November 18, 2009 on 7:34 am | In 10 version | 5 Comments
On a normal day, we double click on the Yahoo! Messenger icon to sign in, the yellow smiley wakes up, and our contact list loads. Then we’re off and chatting with friends.
But sometimes, not everything works perfectly. Sign in issues can sometimes be attributed to problems with an internet connection. This is why we added a new Connection Troubleshooter tool to the latest version of Yahoo! Messenger 10.
If Yahoo! Messenger has problems connecting during the sign-in process, a small window will appear alerting you that there may be a problem with your internet connection. From there, you can click the Troubleshoot button to let it run some connection diagnostics on your machine. After some quick analysis, it will recommend some next steps for resolving the issue.
The wizard also records all the steps it took while diagnosing the problem. Click the “Show Details” button on the final screen to view the details (sometimes it’s helpful to copy and paste those details when working with customer care on an issue).
The connection wizard is only available in the latest version of Yahoo! Messenger 10 (10.0.0.1102 or later) which works on Windows XP, Vista and 7. You’ll only see this wizard when there is a problem with your internet connection, such as a missing connection or problems with your internet proxy.
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
November 12, 2009 on 7:37 pm | In 10 version | 84 Comments
Thanks to all of you who tried out Yahoo! Messenger 10 during the Beta period and provided feedback about your experience.
As of today, Yahoo! Messenger 10 is no longer in Beta. You can download the final version from our website. This latest version (10.0.0.1102) incorporates many bug fixes, including some related to our new video call feature. We’ve also improved the overall stability of the product.
If you’re a Windows 7 user, you’ll be glad to know this version is compatible with the new operating system.
Below is a summary of the features that are in Yahoo! Messenger 10. Be sure to watch the demo video at the end of this article for a quick tour.
High-quality video calls
We’ve completely redesigned our 1:1 webcam feature (under the hood too). Now you can make a high-quality video call to a friend with synched audio, right in the IM window. Features include the ability to swap video windows, position the video windows side-by-side, mute the call or place it on hold. You can even go full-screen with your video call. To get started, click the new “Video Call” button in the IM window (your friend also needs to be on Yahoo! Messenger 10). Tips for making video calls | Having fun with video effects
New “Y! Updates” view of your contact list
People are busy these days, doing all sorts of interesting things online. To help you keep up with your friends, we added an alternate view of your contact list that shows a real-time stream of their updates, including Messenger status message changes. If they’ve opted-in to share their updates via Yahoo!, you’ll be able to see what they’re saying on Twitter, reading on Yahoo! Buzz, listening to on last.fm, and more.
We also added additional features for how and when you see your friends’ updates. When a new update comes in, a “toast” alert will pop up in the lower right corner of your screen. If you want to disable these, go to Messenger > Preferences > Yahoo! Updates. You can turn alerts on and off and even update preferences by contact or by type of update.
Find more to chat about
Within the new “Yahoo! Updates” view, you’re sure to find more to talk about with your friends. To make it easy, we added a hover menu that lets you quickly IM a friend about their update. When you do, the update appears inline in the conversation window, so when you start your IM with “I can’t believe you like this song!”, your friend will know what you’re talking about. Note that your friend needs to also be on Yahoo! Messenger 10 to see the update inline.
Change your language easily
If you use the U.S. version but wish it could be in your local language, you’re in luck. When you start up Yahoo! Messenger 10, you’ll notice a new language menu on the sign-in screen. Choose from 16 different languages and the buttons, menus and various parts of the interface will change to that language. If you’re already signed in, you can also change your language under Messenger > Preferences > Language (you’ll have to restart Yahoo! Messenger for it to take effect).
Download Yahoo! Messenger 10
As with any new release, we welcome your feedback about what’s working well for you and what’s not. After using Yahoo! Messenger 10 for a bit, go to the Help menu and select “Send Feedback” to get started.
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
November 9, 2009 on 4:31 pm | In 10 version, Features | 16 Comments
While the new video calling feature in Yahoo! Messenger 10 is great all on its own, you can liven up your video calls even more with special effects.
Many of the popular webcams come bundled with free software that lets you add effects, backgrounds, or accessories to your video calls.
Imagine talking to a friend and all of a sudden you grow a goatee and moustache. Or perhaps you feel more comfortable talking as a cat. Pick an Avatar from your webcam software and start meowing.
Some webcams also offer filters that change the color of your window, distort your face in hilarious ways, or make you look like you’re in a vintage movie.
Here are the basic steps for how to add special effects to your video calls:
1) Make sure that you have installed the manufacturer’s software that came with your webcam. It should be on the CD that came with your webcam. Or visit the webcam manufacturer’s website.
2) Start a video call with a friend in Yahoo! Messenger 10
3) Bring up the control panel for your webcam. On the panel there should be a section or icons for the special effects. Select the one you want and start goofing!
What video effects are available with a webcam varies by type of camera and the manufacturer. But here are a few links from some top webcam makers that detail how to use their video effects:
Logitech
Creative
Microsoft (pdf)
Have you used video effects on your calls? What are some of your favorites?
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
November 5, 2009 on 2:06 pm | In 10 version, 9.0 version, Features | 12 Comments
Yahoo! Messenger for Windows has many more features than most of us use in a given day. Our preferences menu is chock full of useful settings that can help you customize your Yahoo! Messenger or make you a more efficient user.
One preference I always set when I upgrade to a new version is “Always use my fonts and colors” (Messenger > Preferences > Appearance). That means that no matter what quirky font, color or size my friends use when they message me, it will always show up in the style I prefer (Arial, 12 for anyone who’s keeping track). I think I discovered this after my college roommate kept insisting on IMs with fluorescent green Tahoma letters in size 16.
While I like to think of myself as young, my aging eyes do betray me. I got tired of squinting at my list to find a friend so a few years ago, I changed my preferences to increase the font size of my contact list (you can also change the font). You can even have online friends show up in bold so they’re more noticeable. You’ll find this ageist setting in Preferences > Appearance, under the Messenger List section.
We’ve all dealt with random people IM’ing us. Sometimes we know them, sometimes they are spammers. To help me quickly separate the riff raff from my real friends, I changed my preference to “When I receive messages from people not on my Messenger list, show the messages in a single list” (Messenger > Preferences > Messages). That way, the messages are all listed in one window and I can quickly reply or ignore them (or mark them as spam). They appear in a window that looks similar to the one used for offline messages.
On the efficiency tip are a couple of shortcuts that may come in handy. If you’re like me and leave your Messenger window open all day long, you can save a step when it comes time to shut down at the end of the day. Under Preferences > General you’ll find a setting for “Sign out of Messenger when I close the main window”. Select that and save yourself the extra step of signing out and then closing down Messenger.
And last but not least is a shortcut you can use to update your status message more quickly. You may already know about the Windows + y shortcut, but do you know the Windows + Shift + y shortcut? That one takes you right to the waiting status message menu where you can start typing your deep thoughts and important updates. For this to work, you first have to enable it under Preferences > General; look for the checkbox that says “Enable system-wide shortcut keys to activate Messenger”.
What are some of your favorite settings, shortcuts, tips or tricks in Yahoo! Messenger? Leave a comment to let us know.
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
November 1, 2009 on 12:14 pm | In Fun Stuff | 11 Comments
A co-worker pointed me to this short film about a 50+ couple, Mia and Florin Popescu, who are both a little scared of technology but determined enough to stick with it so they can IM with their son, Alex, who lives in the US. A piece of crumpled paper with instructions from Alex is their only map to the sometimes complicated world of Yahoo Messenger. It’s not a documentary but it feels like one!
Created in 2008 by Director Constantin Popescu, “The Yellow Smiley Face (Fata Galbena)” is a delightful and funny look at the steep learning curve computers present for those who have little to no experience. Watching the couple took me back to when I taught my own parents and grandparents. A powerful reminder that at some point in the past, I too had to learn how to use this machine that hums at my feet day and night.
What’s most charming about the film is the big payoff – Mia and Florin’s faces and excited chatter when they finally do connect with Alex and see him on-screen. A nice illustration of how all this complicated technology can ultimately help us make real connections.
Even if it is sometimes daunting.
Sarah Bacon
Product Manager
