Looks like they are now doing a beta of MSN Messenger 7.0.
Here are the main new features quoted from the site:
"Winks: Express yourself with impact. Send animations with sound to really get some attention.
Drag and Drop Backgrounds: See an image you like? Drag it to your MSN Messenger window to set it as your background.
Set Status Before Logon: See who's online before others know you've logged in by setting your status! Subsequent logons can start you up in stealth mode."

Hmm, this doesn't seem significant enough to warrant a major version number, but maybe they have some more stuff in the queue for the final release.

I installed it last night because it allows me to log on invisible. The MSN Messenger *Protocol* allowed you to do this if you wrote your own client, but it was only baked into the MS release last night.

One thing I wish they would do is allow me to remove the tabs from the side. I only ever use the friend view and xbox view.

Ha ha! When I saw the invisible feature you were the first person to come to mind. I knew you would be all over it. I always see you log on and then go 'stealth'. As for the tabs, I totally agree. Earlier versions let you configure what you want, now I can't get rid of that stupid MSN Dating tab. At the rate they keep adding tabs this thing will reach top of my screen before long.

If fleming set his default log on to "invisible", then I wouldn't have to see him keep popping up 5 times in a row when he reboots or whatever.

Yeah, sometime I need to go stealth mode cause I need to get stuff done, or I want to check xbox live. But then I feel rude. Now I feel sneaky. Sneaky is good.

There's one other update that I think might cause them to make it a major version change. Blogging interface. See /. article here http://slashdot.org/articles/04/12/02/1318251.shtml?tid=95&tid=109&tid=149

I'm not sure if the blogging is actually a part of the Messenger 7 though or if they are just releaseing the two features at the same time.

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