I recently received an invitation by Microsoft to try out
their new product, Windows Live Mail Beta. It's a brand new interface
of webbased email exploiting the AJAX application structure. It's
Microsoft's attempt to compete with Google's now very famous Gmail.
In simple words, it's a new version of Hotmail.
Getting Started
First, an invitation. If you don't have one, there are some methods you can try to get them.
To
use Live Mail, I have to go through a transition process between my
Hotmail account and Live Mail. This transition process will move all my
emails, contacts and everything into Live Mail account. So, it doesn't
mean that you have to sign up for a new email account or anything.
Microsoft promise that if at any stage, I would like to opt out of this
beta service, I can. That's promising enough for me.

What's special about Live Mail?
Everything
you have in Hotmail is available in Live Mail. Live Mail uses AJAX
technology, similar to Gmail. AJAX is not actually a technology but a
very dynamic interface utilising Javascript and XML, this gives the end
user some very cool features and fast browsing without having to reload
the page all over again.
Upgrading to Live Mail gives you 2GB of free space instantly. 8 times better than the regular 250MB.
The whole page is divided into three columns.
One for major folders, one for the list of emails with subject lines
and contact, and the last one to view your selected email. It is also
possible to resize the columns according to your liking.
Right Click.
You can right click on where ever you want to see a list of options.
For example, right click on the "Junk Folder" and select "Empty
Folder". Or right click on a email message, and a few options such as
"Reply", "Delete", "Forward" and "Move to" will appear.
Drag and drop feature. Haven't tried it out but you are suppose to be able to drag inbox messages into Junk Email.
Calendar is available with dynamic interface as well though I haven't ventured into it but I'm positive it's gonna kick ass.
Beta being Beta have Beta bugs
Yes.
Beta bugs are one of the things you have to expect when you become a
beta tester. While the interface have still plenty to improve on such
as user friendliness and all, it's no where near as happening as Gmail.
One
of the things that Live Mail promise is speed but even after utilising
AJAX, speed isn't what they have. I suspect this may be caused by too
much client side programming.
For example, to write an email.
Inserting a contact is not easy, it is very slow due to a special
feature that calls up similar email contact that is suppose to be smart
enough to know who are you writing to. But it's filter go through the
process over and over again that it lags behind. This incident occurs
for the body part as well. Spell check is a wonderful feature, but it's
very slow.
There are always a delay in whatever you want to do. It makes a http call in every click and every key you type.
Conclusion
It's
still in the beta process and working hard to impress the beta testers.
I have high hopes for this product. But whether or not I will move back
to hotmail is definitely not going to happen. Well, maybe for the
Calendar feature.
*Updates: It appears it's easy to sign up for Live Mail, just go to their sign up page and do it on your own.
**UPDATES: For those who would like to know how to cancel this service, click here.
References: How to get a Live Mail Invitation, LiveMail Ideas, Live Mail Signup, Live Mail Blog,
Tags: Live Mail, Beta, Hotmail, Gmail, Microsoft, Google,
August 9, 2008 08:52 PM PDT
Não consigo passar meu hotmail para portugues, como faço?
July 23, 2008 03:56 AM PDT
Naum consigo ler meus mail , pq esta tao dificil e pq o site esta td em ingles ?
July 6, 2008 01:47 AM PDT
Bom eu gostaria de saber como fazer para entrar no msn sem ser instalado no computador??
June 19, 2008 04:07 PM PDT
gostaria de mudar meu msn para portugues
May 17, 2008 02:53 PM PDT
quiero cancelar mi cuenta de live
April 14, 2008 07:29 PM PDT
gostaria de mudar meu hotmail (e-mail) para o idioma 'portugues' porque não consigo ler em inglês, como faço? obrigada
June 12, 2007 03:33 PM PDT
Não sei ingles, quero windows live mail na versão português (Brasil).
June 11, 2007 11:50 AM PDT
Could you please send me an invitation to windows Live Mail Beta
My email : ahm3d@msn.com
thanks in advance
May 21, 2007 02:01 PM PDT
Quero cancelar este widows live do meu imail com urgencia, e voltar ao meu msn normal.
obrigado
May 17, 2007 01:48 AM PDT
quero cancelar urgente essa droga windows live mail beta do meu msn
May 17, 2007 01:44 AM PDT
quero cancelar urgente essa droga windows live mail beta do meu msn
March 27, 2007 01:19 AM PDT
quero cancelar ommeu email beta como faço?
March 19, 2007 03:40 PM PDT
como faço para cancelar essa droga de windows live mail beta não consigo ler meus e ver minhas mensagens q droga
March 17, 2007 03:29 PM PDT
comop faco para cancelar email beta e muito ruim
January 16, 2007 01:38 PM PST
please please send me an invitation to windows live mail beta ive been looking everywhere for it.if you can send it to j.vjosa_unikkatil@hotmail.com
December 22, 2006 04:55 PM PST
I really want an invitation
December 17, 2006 02:03 AM PST
please please send me an invitation to windows live mail beta ive been looking everywhere for it.if you can send it to misahernandez@hotmail.com
December 1, 2006 02:25 PM PST
PRECISO CANCELAR O LIVE MAIL BETA E VOLTAR P/ A VERSÃO ANTIGA, POIS NÃO CONSIGO ACESSAR MINHA CAIXA DE ENTRADA URGENTE.
November 24, 2006 05:26 PM PST
I want to register the windows live mail betaaaaaaa....pls send sathyarajendren@hotmail.com
November 22, 2006 12:20 AM PST
La verdad es que no me gustó esta versión, me obstruye varia información. Por favor quiero regresar a la versión anterior.
Es URGENTE!!!!!!!!! Gracias.
November 21, 2006 11:05 AM PST
gostraia de cancelar o windows live mail beta do meu msn
November 21, 2006 11:04 AM PST
queria desactivar o window live beta
November 1, 2006 08:42 AM PST
I want Windows live beta mail please, send it to kat_1101_22@hotmail.com thnx alot
October 31, 2006 05:15 PM PST
Is it possable to get rid of the beta version?
October 18, 2006 11:37 PM PDT
cancelar mi cuenta gratiuta
October 18, 2006 11:15 PM PDT
pls can u send me invitation to live mail beta my email is
rabab-alhanaei2hotmail.com
October 12, 2006 08:07 PM PDT
pls can u send me invitation to live mail
ahmedhazem95@hotmail.com
October 11, 2006 09:58 AM PDT
Pls Send me Windows Live Mail Beta
My adress:ibrahim_kaya1@msn.com
October 7, 2006 10:38 PM PDT
pleaseeee send me an invitation for the WINDOWS LIVE BETA MAIL..please rita_cf20@hotmail.com
please
October 7, 2006 08:37 PM PDT
I need a Windows Live Account. please send me an invitation to furqan.durvesh@webiff.com
October 6, 2006 03:58 PM PDT
I want Windows live mail please, send it to mad_mois@hotmail.com
October 5, 2006 02:48 PM PDT
Gostaria de cancelar o windows live mail.
August 16, 2006 07:26 PM PDT
Me gustaria obtener hotmail beta... por favor ayudenme a conseguir esta version
August 9, 2006 09:31 PM PDT
hola me lla mo antoni y quisiera saber donde puedo bajar el live y live plus y live mail y el windows xp por fa alguien q' me ayude gracias y si quieren ahy les dejo mi correo es ragc_86@hotmail.com
August 9, 2006 09:31 PM PDT
hola me lla mo antoni y quisiera saber donde puedo bajar el live y live plus y live mail y el windows xp por fa alguien q' me ayude gracias y si quieren ahy les dejo mi correo es ragc_86@hotmail.com
July 21, 2006 03:10 PM PDT
gostaria de cancelar meu yahoomail beta, pois nao gostei e nem me adptei e alem do maios esta em inglês , por favor cancelem esse mail beta , obrigada
July 20, 2006 09:16 PM PDT
I WANT TO REGISTER IN THE WINDOWS LIVE MAIL BETA
July 19, 2006 02:08 AM PDT
I want Windows live mail please, send it to Soccer_Gurl009@hotmail.com
July 13, 2006 08:50 PM PDT
I want WIndows Live Mail. Send me the page to download it! At samina_sultana_101@hotmail.com
July 4, 2006 07:50 PM PDT
quiero hacer una cuenta en windows live
June 25, 2006 04:41 AM PDT
esta chido solo k deveriande mandarlos para k los de mas lo puedan ver
June 24, 2006 11:01 AM PDT
i want to regiested to windows live mail beta
June 6, 2006 10:04 PM PDT
I cant read an of my mail and it's really pi**ing me off if ur going to let people try things make sure it works first. IDIOTS there is no way of sorting it out either so sort it out for us all that are having problems
June 3, 2006 08:10 PM PDT
eu tenho que desativar o mail beta!!já não aguento mais ficar sem olhar meus emails!!por favor me ajudem
June 3, 2006 08:04 PM PDT
tenho q cancelar esse mail beta,já não aguento mais, não consigo ver meus emails!!por favor me ajudem!!
me respondam se possivel:neilinha.lima@hotmail.com
June 3, 2006 07:54 PM PDT
eu tenho que desativar o mail beta!!já não aguento mais ficar sem olhar meus emails!!por favor me ajudem
May 30, 2006 11:01 PM PDT
pt no me gusta esta bandeja de entra quiero regresar ala antigua como lo hago ya pes manes ayudenme si saben algo mandame un mensaje ami correo es:elotro_aldo@hotmail.com ya pes yo les agradesco un monton si me ayudan :D
May 29, 2006 05:35 AM PDT
GOSTARIA DE CANCELAR MEU MSN PQ ESTA CONECTADO EM OUTRO LOCAL DA NET
May 26, 2006 04:34 PM PDT
i need to cancel live beta . How?
gdeutsch@telus.net
May 24, 2006 06:47 AM PDT
the windows live mail beta is unfortunate venture please return back to the previous design
sincerelt
s.h. alazzaw
May 3, 2006 10:49 PM PDT
Eu gostaria de cancelar meu emil beta pois meu computador é muito lento e fica pior ainda para acessar meus e-mails com o beta. Como faço para usar o meu antigo e-mail novamente???
adrianaanizelli@hotmail.com
May 3, 2006 08:50 PM PDT
Anyone know how to reverse this. So I do not have Live Mail anymore? I hate the service and want my MSN to be the same as it was before..................please email me if you know
smokinlilnumba@yahoo.com
May 3, 2006 02:47 AM PDT
Não estou conseguindo ler as minhas mensagens. quero cancelar esse windows live mail.
May 3, 2006 02:18 AM PDT
gostaria de cancelar o windows live mail beta do meu msn com urgencia nao estou conseguimdo mais ler meus email virou uma praga
April 28, 2006 11:50 PM PDT
hola sabes no puedoo ler mis mensajes no quiero estar ya en su windows como puedo salir de su pagina
April 25, 2006 08:22 PM PDT
nao consigo ler meus e-mail no windows live me ajudem a excluir ele
April 24, 2006 06:45 PM PDT
http://seigey.blogdrive.com/archive/291.html
April 24, 2006 02:32 PM PDT
eu quero entrar no msn beta como eu faço isso ?
April 24, 2006 09:42 AM PDT
http://seigey.blogdrive.com/archive/291.html
April 24, 2006 01:16 AM PDT
quisiera ver si me pueden dar una invitacion para agrandar la capacidad de mi correo se los voy a estar agradecido
April 23, 2006 10:37 AM PDT
I NEED TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO WINDOWS LIVE BETA MAIL AND DONT KNOW HOW I AM UNABLE TO READ ANY MAIL. WHEN I SIGNED UP I WAS TOLD I COULD UNSUBSCRIBE AT ANY TIME THIS IS NOT TRUE!!
April 18, 2006 08:22 PM PDT
hola, me llamo jhon, yo ya tengo una cuenta de windows live mail, pero todavía no tengo las funcion3es, pero eso no importa, yo ya tengo 2GB
April 17, 2006 05:08 PM PDT
Quero cancelar meu windows live mail beta do meu msn, não consigo ler minhas mensagens.
April 15, 2006 12:55 AM PDT
para cancelar, vão as "opções" e selecionam "o opt beta para fora de". Ou estale-me
April 15, 2006 12:54 AM PDT
gostraia to cancel windows live mail beta of mine msn, but translated in Portuguese I to be able cancelled.
April 15, 2006 12:50 AM PDT
it would like to cancel, nao I obtain to have access mine emails....
April 14, 2006 09:59 PM PDT
quiero desactivar windows live mail beta
April 14, 2006 09:53 PM PDT
gostraia de cancelar o windows live mail beta do meu msn, mas traduzido em portugues para eu poder cancelado.
April 14, 2006 09:38 PM PDT
gostaria de cancelar, nao consigo acessar meus emails....
April 14, 2006 09:36 PM PDT
quero concelar
April 14, 2006 04:24 AM PDT
I want to cancel mail Windows live, my pagina, because it was not possible to be lowered completely and my pagina I cannot habrir them, I need that it is cancelled since I do to him
April 14, 2006 12:46 AM PDT
quiero cancelar windows live mail, de mi pagina, pues no se pudo bajar completamente y mi pagina no las puedo habrir, necesito que se cancele como le hago
April 7, 2006 01:55 AM PDT
quisiera desactivar windows live mail beta de mi cuenta de correo ¿como lo hago?
April 6, 2006 02:33 PM PDT
quiero desactivar windows live mail beta
April 6, 2006 12:26 AM PDT
Cómo cancelo widows live mail Beta de mi cuenta de correo??
April 6, 2006 12:26 AM PDT
Cómo cancelo widows live mail Beta de mi cuenta de correo??
April 5, 2006 01:16 PM PDT
quero cancelar
April 1, 2006 08:31 PM PST
Você pode cancelar seu windows live mail beta das opções. Escolha o Opt beta para fora
April 1, 2006 12:53 PM PST
eu gostaria de cancelar o meu windows live mail beta por que eu nao consigo entrar no meu e-mail como eu faço ???
March 16, 2006 01:55 PM PST
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. You can opt out of the beta service by going to "Options / Beta Opt Out". Easy.
March 16, 2006 05:26 AM PST
HOW DO I GET THE CLASSIC INBOX. I CAN ONLY VIEW A COUPLE OF NEW EMAILS AT A TIME.
March 11, 2006 11:30 PM PST
Geraldine:
Welcome to my blog and I'm glad you find this information useful.
I do believe you can revert back to the previous version should you feel like it. Just go to Options and choose to "Opt out of Beta"
How can we contact you? You didn't leave me your email address or anything.
March 10, 2006 02:46 PM PST
I just posted some comments but I wonder if it does any good. Does anyone that can help read this or is it just another ad for the program? Will hope someone will contact me and let me get my mail or maybe I have to unsubscribe.
March 10, 2006 02:43 PM PST
I was given an invitation to sign up and I did. lthen I was notified that I had Windows Mail Betafor my hotmail account. Got it one day and haven't been able to get it since. Can't even get my mail from this account. What is going on with this program. Do I keep it or is the way it's going to be. I am tired of trying to find some answers and help and I am beginning to be tired of Microsoft claiming to ge so good. Maybe I could get a phone number sometime and then be able to talk to someone that I could understand and they would help with all my Micrsoft problems. Thanks for this place to tell you this probllem.
March 10, 2006 12:45 PM PST
gostraia de cancelar o windows live mail beta do meu msn, mas traduzido em portugues para eu poder cancelado.
March 10, 2006 12:43 PM PST
gostraia de cancelar o windows live mail beta do meu msn