Windows Live becomes a social network

Microsoft is belatedly muscling in on social networking, using the hard graft of others to create a Facebook-like platform. A new version of Windows Live is rolling out over the next few weeks, with an emphasis on sharing and adding existing web 2.0 sites like LinkedIn, Flickr, Photobucket and Twitter to profiles. More or less everything except Facebook in fact. Update one of those sites and the details will automatically publish on the Windows Live network, which is guaranteed to save your stalkers a good few keyboard clicks. Microsoft is also updating its main services, with upgraded, spam-resistant email and improved messaging - up to 20 people will be able to chat on IM simultaneously. Facebookers might appreciate the newly-added photo sharing (done as drag and drop) and an increase in storage to 25GB should cover all but the most active paparazzi. US users gets this in the coming weeks, us Brits will stay in the dark age until early next year. Link: Windows Live (via CRN ) (link)