Updated: Microsoft is refreshing a number of its existing service add-ons to Windows while continuing to develop new and still officially unannounced additions to the Live family. (Microsoft Watch)Microsoft has turned on the Windows Live tap and software services are starting to really flow from it.
On Feb. 28, Microsoft announced the start of the U.S. beta of Windows Live Expo, its online classified service, code-named Fremont.
Earlier this month, Microsoft had provided some testers with a private beta release of Windows Live Expo, only to later pull the code back, according to a report on the LiveSide.Net blog, an independent tracker of all things Microsoft-Live-related.
Microsoft also released to testers on Feb. 28 a technical preview of a new Windows Live Local map-searching feature, known as "Street Side." It also refreshed the beta bits for Windows Live Mail, its Web-based mail offering, code-named "Kahuna."
The company unveiled on Feb. 28 another new Live service, known as Windows Live Desktop Mail, an e-mail client similar to Outlook Express that is optimized to work with Windows Live Mail and other Windows Live services.
Microsoft said it will begin offering in March a preview of the Live Mail Desktop service, which the company is describing as "a PC-based program that will create a central place for accessing e-mail from various Web-based e-mail accounts." Both subscription-based and free, ad-supported versions will be available.
There are other Windows Live services in the pipeline that Microsoft still has yet to discuss officially. Among these is Windows Live Family Safety Settings, code-named "Vegas."
Family Safety Settings, for which testers received invites in February, are expected to be an outgrowth of the parental controls settings that are in Windows Vista.
Read the full story on Microsoft Watch: More Windows Live Services in the Microsoft Pipeline
Editor's Note: This story was updated to add additional information about Live Mail Desktop service.
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