, Yelp, iLike, Tripit and Photobucket to allow some information to pass between their online services and the new Windows Live platform. "Over the next 24 hours you will be seeing quite a bit of changes occurring across the board for Windows Live," said Microsoft Windows communications manager Brandon LeBlanc in a message announcing the ambitious updates posted Tuesday on the Windows blog. "Changes you’ll see include a brand new common header across all the Windows Live web services," LeBlanc noted. Microsoft Updates Windows Live Platform With Social Networking Additions Along with increased connectivity to information from third-party social networking Web sites, Microsoft has included an upgraded instant messaging system for real-time group chatting with up to 20 contacts at once, improved collaboration functionality, a customizable news feed and profile system for managing personal data such as relationship, education or employment status. In September Microsoft rolled out the first changes to its Live Search search engine since acquiring search engine startup Powerset, a specialist in so-called semantic search techniques. Microsoft Hotmail, one of Microsoft's most used Live Web services, was not included in the updates announced Tuesday, although the service was expected to be a part of future improvements during one of the next phases of the major Windows Live upgrades. Microsoft also announced a new strategy on Tuesday for managing a series of forthcoming datacenters in various locations around the world. Related Links :
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