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Windows Live Hotmail Launches in US on Monday

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

May 4, 2007, 11:54 AM

As first reported by BetaNews in mid-April, Microsoft is on track to launch Windows Live Hotmail in the United States on Monday, sources are now confirming. The exit of the revamped service from beta is also being confirmed by an e-mail sent to testers of the service thanking them for their support and saying the product was now ready for public release. It is not yet clear whether the company is allowing the registration of live.com e-mails.

Windows Live Hotmail will offer several enhancements over the current user interface and is built upon Microsoft's AJAX platform. It includes right click menus, a paneled interface, and updated search bar. The UI is very similar to that of Outlook, the company's desktop e-mail application.

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By pister

edited May 26, 2007 - 11:20 PM

Want to switch to windows beta light hotmail and cannot why I am getting frustrated and considering switching to a different email

Score: 0

By CT2001

posted May 8, 2007 - 11:06 AM

Live Hotmail (even the "Light" version) isn't much fun if you're a dialup user. But who cares about folks on dialup, right? Let them eat cake! :P

Score: 0

By TechNoWeb

posted May 7, 2007 - 7:18 PM

as with any email address you make one for filling in web crap and one for family and friends and set it so the only thing that come into your in box is the email you approve i never get any junk mail in my hotmail in box as i have it set this way i all so have my other mail boxes set this way with other services because no service is perfect

all in all i like the look and feel of live mail but it's just an in box and it serves its purpose.

Score: 0

By The Dave

posted May 7, 2007 - 11:30 AM

So has anyone got the "Launched" version yet? Today is Monday and it looks the same to me. :)

Score: 0

By PostDeals

posted May 6, 2007 - 11:25 PM

ah these are dime a dozen.

Score: 0

By jermort

edited May 6, 2007 - 1:57 PM

As a beta tester, I can tell you to expect your junk email to increase by a factor or 300 to 400%. If this flawed program has a junk filter, it doesn't WORK!!!!!!!!

Score: 0

By The Dave

posted May 4, 2007 - 4:42 PM

I'm hoping that I get a half eaten candy bar and maybe some 6 month old milk.

Mmmmmmm........ Tasty.

Score: 0

By frankwick

edited May 4, 2007 - 1:07 PM

OWA right-click access is cool in a browser. I'm no hotmail user, but I think this would be a first for a free webmail client.

Score: 0

By The Dave

posted May 4, 2007 - 1:49 PM

Not a first. Yahoo! Mail has been doing it for over a year now.

Yahoo! Mail is still the best around.

Score: 0

By jaffar-

posted May 5, 2007 - 11:00 AM

they stole this idea from live hotmail

Score: 0

By crashoverride

posted May 4, 2007 - 2:17 PM

I don't know if I trust Yahoo! I just set up a new account with em a few days ago, haven't even used it for anything yet and already have 13 spam emails in it.

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted May 5, 2007 - 9:10 AM

I have a 7 year old account with yahoo and I never get spam. period. Adjust the filters.

Score: 0

By ogman

posted May 4, 2007 - 12:50 PM

Slow news day? Every time somebody in the Live group gets out of their chair, there's a press release. Somebody tie those idiots down already!

It's a good spam address, nothing more.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted May 4, 2007 - 1:02 PM

I'd actually like to see the right-click functionality in GMail. Would definitely help make it feel more like an application and not simply a webmail interface.

Score: 0

By The Dave

posted May 4, 2007 - 12:35 PM

I wonder what is going to be new if anything?

Will they just be removing the "beta" tag?

I got an email from them thanking me for testing and offering me a "beta tester badge" to put in my signature. It's pretty dumb. I can't believe that this is how they thank us. :) Really dumb. Why would I want a freakin' stupid image promoting them in my email?

Score: 0

By Agent31

posted May 4, 2007 - 6:58 PM

Fingers crossed it will be the cue for MSN Calendar's update to make an appearance!

Score: 0

By TomeOne

posted May 4, 2007 - 4:15 PM

I got a t-shirt and limited edition memory card after beta testing xbox live back in the day.

Score: 0

By ogman

posted May 4, 2007 - 12:51 PM

Sounds about as good as the 8 x 10 ink jet printed "certificates" they sent out to the Office beta testers.

Score: 0

By thefalcon2k5

posted May 4, 2007 - 3:28 PM

... Which is what I got here. I wonder what I'll get for testing Games For Windows LIVE!

Score: 0

By snakes200

posted May 4, 2007 - 4:06 PM

probably nothing for testing windows LIVE. i also tested windows live along with the windows live hotmail. i have yet to receive anything for testing it.

Score: 0

By Pdj79

posted May 6, 2007 - 9:10 PM

When I tested Live Messenger, I received a "laptop" bag with the Live Messenger logo.

Score: 0

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