REDMOND — Microsoft demonstrated a forthcoming feature of MSN 9.0 — called Outlook Connector for MSN — at its annual Financial Analyst Meeting here on Thursday.

The Connector is aimed at providing users with seamless integration between Outlook 2003 and MSN services, such as scheduling, contact management, photo-sharing, and the like.

During Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' kick-off remarks to the financial analyst and press attendees of the day-long event, lead technical program manager Raj Pai put a "preview" release of the Connector through its paces. Pai said Microsoft make the final version of the Connector available as part of MSN 9.0 when it ships later this year.

Microsoft officials have acknowledged for years that customers have been champing at the bit for the ability to share their business and home calendars and contacts.

The Connector will allow for "rich integration scenarios," Pai said, such as the ability to drag contacts from a personal account to a work account. Users will be able to share calendars with pre-designated friends and colleagues. And all changes made to personal and business schedules and contacts that are made offline will be synchronized automatically when users go online later.

In addition to e-mail synchronization via the Connector, other "premium" services are expected to be available to MSN subscribers only. Among those under consideration, according to Microsoft executives, are some kind of DRM-protected online music/video service, advanced spam filtering, and possible some kind of souped-up parental controls.

Read "Microsoft Preps 9.0"

Earlier this month, an alpha version of MSN 9.0 leaked onto the Web. Microsoft is expected to field the first official beta any time now. Archrival AOL is in the midst of beta-testing its AOL 9.0 release. Both AOL 9.0 and MSN 9.0 are expected to debut this fall.

See "MSN 9 Alpha Leaks"