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Microsoft preps Live Hotmail refresh

Marshalus   on 20 September 2008 - 04:51 · 43 comments & 26630 views

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Microsoft has been doing a lot this week to help boost the image of the future for their Live services, along with the recently released "wave 3" of Windows Live utilities, Microsoft has sent an email out to their Live Hotmail subscribers outlining some of the changes they have planned to give a boost to the service.

Based on customer feedback, Microsoft has focused on making the next version of Live Hotmail faster, in fact they claim the next version will be nearly 70% faster when signing in, opening and viewing messages when used with a broadband connection and up to 56% faster on slower connections.

To add a new twist to the ever increasing storage-size war between Microsoft, Google and Yahoo... Microsoft has upped the ante by planning to introduce a storage system that "will grow with you" -- while not mentioning specifics, they claim that as you need more storage for your messages, you'll get it and while there will be a limit it will be "so large that chances are you won't even come close to them."

Other new features include the ability to IM directly from the Hotmail interface, improvements to the calendaring system and a revamped UI. Rumor has it that the UI will attempt to merge some of the innovations of the latest version with the more familiar, simpler, Hotmail that layout users were used to before the last upgrade.

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(1 reply) #1 +snuke on 20 Sep 2008 - 05:05
cool new stuff! can't wait! live mail ftw
#1.1 Swordnyx on 21 Sep 2008 - 14:41
I know I've been using it more than Gmail lately.. GMail used to be cool cause I was one of the only ones using it in like 2005-6, but now everyone uses it so its not that special. But @live is awesome haha.

But I think they should've lied about "infinite storage" like Yahoo, in which the size only grows when you put files in it, then decreases when you take them out.
#2 nihalz on 20 Sep 2008 - 05:51
u gotta fix your hyperlink to the email
(11 replies) #3 Sam Symons Live on 20 Sep 2008 - 06:01
Any news of POP support...?
#3.1 Admodieus on 20 Sep 2008 - 06:44
(Sam Symons Live said @ #3)
Any news of POP support...?


It's been available through Windows Live Mail or Office Outlook Connector for over a year.
#3.2 Faisal Islam on 20 Sep 2008 - 07:06
No. Pop3 access supports only with Paid account.
#3.3 Faisal Islam on 20 Sep 2008 - 07:08
(Admodieus said @ #3.1)
(Sam Symons Live said @ #3)
Any news of POP support...?


It's been available through Windows Live Mail or Office Outlook Connector for over a year.


Windows Live Mail or Office Outlook Connector does "IMAP"
#3.4 Sam Symons Live on 20 Sep 2008 - 07:50
Let me reword that. Will free users be able to access their hotmail accounts on the iPhone (without using any third party solutions)? I'd pay for it but it's not available for us in NZ.
#3.5 PsykX on 20 Sep 2008 - 14:11
Yeah, my iPod Touch is definately missing my 2 hotmail accounts. And it's certainly not because OS X mobile is very crippled and limited in functionality... MS really needs to do something about it, and enabling POP support would fix the problem.
#3.6 Faisal Islam on 20 Sep 2008 - 17:55
(PsykX said @ #3.5)
Yeah, my iPod Touch is definately missing my 2 hotmail accounts. And it's certainly not because OS X mobile is very crippled and limited in functionality... MS really needs to do something about it, and enabling POP support would fix the problem.


go with Windows Mobile 6.1
#3.7 +Ironman273 on 20 Sep 2008 - 19:43
Yeah,that's not really a solution if he already has an iPhone. I would also like to see native support for the iPhone like Yahoo and Gmail already have. I have a paid account and it's not available.
#3.8 Sam Symons Live on 21 Sep 2008 - 00:04
(Ironman273 said @ #3.7)
Yeah,that's not really a solution if he already has an iPhone. I would also like to see native support for the iPhone like Yahoo and Gmail already have. I have a paid account and it's not available.

So you do have a paid account and it's still not available? Hmm.
#3.9 +Ironman273 on 21 Sep 2008 - 13:45
(Sam Symons Live said @ #3.
So you do have a paid account and it's still not available? Hmm.

Yeah, I have a @msn.com address and I've called tech support. They told me they don't offer it but may in the future. They've rolled all msn accounts into what is basically hotmail now.
#3.10 tbcarey on 21 Sep 2008 - 22:58
(Faisal Islam said @ #3.3)
(Admodieus said @ #3.1)
(Sam Symons Live said @ #3)
Any news of POP support...?


It's been available through Windows Live Mail or Office Outlook Connector for over a year.


Windows Live Mail or Office Outlook Connector does "IMAP"


They use MAPI, actually. You can't use a regular IMAP client to access them.
#3.11 Faisal Islam on 24 Sep 2008 - 14:10
(tbcarey said @ #3.10)
(Faisal Islam said @ #3.3)
(Admodieus said @ #3.1)
(Sam Symons Live said @ #3)
Any news of POP support...?


It's been available through Windows Live Mail or Office Outlook Connector for over a year.


Windows Live Mail or Office Outlook Connector does "IMAP"


They use MAPI, actually. You can't use a regular IMAP client to access them.


ya
#4 +King Mustard on 20 Sep 2008 - 08:38
When?
(1 reply) #5 digitalsoft on 20 Sep 2008 - 09:38
Sounds cool, just wish they could find a style to stick to...they keep changing that top menu bar section with different styles, rather annoying to say the least.
#5.1 Faisal Islam on 20 Sep 2008 - 17:57
but giant banner ad makes it FUGLY :@
(2 replies) #6 Youngy on 20 Sep 2008 - 09:50
They need to add push-email support
#6.1 Marshalus on 20 Sep 2008 - 14:47
(Youngy said @ #6)
They need to add push-email support


They do have push support for Windows Mobile devices.
#6.2 Youngy on 04 Oct 2009 - 12:25
Marshalus said,
They do have push support for Windows Mobile devices.


I was meaning standardised, eg iPhone
#7 M. Seth on 20 Sep 2008 - 14:23
Thought I would say that my live hotmail for my .@live.com address has already gotten some of the refresh. The interface for hotmail has slightly different icons for folders. The live calendar is completely different.
(1 reply) #8 bbfc_uk on 20 Sep 2008 - 15:10
Hotmail is the best web based email service and it just keeps getting better and better.
#8.1 Faisal Islam on 20 Sep 2008 - 17:56
ya i agree
#9 Eros on 20 Sep 2008 - 18:13
#10 hewitt s. on 20 Sep 2008 - 21:41
I can't wait for the refresh. I'm already using the new Live Calendar beta and it loosks great. As far as POP3 access goes, this is available for Hotmail Plus subscribers -- $20/yr. All Hotmail subscribers can access their account from the desktop, for free, using Windows Live Mail. And for those with the iPhone or other mobile devices, don't forget that there is a free mobile interface for Hotmail and other Windows Live services.
#11 alex1990 on 20 Sep 2008 - 22:37
when exactly is this gonna be available? i wanna play around with it
(4 replies) #12 hsraffety on 20 Sep 2008 - 23:50
People still use Hotmail/Livemail? Lol

Gmail ftw!
#12.1 hsraffety on 20 Sep 2008 - 23:50
ps: those ads are ridiculous. I can't believe Live / Hotmail uses those ads. Adblock+ ftw too. Hahah.
#12.2 rm20010 on 21 Sep 2008 - 05:50
No, it's using Hotmail account in Windows Live Mail ftw.

(only when it works properly though)
#12.3 zape on 21 Sep 2008 - 22:08
(hsraffety said @ #12)
Gmail ftw!


Nope.

Hotmail ftw
#12.4 Faisal Islam on 24 Sep 2008 - 14:13
Yes, People still use Windows Live Hotmail caz it's the only one way to chat in peace. Google Talk is just like government's Poor website, Yahoo crashes & has lack of features + ugly. That's why people still have to use Windows Live Services. Clear?
#13 Yert on 21 Sep 2008 - 01:32
I have to say I don't really use the Hotmail bits for my account anymore; Windows Live Mail works well, and only deletes mail from the server when you do.
#14 smooth_criminal1990 on 21 Sep 2008 - 17:49
I haven't used hotmail for a while, just outlook connector
(5 replies) #15 Airlink on 22 Sep 2008 - 02:45
Last time I used Hotmail it was a spamfest in there. No thanks, I'll use a real e-mail provider.
#15.1 The2 on 22 Sep 2008 - 09:37
(Airlink said @ #15)
Last time I used Hotmail it was a spamfest in there. No thanks, I'll use a real e-mail provider.

Every fu*** day I get admin@viagra.com e-mail.. and every time I mark it as spam. WTF??? They have some kind of agreement with viagra.com??
#15.2 carmatic on 22 Sep 2008 - 10:37
yeah me too, whats up with the 'message' from viagra.com?
#15.3 Sith Warrior on 22 Sep 2008 - 13:46
(carmatic said @ #15.2)
yeah me too, whats up with the 'message' from viagra.com?


Just block the viagra.com domain, and you are all done.
#15.4 lilkiid on 23 Sep 2008 - 11:49
(Sith Warrior said @ #15.3)
(carmatic said @ #15.2)
yeah me too, whats up with the 'message' from viagra.com?


Just block the viagra.com domain, and you are all done.


I'm getting the same thing.. What's with this spam ><
#15.5 Birdzz on 30 Sep 2008 - 20:23
I've blocked the sender and the sender's domain for several days now and I still get the message in Live mail signed in or not.
(1 reply) #16 ContendeR on 22 Sep 2008 - 19:03
how about a way similar to Gmail/Zenbe to tag/organize your email?
#16.1 intrinity1 on 23 Sep 2008 - 15:23
i agree. definitely makes it easier when searching for email. hope they add this.
#17 dodialog on 23 Sep 2008 - 13:42
funny - from au I cant get into any of the Live services including Live (HOT) Mail - not a very "live" way of doing a refresh - If that is what is happening - with MS who knows?

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