Windows Live Contacts

Windows Live Contacts is part of Microsoft's Windows Live services. It integrates tightly with Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Spaces, and Windows Live Mail to provide users access to their contact's profiles and information. It allows a user to share different information with different groups of people.

Real-time Updates
Windows Live Contacts allows real-time updates to contact's information. Suppose one of the user's contacts just moved and has a new home address. When that contact enter their new information in Windows Live Contacts, the user's contact list across Windows Live services is automatically updated in real time. The same thing happens when the user changes his or her details — the user's friends and colleagues immediately receive the new information through Windows Live Contacts. Contact updates can be seen in your Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Hotmail contact list, and also on user's Windows Live Spaces profile.

Privacy
A user can decide who can and can't see their contact information. They can have their personal information display only to their friends, their friends of friends, people on their Messenger contact list, people who are able to view their Space, or a custom list of contacts.

All users must sign in with their Windows Live ID in order to use the Windows Live Contacts service.

Windows Live Contacts gadget
The Windows Live Contacts control gadget is client-side JavaScript that enables end users to use their Windows Live Contacts (from Windows Live Hotmail and Messenger) with any third-party (non-Microsoft) websites conveniently and securely. The gadget is compatible with any web server, most browsers, and doesn't require any license with Microsoft.

Currently only the following web browsers are supported:
 * Internet Explorer 6 with SP2
 * Windows Internet Explorer 7
 * Firefox 2.0

The Windows Live Contacts control gadget can be seen in several working samples:
 * Crash a Party
 * Start a Party
 * Map Your Contacts