Live TV is an additional program for Windows Media Center which will provide access to Spaces, Messenger, and Live Call, all wrapped up in a ten foot interface.  Here's the feature list from Ideas:

• Browse millions of Spaces in rich 3D graphics with new Gallery views and full keyword search
• Find out what your friends have been doing and saying on Windows Live Spaces
• Have real-time text and voice conversations*
• Call your friends' mobile or landline telephones by signing up with Verizon Web Calling to make affordable domestic and international calls**
• Easily navigate with yout mouse, keyboard or a TV remote (remote navigation requires Microsoft Media Center Remote and IR)
• Make free PC-to-PC calls to other Windows Live Messenger users.

"Windows Live for TV is an early beta 3D browser application that makes it easy to connect to your social network as well as friends and family from within Vista Media Center or IE7.0.  You're be able to view the best of Windows Live Spaces and communicate with Friends and Family over Windows Live Messenger 8.1 with voice & text chat as well as make a phone call.

First found on LiveSide

Cross posted on Brandopia

Magnificent site and a great collaboration between 2 brands (MSN and Westin hotels).

In the site Renewal you can explore several big cities (super integration of Live Local) and find the Westin hotels on the map next to several points of interest. A really nice way to explore a city, its tourist attractions and find hotels near them.

Found thanks to Virtual Earth (Mappoint) B2B

This is really cool. Link to Soapbox on MSN Video: Soapbox and Messenger Integration

Instead of just IM'ing your contact a link to a video,we now allow you to actually watch a video with friends, using Windows Live Messenger in real-time. This is how it works:If at any time you would like to watch a video with one of your Messenger contacts, just click on the "share" tab under a Soapbox Video and select "IM this video."

If you are already signed into Messenger, this will prompt you to choose which contact you would like to watch the video with.If you are not signed in, you will be prompted to do so.Choose the contact, and once the person has accepted your invitation - boom the Messenger Activity Window will launch, with the player in full view. You can now watch the video with your friends and chat about it, all at the same time. We will be adding more functionality in the future, but think this is a great start in integrating Soapbox closely with Messenger.

Great posting (in Dutch) on what gadgets are and how they can help marketeers in terms of branding and sales. Have a look here: Marketingfacts

If you want to find out more about Gadgets from us, have a look at the Windows Live Gallery.

Geert

And another Live service sees the light. This time it is: Windows Live Barcode. It is a new way to avoid repetitive input, store more information and enjoy better handset service within seconds. On the other hand it's also an opportunity for advertisers. Just have a look at this campaign in Mexico: Promo Sprite . It's extremely simple. You take a photo of the barcode and your phone translates it automatically: wheter it's a promotional code, some text or your business card. On Windows Live Barcode you can easily try it yourself. I've tried it and on the right you can see my businesscard converted in a barcode. Pretty nice, no?

Geert

Excellent demo of Soapbox on 10. If you are wondering what Soapbox is, it's Microsofts answer to Youtube (or Google if you want).

Geert

Nice little mini-site where people from advertising agencies answer questions like: What is creativity? How do you know when creative is succesful? How has technology changed advertising? etc. Great idea, just a pity the quality of the movies is not that good, it's a bit dark and sound isn't great either. Nevertheless some interesting videos here: Advertising’s brightest stars discuss the changing advertising landscape

Geert

New tools and solutions just keep popping up. This time the codename is Nemo, which is designed to be an add-on for Windows Vista which integrates Spaces, Messenger and Live Call into a user interface designed for large monitors and TV's. This means that you will be able to use all the Live tools on your TV using your Media Center remote.

Interesting quote on Liveside:"By bringing Windows Live to the living room, Microsoft could expose users to its online services in a way that competitors such as Google or Yahoo have not yet exploited."

It should be in Beta by the end of 2006 but I haven't found any offical dates.

A bigger picture can be found here

Found thanks to Liveside

Geert

We added a new channel to our MSN portal: Lifestyle. You will find information on beauty, eating & drinking, fashion, glamour and living.

Geert

Great article I just found on Dutch Cowboys (only in dutch). I'll try to translate some bits because I think this is a great campaign and a great example of new ways of using our products and services to (re)connect with the consumers.

The fist Joint Product Experience (JPX), a new way to advertise in Windows Live Messenger, is launched today by Nike as a part of their multimedia 'Nike Air MAx Campaign". The concept is based on 'watching together, trying and experiencing and gives the Windows Live Messenger users the possibility to look at and experience products together.

...Quote from Michou Malestein, Marketing Manager  Nike Netherlands," Nike stands for originality and innovation and I think that with this Joint Product Experience we make a surprising statement... and with the 'Shout out' function people can give their opinion on what they have seen to evryone...

That's what I call innovative marketing from a company who is willing to give up some control and is able to listen to the consumer.

A big thumbs up for Nike, Info.nl, Mindshare and MSN Netherlands who were the parties involved in this fantastic campaign. Fantastic job guys!

Geert

Interesting news for avid bloggers and Spaces users: you can now make money from your Spaces. As described on The Space Craft (maybe not everything is available for Belgian users, but nevertheless, this is good news):

Currently, there are two ways you can make money on your space with minimal effort:
Earn money anytime someone purchases an item from the Book List module in your space by linking it to your Amazon Associate ID. Don't have an Amazon Associate ID? You can get one by signing up for the Amazon Associates program. This program is currently available to users in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France and Japan.

Earn additional money when you add the Sponsored Links module to your space and create your Kanoodle BrightAds account. The sponsored links are generated based on the content of your blog entries and you'll earn money for click-throughs on the sponsored links in your space. This program is currently available in English to users in the USA and Canada.

Check out superstar PM, Rob's blog to discover why some features are restricted to certain markets.
As other superstar PM Karen confirmed in her Space, the issues we were experiencing with the Kanoodle sponsored links last month are now resolved.

Found thanks to The Space Craft: Making money from your space

Geert

Excellent presentation that can help you convincing your management to spend more online. Presentation here. I know, it is very US-centric but it has many arguments that can help you.

Geert 

Thanks to Mess I found this great application for Messenger launched in the Netherlands: check your account via Windows Live Messenger. How it works: once activated, the user will just have to send the command "saldo" followed by the last four numbers of his bank account number to an ABN Amro bot in order to receive his current balance. Again according to Mess: While the service was beta-tested among 1000 students, they checked their balance on average five times a week around lunch/dinner or after 10 PM. Isn't that incredible? How many times do we check our balance without this... once a week?

You can find more information on the ABN Amro site (in dutch).

My message to Belgian banks: this is the way to connect with young people... what are you waiting for?

Geert

 At Messengervibe you can donwload 27 Messenger Theme Packs. Some beautiful creations from various artists.

Geert 

Really good idea! Integrating live radio with Windows Live Messenger. EnjoyStation has developed a tool that puts live radio inside your Messenger. As soon as you open Messenger, the radio starts to play and of course your message in Messenger is adapted. I have tried to download it, bit it didn't work. A pity, because I think it's a great idea. We know that, especially young people don't really surf but use Messenger a lot to chat with their friends. This would would be a great tool for radio stations to get back in contact with kids. Maybe a tip for companies such as Studio100 with Radio BemBem.

Geert