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15.5.08

Windows Live Mail

As a IT support that suppose to keep track with some of the latest IT thread, I was totally unaware of the new windows live package. I only knew of the windows live mail, when i went over to one of my clients and she asked me about it.

I always wanted to have a single mail programs that allow me to keep both of my web mail and office mail in one software package, even though outlook express / windows mail / outlook 2003 and other email programs allow you to add your webmail into programs, but it require you to have a hotmail plus account in order for you to do so. As for me at this moments, i can honestly said I don't need that extra functions that come with hotmail plus.

So after I installed and run the Windows Live Mail:

WLM01This is what you see for the default interface, you can see that I actually have more than 1 email, one for my default hotmail (which you all should know), then my work mal and the additional email I use. Too bad, i cant add in my yahoo account.

 

 

 

 

WLM_contractsThis is where you store your contacts, the beauty of this is it will automatics download all your hotmail contacts, it will even download your buddy IM pictures. So now i got my office contacts and hotmail contacts in one.

 

 

 

 

 

WLM_RSS RSS is pretty much the standard add on to all email programs nowadays, if you don't know what RSS all about it, please Google search it or drop a comment. Anyway, as far as I know most RSS feeders programs doesn't allow you to view the full contents of the feeds. (As of outlook 2003~2007), which make me really like this. It allow me to read the full contents without the need to open up any windows / IE / firefox etc.

 

 

 

wlm_mail02

Here is where you type your new message to send out, you have the option to send using which email account, and it will auto filter your contacts as you type. It also support HTML mail which mean that you can post picture email instead of text mail with attachment.

 

 

 

 

Overall, I would said I love this email programs better than some, it has some nice little touch that some programs doesn't offer. But bear this in mind, this is definitely not a feature rich email programs that can rival other professional email programs like lotus notes, outlook 2003 /2007 etc.

Since I'm not using any exchange server, so I can't said this support exchange feature or not. The other things I really like it to have is the calendar functions, I know currently windows live calendar still under beta, if one day Microsoft manage to put windows live calendar into this package, and allow me to sync my HTC touch calendar / contacts between pc and windows live. I think by then this will be my "the" mail programs I gonna use.

As for now, if you are a hotmail user, and wanted to access your hotmail without going through IE / firefox etc, and maybe put your POP3 mail together, you can give this a try. But if you are business users require function rich email clients or can't live without your calendar, I will said stick with what you have.  Feel free to post comment or chat box regarding this if you want to.