Microsoft's Messenger client supporting webcams and audio
IMPORTANT: Microsoft is replacing Windows Live Messenger with Skype. All your contacts will be moved automatically. Take a look at The Complete Guide to Moving from Messenger to Skype for more information, alternatives and tips.One of the biggest complaints Microsoft Messenger for Mac 7.0 users had is that webcams and audio are only supported in the corporate edition.
That's all changed however with the release of Microsoft Messenger 8.0 which finally supports webcams and audio. There are no other major changes to the interface other than the addition of a video lens to start a chat and a microphone to start an audio chat. You may have to open a port on your router to conduct web conferencing however, details of which can be found on the Microsoft website.
You'll obviously need to sign-in using your Windows Live account or sign-up for one if you haven't got one. Microsoft Messenger for Mac still offers Bonjour support and features like sending files, displaying a picture or emoticons are unchanged. However, you can't drag and drop to send files yet and user profile pictures don't show up at all for some reason. It doesn't seem possible to change your own profile picture either.
You can however still change your display name and add a personal message just by clicking on them and give nicknames to your contacts. Just click on their display name and start typing. The search feature is really handy to quickly find a contact or email address.
If you've been frustrated by Microsoft Messenger for Mac's lack of support for webcams and audio, you'll be delighted by this latest release.
Taken out of Beta to coincide with release of Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 which includes Microsoft Messenger 8.
Changes
Taken out of Beta to coincide with release of Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 which includes Microsoft Messenger 8.
User reviews about Microsoft Messenger
by Anonymous
Crashes (constantly) when changing display picture.
A good mac variant of the msn messenger. The only bad thing is that the avatar cannot be changed without the program crashing (and resetting is to default) More
by Anonymous
MSN Messenger 8.0 and 8.0.1 Unable to Install on iBook G3 600MHz 10.4.11.
Hello!
I just try to Install MSN Messenger 8.0.1 on my iBook G3 OS 10.4.11 but it was failed to install so I download MSN Messenger 8.0.0 but the same issue i faced.
Pros:
Unstable and need 10.5 OSX
Cons:
Need OS X 10.5 not 10.4.11 More
by Anonymous
Webcam not Working! Freezes constantly!.
I am using a new Intel Macbook and the iSight cam is not working on this client. I try to use video chat and it sends my status to busy and doesn't open the webcam properly. It just shows a picture of a webcam....Also, it takes forever to sign in and this is constantly, maybe 98% of the times I sign in. It can take up to 2 or 3 minutes to sign me in... More
by Anonymous
Useless!. />Completely useless! More
It crashes when you starts video chat.
It crashes if you change a profile picture.
It just crashes randomly all the time!
by Anonymous
Messenger for MAC with Webcam support!!.
i don't think i need to say anything about this messenger...what everyone wrote about it, its the raw truth!!
Video chat DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY...
Keeps Signing OFF by itself...
NO stability WHAT SO EVER!!But... there's still hope for those who want an MSN with Webcam compatibility
Download - aMsn its the only MSN for mac that can video chat!!
http://www.amsn-project.net/download.phpAlthough the interface of it is a bit different from the original MSN, it actually WORKS!this is the ONLY way untill Microsoft makes a MSN Messenger that WORKS like on Windows, however may take some time till that happens...
Pros:
INTERFACE
Cons:
EVERYTHING ELSE BESIDES THE INTERFACE More
by Anonymous
Quite simply terrible....
Awful, that about sums it up. You fire it up, you sign in, it freezes, you force quit, you fire it up, you... You get the idea and its just like that.So to be honest I guess this is to be expected from Microsoft as everytime they try and improve anything they make it 10 times worse. Thank god Im not using windows....
Pros:
None
Cons:
It doesnt work
It crashes, its unstable
Its typical Microsoft! More