Skip to navigation

PCPro-Computing in the Real World Printed from www.pcpro.co.uk

Register to receive our regular email newsletter at http://www.pcpro.co.uk/registration.

The newsletter contains links to our latest PC news, product reviews, features and how-to guides, plus special offers and competitions.

Latest News

Windows Live Messenger and Facebook share contacts

Posted on 26 Mar 2008 at 09:44

Microsoft has signed a deal with five social networking sites - most notably Facebook - to allow people to add their contacts to Windows Live Messenger.

In another indication of Microsoft's newfound fondness for collaboration, the company has shared APIs with the five social networks, so that members can invite their friends to join them on the instant messaging service.

Microsoft has set up a new website - Invitetomessenger.net - where Messenger members simply have to log in, choose which networks they belong to, and decide which friends they want to add to their instant messaging contacts. Invitees are then sent an email to confirm they wish to be added to the person's contacts.

LinkedIn, Bebo, Hi5 and Tagged are the other four networks that will allow members to share contacts, although Facebook is the only one that currently works. The others all have a "coming soon" label, as does Microsoft's own Hotmail service - suggesting even different departments within Microsoft itself are having problems getting their head around this new caring, sharing approach.

The Microsoft/Facebook deal comes as potential Microsoft acquisition Yahoo joined Google's OpenSocial, a project that aims to make it easier to share applications across multiple social networking sites.

Facebook and Microsoft have so far resisted the lure of OpenSocial, suggesting something of a divide is emerging in the social networking industry.

Author: Barry Collins

Be the first to comment this article

You need to Login or Register to comment.

(optional)

advertisement

Most Commented News Stories
Latest Blog Posts Subscribe to our RSS Feeds
Latest Reviews Subscribe to our RSS Feeds
Latest Real World Computing

advertisement

Sponsored Links
 
SEARCH
SIGN UP

Your email:

Your password:

remember me

advertisement


Hitwise Top 10 Website 2008