[source: http://img.worsethanfailure.com/Images/200705/error’d/xbox.jpg]

I saw a a Popfly demo and am glad that Microsoft is making use of it’s new Silverlight platform really well.

Popfly, which is still in private beta is a new Silverlight application that allows you to build mashup and websites. It came late to the party as Yahoo Pipes already lets you build mash-ups but Popfly is a class apart. It has an easy to use UI and looks like a pleasure to create new mash-ups.

You can create apps that display your Windows Live Spaces or Flickr Photos on the fly and you can embed it anywhere. I really can’t explain it, Click on the link below and see it for yourself.

http://wm.microsoft.com/ms/msdn/popfly/PopflyIn15.wmv

spaces maps plots your blog’s visitors on a map. This is for Windows Live Spaces only as the map is added via a gadget and it also uses Windows Live Local / Virtual earth map, where your visitors are plotted as push-pins and you can zoom in/out.

With no code pasting required, you can get a map on your Space in a couple of minutes. This is still in beta and be prepared to see a lot of changes to it. Give spaces maps a try and any feedback is welcome…

From Bink.nu

That’s right, pictoral evidence concludes the long lost wait for the name of Windows Server “Longhorn”. As discovered on the Microsoft France website, here we have, the logo for Windows Server 2008.

Source: http://zacks.spaces.live.com

I’ve just written a post on how big Windows Live is (basically my way of spreading a few links that aren’t very well documented around the web. It’s worth a look, there are at least 7 there which you might not even know exists.

View at source.

Windows Live Folders is the front end view for what is to become Live Drive (note, there’s no Windows to prefix this, such as Live Search and Live Maps), which is a central storage system for your files and important documents. Using Windows Live ID, you can sign in and upload/download and modify your files, whilst allowing only yourself to view certain files and letting others including the world view others.

Personal folders include files and folders which is only for you and your eyes only. You can access this by signing in and accessing your personal documents, backups and contacts.

Shared folders is there to enable you to share documents with other users, friends and family. You’ll need to sign in to access these if you’re a third-party person and if you’re on the access list then you’ll be able to get access to this folder.

Public folders are for everyone, so you can look in anyones public folders.

It’s far from ready yet - I can’t access my files and folders due to a .NET Framework error message (standard problem) so there are a few things to iron out, but in due time the storage will expand to an expected 5/10GB and rumour of a desktop application and a mobile site coming soon.

Note: US users only - however you can work around this - go to Windows Live Account and change your region to “United States”. Wait around 4 hours for this to take affect and you should be well on your way.

Go to Windows Live Folders
More information

Update: Thanks Chris, you’re a good man, you uncovered the story nicely. Big thanks to Chris at LiveSide for making this known to the world. But I’m not linking back to you

There are two new websites we feel you should know about, which seem to be targeted at British users in the UK. The first is www.newhotmail.co.uk which tells you a bit more about Windows Live Hotmail and some of the history to it. You can also update your Hotmail to the new interface with all the jam packed new features of the Windows Live Hotmail product as well.

The second one is www.emailbritain.co.uk which is a promotional site for Windows Live Hotmail, where as the website states, “is creating the first ever national archive of emails in conjunction with the British Library. The Email Britain book, recording a snapshot of British life by email, will be permanently archived for generations to come.” So submit your emails to them and have them listed in the British Library Email book.

Hotmail has been around for… 6, 7 years… oh for a bloody long time, but the time has come at long last! Windows Live Hotmail has replaced MSN Hotmail for the good of the good of the electronic mail community. But never fear! All the old email addresses being hotmail.com and hotmail.co.** with the two asterisks indicating the country domain, uk for the United Kingdom, jp for Japan, nz for New Zealand and so forth - they stick and you’ll always be able to use them from now on.

Windows Live Hotmail will be rolling out around about now. Those who want to stick with some reference to the old Hotmail style design… you can’t, but you can use the “Light client” which lets you browse through your messages in the old sluggish way that Hotmail users are used to.

“Windows Live Mail” will be the new name of Windows Live Mail desktop, and Windows Mail and Outlook Express are being phased out. Don’t worry, it’ll be alright for you new users - change is good sometimes

Update: The Wall Street Journal says the Deal is not happening!

What could probably be the largest acquisition in IT history, Microsoft is trying to get Yahoo to come back to the table for takeover talk which Yahoo has previously turned away. The lucrative 50 billion USD offer could change things this time though.

Microsoft is really pushing hard as to play catch-up in fields such as search and to counter the ever growing presence of Google on the Internet.

Head over to New York Post for the exclusive…