Microsoft Windows Live, Office Live, & Other Online Office Applications

Saw this article at Slashdot and thought I'd share. Apparently MS has decided it can make some advertising money by offering more online services, so it's launching Windows Live and Office Live.

Windows Live is basically a personal portal, virtual online desktop kind of thing, with email, blogging, news, messenger, etc. not that different from MyYahoo, Google Homepage, Netvibes and others. If you have a HotMail or Passport account, you can log into Windows Live at http://www.live.com -- but there's not much there yet. But there will be soon, including a new online email client and a new online instant messenger that will include VOIP that will let you call regular phones, pretty much like Skype.

Office Live is apparently going to be online versions of scaled-down MS Office applications. Different levels with have different amounts of functionability, and will range from free (ad supported) basic functions to subscription-based advanced functions.

For some non-Microsoft online office-type applications, here are a few that I've been playing around with:

Writely.com - it's a word processor, it's in beta, and it's free. And it works in IE, Mozilla, and Firefox.
NumSum - lets you create simple spreadsheets. It's also in beta, and it's also free.
Kiko - an online calendar program. Works in IE and Firefox.
ThinkFree Office - Microsoft-compatible word processor, presentation builder, and spreadsheet applications. And also lets you create PDF files. All free!
Meebo - online Instant Messenging -- use AIM, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger, Jabber, GTalk, Microsoft Messenger -- all in one browser window!