Getting Windows Live Local for Outlook 2002 (XP) and 2003

Outlook 2002 (XP) and Outlook 2003 users can download and install the free add-in, called Windows Live Local for Outlook. Like Windows Live itself, this is a beta product, so it may change over time, and there may still be some bugs in it, but I've found it to work just fine, so give it a try.

Download and Install Windows Live Local for Outlook

Follow these steps to download Windows Live Local for Outlook:

Using your web browser, go to the Outlook Live Local web page (http://outlook.live.local.com).

Find and click the Free Download button. This takes you to the Microsoft Download Center, where you will go through several steps before being allowed to actually download Windows Live Local for Outlook.

First comes the Office Genuine Advantage validation process, where your computer will have to prove that you are using a legitimate copy of Microsoft Office. Click the Continue button in the Validation Recommended section, and follow all the steps thatappear on your screen. You may be required to install an ActiveX control. (You need to do this even if Internet Explorer objects that ActiveX controls are dangerous.) Assuming your computer passes the test, you will get to the page where you can download Windows Live Local for Outlook.

You've made it to the download page!

Click Download to start the process. Save the downloaded file to your hard disk.

Open or Run the file you downloaded. Your anti-virus / anti-spyware program may complain about something called "wextract_cleanup0". Allow this program to run. It is part of the system Windows Live Local for Outlook uses to clean up after it installs itself. Eventually, the Windows Live Local for Outlook wizard appears.

Follow the directions that the wizard displays to get the add-in installed correctly. Note that you will need to close Outlook to complete the installation.

When the wizard finishes, you are done installing the add-in, and can restart Outlook.

Using Windows Live Local for Outlook

To see what this add-in can do for you, open a new Appointment, and click the Location tab. You will see something like this:

Add maps and directions to your appointments and meeting invitations.

All you need to do is enter the location of the appointment, and optionally a starting location, and Windows Live Local provides information like a map of the area, travel time and directions to the appointment, traffic information, and a birds's eye view of the location.

NOTE: The button for exploring the location of the appointment was down when I wrote this, so you will have to try that one for yourself.

A bird's eye view is available for many locations.

You really need to play with this yourself to get a good feel for the full capabilities of this add-in. But before you do that, let's talk a bit about a couple of the buttons that appear in the Location bar near the top of the window.

The Insert Map and Directions button does exactly what it sounds like. It inserts directions from the Start Location to the Appointment Locations into the appointment or meeting invitation. It also attaches a file that contains a map of the route or location.

The Print Map and Directions also does what it sounds like. It formats the location information and gets it ready for you to send to the printer.

As you can see, Windows Live Local for Outlook can be a very useful add-in. If you ever need maps and directions for your meetings or appointments, I strongly suggest you download it and put it to use immediately. From here you can:

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