Windows Live Messenger has been publicly updated to version 8.0.0689 in what appears to be the final BETA run.

This version introduces a huge speed-up in the operation of Messenger, sign-in time is also much faster now. There arent any significant feature changes since the previously leaked Messenger 8.0.0683, with the exception that this is a public BETA release of MSN Messenger. Most of the other changes are to the graphics and icons.

Download Windows Live/MSN Messenger 8.0.0689:
Official Mirror - (English version - 15.1 MB)
Downloads for other languages available here

For links to download the Messenger BETA in other languages, just visit the MSN Messenger 8.0 page.

There are still minor issues with this release of MSN Messenger 8, for example some users have reported that the Folder Sharing feature does not work with this build, or the installer asking to close itself (just click on Ignore if this happens).

Not many changes are expected to be made between this version and the Final release of Messenger 8.0. There is still no news regarding the upcoming Yahoo Messenger interoperability.

Jeremy of the Messenger Support Space has also posted an updated set of release notes for this Messenger release. Messenger 8.0.0689 Release Notes (HTML Format).