Microsoft's next-generation operating system, Windows 8 is nearly here and with it will bring changes to Microsoft's "Windows Live" platform. The Redmond-based company has decided to retire the "Windows Live" brand once Windows 8 arrives.

This means that Windows Live-based services such as Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Calendar, and Windows Live Mail will be known as Messenger, Calendar and Mail, respectively. Services such as Hotmail will continue to run normally, but Microsoft wants to unify their services under a singular "Microsoft account". This seems like a wise idea.

What happens to @live.com accounts? Well, it seems like they'll be merged over onto the new system, with the same Microsoft account capable of being used for signing into Windows 8 and will be used for Xbox Live, Zune, and more. This is what Microsoft wants its services and products to look like under Windows 8: