Software giant Microsoft announced that it is revamping Windows Live Web services into a complete social networking site in proportion to Facebook.

The changes include updated photo sharing, news feeds, an instant messaging, blogging, e-mail, and lots more.

Microsoft also said that it is incorporating activities from around 50 companies and Web 2.0 services, which include Yahoo Inc.’s Flickr photo-sharing service, LinkedIn Corp., Photobucket Inc., Twitter and WordPress.org, into the social networking site through new Windows Live profiles and a news feed.

Michael Arrington, a blogger at TechCrunch said, “A lot of what they've done is exactly what Yahoo has been talking about for over a year now -- leveraging social connections that already exist.”

“Yahoo is using e-mail; Microsoft is using Messenger and doing a lot more with it. Users are automatically connected with any friends they have on Windows Live Messenger, which is by far the most popular instant messaging service worldwide,” he added.

The new version of the portal will allow users to create a profile similar to those on other social networking websites, such as Facebook and MySpace, and will let them see news feeds about their friends, upload photos, join groups and plan events on a calendar.

Like Yahoo, he added, Microsoft is building it social networking plan around its field of strength that is instant messaging.

“Live.com users can now access a variety of online services like mail, calendar, photos, online storage, etc., as well as downloaded services that include a mail client, instant messaging, Movie Maker, Photo Gallery, the Toolbar and other services,” Arrington said. “And now it's also one big social network. The result is an impressive personal productivity suite that makes me almost wish I wasn't solely a Mac user.”

Frederic Lardinois, a blogger at Read Write Web, stated that while Microsoft is not naming Windows Live a straight rival to other social networks, but it presents an inspiring fear to them.

“Overall, it seems that Live Profiles and the new Windows Live home page will tie Microsoft's Live Services together into a very comprehensive social network," Frederic added. “While it doesn't have widgets that let you poke your friends, it does have a broad set of applications like photos, spaces, contacts, groups, calendar and events that can all be integrated into your Live Profile.”

Stan Schroeder, a blogger at Mashable, said that Microsoft's efforts will permit users to check out what is happening on all their different profiles straightly via Live.com.

“Regarding Web portals in general, the paradigm has shifted,” he added. “It is no longer important to have people click on various links on a portal, thus increasing your page view count; all the major portals want to have their users' undivided attention. They're doing this by turning the portal into a social activity hub; a one-stop shop for users who are dabbling with social networking but aren't hard-core users and don't have time to open a dozen web sites each day.”