Users Guide

Windows Live Essentials 2011
Windows Essentials (formerly Windows Live Essentials and Windows Live Installer) is a suite of freeware applications by Microsoft that
offer integrated and bundled e-mail, instant messaging, photo-sharing, blog publishing, and security services. Essentials programs are
designed to integrate well with each other, with Microsoft Windows, and with other Microsoft web-based services such as SkyDrive and
Outlook.com.
The updated applications in Windows Live Essentials 2011 include Windows Live Messenger, Mail, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer,
Family Safety, Mesh, and Messenger Companion. The Windows Live Toolbar has been replaced by the Bing Bar.
Bing Bar
Bing Bar is a browser extension toolbar for Internet Explorer, developed by Microsoft.
Bing Bar incorporates features from Windows Live and from the Bing search engine. The Bing Bar user-interface enables visual effects
such as flip, slide and rollover animations, colors and themes. The toolbar features "flyout" content windows, which enables users to view
the latest content from the MSN Portal without requiring them to move from the internet page they are currently browsing.
The Bing Bar features integration with Microsoft Bing search engine. In addition to the traditional web search functions, Bing Bar also
allows search on other Bing services such as Images, Video, News, Shopping, Maps, Travel, and XRank. When users perform a search on
another search engine, the Bing Bar's search box will automatically populate itself, allowing the user to view the results from Bing, should it
be desired.
Bing Bar also incorporates Windows Live features such Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live ID. When signed in to
Windows Live ID through Bing Bar, the user will receive notifications and an instant preview of new emails in their Hotmail, inbox, can
instantly send the current page via email or instant message to their contacts and can quickly access other Windows Live functionality.
17
38 Windows Live Essentials 2011