RSSMicrosoft Opens New Mail Client Beta
By Nate Mook | Published July 27, 2006, 2:00 PM
Microsoft has opened up the beta program for its new advertising supported e-mail client that integrates with the company's Windows Live initiative. All users can now sign up to test Windows Live Mail Desktop without needing an invitation.
As previously reported, Windows Live Mail Desktop is expected to be released later this year and will eventually serve to replace Outlook Express, which has updated for Vista and renamed Windows Mail. Because it will not ship with Microsoft's new operating system, Live Mail Desktop will be available as a free download.
Windows Live Mail Desktop will fill the role of connecting the operating system with a number of Live services. The software client links up to Windows Live Mail without configuration, and integrates Live Messenger contacts directly into the interface. It also works with any POP or IMAP e-mail account, with support for multiple inboxes.
New features of the client include junk mail and phishing protection, built-in RSS reading, as well as the posting of blog entries and publishing photos directly from the software. Microsoft has additionally added a new 3-pane view of e-mail messages.
Like its Web-based counterpart and other Windows Live services, the product will be supported through the use of advertising. At the core of this effort lies Active Search, an addition Microsoft is pitching to users as a helpful feature, but which will largely function like text link advertising on popular search engines.
"We're driving hard toward our version 1 release and we need your help to locate those hard to find issues that you care about the most and to tell us what you think. We’re confident that you will find the beta very usable and we promise to send you a refresh very soon (plenty of new goodies on the way!)," said Live Mail Desktop program manager Oji Udezue.
In order to download the beta release, users must simply visit ideas.live.com and either click "Sign Up" or "Download" under the Windows Live Mail Desktop section. The client requires logging in with a Passport address.
Microsoft is supporting Windows Live Mail Desktop during the beta phase, and has setup a special link along with a blog for reporting any problems.
Well, I got an invitation for this program a little while ago and gave it a try.
It's nice to be able to get your Hotmail e-mail on a desktop client, but it's not much different then the web based Hotmail.
It takes a little while to start up, at least on my computer, and the ad in the right hand corner is a real drag. It's not gigantic, but it's a fair size, and I really don't see the point. Outlook Express has no ads, so why bother with this? As well, I'm sure Microsoft, a mutli-billion dollar company could just take the ads out and they would do just fine financialy... But that's only a guess.
I wouldn't recommend using it, especially when you can get other free ones with no ads and more features.
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|Better yet someone explain to me why I need this web based mail program with the big freaking ad taking up my screen space.
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|It is pretty large, though right now (for me at least), it's just the "Windows Live" logo.
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|For now anyway. I'll admit it's a pretty decent and stable program though.
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|Really?
I'm getting errors like mad. Apparently it's trying to download messages that aren't there.
....every 30 seconds or so.
Gah....
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|oh yea, I forgot about that. It was all the time saying I had emails but I would go to the website and have nothing. Never had any errors though. I used it a little when it was first released. I'm back to Thunderbird and gmail now though.
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|Now, someone explain why exactly we need yet another web based mail program!
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|Options.
Competition.
Variety.
Choice.
Preference.
The list goes on. The more the merrier.
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|So True!
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|Anybody try 'view source'? the download link is there for firefox users. I found it and got mine downloaded. hint- http://g.msn.com/1csbeta/OELive
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|So I can hunt for it in the HTML source, or I can right click and choose 'Open in IE Tab'.
Huh....
I think I'll choose the IE tab option. And the fact remains. The web-page does NOT WORK in Firefox.
...just sayin'.
(It's not acutally that big a deal. I just like pointing out the blindingly obvious.)
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|What did you say?
I tried to read your comment, but I was blinded by the obvious.
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|...
I have that effect on people. ;)
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|Can't download in Firefox. Basturds.
That IETab extension sure is handy, though. ;)
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|Sorry, but it looks like you won't be able to participate in the Mail Beta at this time.
This might be because:
Your account is with one of our partners and has additional features that Mail Beta doesn’t support yet
Mail Beta isn’t available in your area at this time
You have a parentally controlled account
Your Microsoft Passport indicates you're under 13
To find out more about our other beta programs, please click here.
So much for this crap...
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|Don't worry you aren't missing much.
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|Don't worry, you be over 13 some day.
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|Don't worry, the English Language will come naturally someday. ;)
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|Don't worry.
Be happy.
( send them a bug report saying they ruined ur day ... it is a beta :p )
Latz, SB
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|Believe me...you're not missing much.
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|I think with the alpha release of Thunderbird 2.0, it only gives you less of a reason to use a Microsoft client. Especially one with large ads. We'll see though.
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