Microsoft released a major update to its Windows Live online services updating a number of Windows Live services. The Essentials tie applications and on-line services in the whole Windows Live experience together, supposedly in a seamless nature. Applications included in the Essentials are Messenger (now listed as Messenger 2009), Mail, Photo Gallery, Windows Live Writer, MovieMaker (I'm so not impressed with earlier versions of the Live version of MovieMaker), Family Safety, and of course Toolbar. You can also choose to install Microsoft Office Connector, Microsoft Office Live Add-In, and Silverlight. It has some appeal if you already use Messenger and Hotmail (which hundreds of millions of people do), and fancy having 25GB of free space to put your photos online.

To download the suite, visit the Windows Live Essentials Download site. The new Windows Live Calendar part of Windows Live (online) Mail is now working, and includes a To Do List feature. They have a common installer, so you have to unpick the ones you do not want (or want to remove).

Source