Microsoft’s answer to Google Pack, Windows Live Essentials 2011 (aka Wave 4) is out of its beta stage and is now available for download. What’s interesting is that the development team claim that almost 95% of bugs reported by beta testers have been addressed in the final release version, coming just a month after the final beta release.

The Windows Live Essentials bundle includes Live Messenger, Live Writer, Live Movie Maker, Live Mail, Live Photo Gallery, Live Sync, Bing Bar, Live Family Safety, Live Mesh, Bing Bar, Outlook Connector Pack, Silverlight and Messenger Companion. And unlike most Microsoft products, it’s a free download, with no strings attached.

Primarily targeted at Windows 7, though not bundled with it, it will also work on Windows Vista, though Windows XP is not supported. Live Essentials takes full advantage of Windows 7′s features allowing you to pin applications to the task bar and use jump lists to use common tasks. Language support, on the other hand, should not disappoint as 48 languages are presently supported. The installation is simple enough with just one file to download. The installer lets you pick and choose among the various components letting you decide which are most suited to your needs.  Integration with internet-enabled services is done very well with most of your internet needs catered to – blogging, posting videos and photos and email.

The social networking angle is hard to miss with the Photo Gallery allowing you to post images directly to Flickr, Facebook or even SmugMug and the movie maker integrating with YouTube. Even the new Windows Live messenger has taken a cue from other, more popular , clients and now allows you access to all your social networks from inside one application. The integration of all the applications is clearly evident with the use of the ribbon by default, mirroring the design of Windows 7 applications.

Though the focus of all the included products is undoubtedly Microsoft’s own services, other, popular choices are not left out. Live Writer, for instance, includes support for Blogger, Live Spaces, WordPress and TypePad among others. Though, on the flip side, the maps feature in Writer supports only Windows Live Local maps, something Microsoft need to fix fast if this application catches on.

Overall, a very useful, well-put-together, set of applications that every Windows user must have and at a free, 134 MB download, not unduly large. If you don’t already have your internet content/ networking needs catered too, this is the killer application for you.

Download Windows Live Essentials 2010

Also Read: Microsoft shut down Live Spaces and users will migrate to WordPress.