Windows Live Expo Launches

Posted: July 26, 2006

Windows Live Expo has finally moved past beta into a full launch. It looks to combine aspects of traditional classifieds (things for sale), a dating site (find people), Craigslist (swap, general listings), and areas for job hunters. Some very interesting things are on the horizon for Expo and MSN.

The permissions are tied into Microsoft’s messenger where one can post items to be viewed just by contacts, everyone, or messenger and email contacts.

Additional promotion for items is available by tying it to your MSN Space (MSN’s blogging system), enabling/disabling comments on the item in question, and the ability for people to ask you questions via Windows Live Messenger (note: this option exposes your ID).

Listings expire after a maximum of 8 weeks, and the posting time can be shorter.

The entire site is geographically qualified. So, when you login into Expo, it asks for your address (or area you wish to view listings), and your search radius. It currently doesn’t look like it will be competition for eBay properties like their Motors site as the car listings are local in nature.

It also hasn’t gone quite as far as Google Base by allowing one to add their local business, or just a permanent page about themselves into the content.

However, for a brand new release for a comprehensive set of classifieds, the site works quite well. The press doesn’t seem to have picked up much about Expo yet, but there seems to be quite a bit of functionality that is a great start and quite possibly improved upon by adding many new features.

The official expo blog can be found here.

Below is the email I received officially announcing Expo’s launch:

Hello, Windows Live™ Expo customer,

We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your great ideas, valuable listings, and informative feedback. Over the last few months, we made tons of improvements to Windows Live Expo. And now the time has finally come:

Windows Live Expo has officially launched!

We hope you will keep on using Windows Live Expo to connect with your community in fun ways. Please stay in touch and keep those opinions coming. Tell us if your stuff is selling, and what works and doesn’t work for you. Because, even though we’ve launched, Team Expo is not resting on our laurels-we’re hungry for your suggestions to make Windows Live Expo even better.

A few of the improvements:

New Look - A brand new look & feel for the site, including the official Windows Live look and integration, plus improved accessibility, scaling, and ease of use
Integrated Feedback - This feature allows users to share feedback or comments on a particular listing with the rest of the community
Enhanced Mapping - Satellite imagery, driving directions, more
Improved Security - Enhanced protection against spam and fraud

In addition, if you haven’t done so already, please sign up for the new Windows Live Expo newsletter on the profile page (once you’re logged into Windows Live Expo). Otherwise this will be the last time you get an update email from us. (You know that agreement when you joined this program? The one that said we would only contact you about beta updates? We take that seriously.) The newsletter will keep you in the loop about the latest on Windows Live Expo and other Windows Live Services that bring your online world together.

Thanks again for your support-you rock!

Team Expo

http://expo.live.com/

P.S. We also now have an easy-to-remember domain name, “http://www.expo.org/“-tell your friends and keep visiting.

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