MSN Hotmail becomes Windows Live Hotmail

Starting today, the Live Team will begin rolling out a massive 36-language upgrade from MSN Hotmail to Windows Live Hotmail.  This is the biggest Hotmail update ever seen:  the new version of Hotmail improves safety, productivity and flexibility across clients on the web, desktop and mobile phones.

Today's rollout begins at www.hotmail.com, where new user accounts will be created as Windows Live Hotmail accounts; existing MSN Hotmail users will be able to upgrade their accounts to Windows Live Hotmail by clicking the green Join Windows Live Hotmail button in their accounts after logging in.  The rollout is expected to occur gradually and continue throughout the next couple days.

Windows Live also announced a brand-new, free email client called Windows Live Mail, the successor to Outlook Express and Windows Mail on Windows Vista.  Also coming is a new Outlook Connector which will allow you to sync your Windows Live Hotmail account to an Outlook 2003 or 2007 client.

Read the Hotmail Team's blog post on the launch, including a video of Hotmail's evolution from 1996 to 2007.  Also, Kip Kniskern from LiveSide chatted with Windows Live Product Management Director Paul Major to find out a little bit more on the launch announcement.

I'm sure Brandon will soon have in-depth coverage of these announcements in the Windows Experience Blog, so keep your eyes peeled ...

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Comments

  1. Matjaz_f
    Posted on: May 09, 2007 at 3:10PM  

    Can sync Windows Live Hotmail with my pocket PC Ipaq rx1950, and if not why?

  2. janely
    Posted on: May 09, 2007 at 4:15PM  

    Hi Matjaz_f,

    If you are running Windows Mobile 6.0, you can sync with your Windows Live Hotmail.  Here is a link to an article that explains how to set it up: http://blogs.msdn.com/mayurk/archive/2007/02/16/push-email-with-windows-live-hotmail-and-windows-mobile-6-0.aspx

    Jane

  3. janely
    Posted on: May 09, 2007 at 4:25PM  

    Just to add to my previous post, in WM5.0, the Pocket MSN application have an easy to use sign in page.  You can access your MSN Hotmail from there instead of using Internet Explorer on the device.  However, you cannot sync your mail.

  4. newscientist2000
    Posted on: May 10, 2007 at 12:53AM  

    I was also just reading about an IM update for Xbox 360 users, which will allow users to IM with windows live messenger users on a PC.

    http://www.xbox.com/en-us/community/news/2007/0408-im.htm

    Im a little confused though, this means text has been added right... but

    Does this mean that you can video message friends on a 360 with a webcam from your windows Vista based PC with Live Messenger and a webcam?

  5. Matjaz_f
    Posted on: May 10, 2007 at 3:00PM  

    Janely i run WM5.0. I wan't sync calendar, tasks and contats.

  6. goalie_1
    Posted on: May 11, 2007 at 8:20AM  

    Hi - is there a plan to move all hotmail users over to Windows Live Hotmail at some time? Or if they never choose to switch can they stick with the original version?

  7. dare
    Posted on: May 14, 2007 at 5:54AM  

    So by carefully reading Brandon's response: The connector for Outlook which I impatiently await will NOT be able to sync calendar entries? So will  I still have to continue dreaming about a web service / desktop software (with syncing ability for phones) - combination that lets me decently handle my calendar data from home, work and on the run? Please make that dream real, real soon!

  8. jakoblin
    Posted on: May 19, 2007 at 5:07AM  

    I can see a lot of 56k users leaving hotmail becuse the service is too slow.

  9. microcompspec
    Posted on: May 22, 2007 at 1:17PM  

    Would this change affect our msdn.com or tech net logins?

  10. Nick White
    Posted on: May 23, 2007 at 1:21AM  

    Hey microcompspec:  that should not be the case, no.

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