After months of silence, Windows Live team has finally shed some light on Microsoft's newly formed "Software + Service" (S+S) strategy. Windows Live Photo Gallery will bring together software plus a service to give us a first look at what exactly will a (S+S) solution bring to us as users.

On June 27, Microsoft kicked off private beta of Windows Live Photo Gallery to about 5,000 selected beta testers. Windows Live Photo Gallery will replace the integrated Windows Photo Gallery on Windows Vista systems and it will also be supported on Windows XP SP2.

Brandon LeBlanc of "The Windows Experience Blog" has covered a very nice review of what exactly is Windows Live Photo Gallery:

"Windows Live Photo Gallery includes all of the features of Windows Photo Gallery in Windows Vista - but extends the experience by adding new functionality as well as integration with Windows Live services such as Windows Live Spaces. Here is a list of a few new things you'll find in the initial beta release of Windows Live Photo Gallery:

• Improved image editing features like Panoramic stitch, histogram, and sharpen image.
• Improved tagging and organization including the ability to quickly sort by name, file type, tag or date.
• Publish photos directly to your photo galleries on Windows Live Spaces.
• Auto event grouping and tagging when importing photos (and video) from your camera to PC.
• Improved Photo Import Tool."

Microsoft officials has said that the company is planning to make this new service available to any interested beta tester later this year and to launch the final version in the late fall or early winter.

Link: (non-working)
Windows Live Photo Gallery

Taimur Asad (The Microsoft "Wow" Blog!)