The new Outlook continues Microsoft’s overhaul of all its Web properties to the new touch-centric Metro feel — the same look that’s coming to the Windows 8 Start Screen and is already on Windows Phone.
[RELATED: Analysts: At First Pass, Outlook.com Looks Underwhelming]
Launched in 1996, and bought by Microsoft in 1997, Hotmail was one of the earliest free Webmail services and became the first e-mail address for millions of people, perhaps rivaled only by AOL Mail. But what was once new and exciting in the late 1990s became stagnant and less innovative by the early 2000s. Around 2004, Google’s Gmail was the hot new e-mail service, while Hotmail appeared dated. That lack of trendiness, however, did not cause Hotmail to bleed users. In fact, it was only recently that Gmail finally surpassed Hotmail, reaching 425 million active users in June, while Hotmail’s last reported user base hovered around 360 million.
Microsoft’s Outlook.com overhaul comes just in time to help Hotmail/Outlook try to regain its position as the world’s top Webmail service. It’s not clear when Hotmail will be completely absorbed into the new Outlook.com, so longtime Hotmail users resistant to change can stick with the older Webmail service for now.
But if you’re interested in getting started with Outlook.com today, here’s what you need to know whether you’re a Hotmail veteran or new to Microsoft Webmail.
Sign Up
The Inbox
Messaging
Viewing Messages
Add an Outlook Address (Hotmail users)
Let’s say Joe Smith wants to switch his Jsmith@hotmail.com to J.smith@outlook.com. His first step would be to click on the settings cog in the far right corner of the inbox and select “More mail settings.” On the next page, he would select “Rename your email address” under the heading “Managing your account.” Then, on the following page, Joe would be able to rename his Microsoft account to an Outlook.com address. Microsoft says it takes a few days for other Microsoft services such as SkyDrive to switch over to the new address.
WARNING: Windows Phone users may not want to make a permanent switch with an account tied to a phone. If you do, you won’t be able to use Marketplace, Xbox LIVE, SkyDrive, e-mail and other Windows Phone services. To get these features working again, you’ll have to restore your phone to factory settings, erasing all your personal content from the handset.
The other alternative is to leave your Microsoft account as is and create an alias address. This works just like a regular e-mail address, allowing you to send and receive e-mail. But you can’t sign in to Outlook.com or any other Microsoft service using this ID. You also have to select the Outlook.com address each time you write a new message since the default will be to use your old Hotmail or Live.com email.
To make an alias click on the Settings cog in the far right and select “More mail settings.” On the next page, select “Create a Outlook alias”. Once you choose an alias, you can decide whether to filter the messages to a special folder or straight to your regular inbox.
People, Calendar, and SkyDrive
From Outlook you are also one click away from your contacts, Calendar, and SkyDrive. To navigate to each different service hover over the Outlook logo in the top left corner of your inbox and select the downward facing arrow. Reminiscent of the Metro version of Internet Explorer 10, a dropdown bar will appear with Metro-style tiles you can select to navigate between services. In my tests, only your contacts — renamed People as in Windows Phone and Windows 8 — are updated with the new Metro look. Your calendar and SkyDrive are using the old design for now, but visual overhauls are expected soon.
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