Jones says that with Windows 8, Microsoft is trying to make all the Windows Live services seem like features of a tightly integrated hardware-software package, available out of the box in Windows apps, Metro apps, browsers and on mobile devices.

"Today the expectation is that a modern device comes with services as well as apps for communication and sharing. There is no 'separate brand' to think about or a separate service to install - it is all included when you turn on your PC for the first time," Jones writes.

Making Windows Live features seem integrated requires setting up a Microsoft account and logging into it when logging into Windows 8. This automatically logs Windows 8 applications into the Microsoft cloud. This enables, for example, syncing account settings across different PCs.

Other apps that are included are an address book, calendar services, photo and document storage, and a mailbox. Access to these services, once they are set up, become part of the features of any Windows 8 device a customer logs in from.

Before, these were called Windows Live Essentials and were a distinct bundle, but Windows 8 redesigns them in the Metro style so they are integrated with the desktop.