New Hotmail Features: Ten new reasons to love Hotmail

[Malcontent]

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_l...e-hotmail.aspx

Today, we’re pleased to announce that all of our customers have the latest release of Hotmail, with several new features, including those that we talked about in our earlier post about fighting the war on graymail. We’re excited about this release and hope you will be, too. So without further ado, here are ten new reasons to love Hotmail.

Nice new features, there is no denying that Hotmail is ahead of the concurrency.

[Daveski17]

And there is encrypted Hotmail.

[Hungry Man]

LOL I just tried to set up a hotmail account...

"Your password can't be longer than 16 characters."

This is ridiculous. Pass.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

LOL I just tried to set up a hotmail account...

"Your password can't be longer than 16 characters."

This is ridiculous. Pass.

There is a reason: the authentication mechanisms used by phones and other 3rd party applications can only send the first 16 characters.

[Hungry Man]

That's fine. But I use a much longer than 16 character password for my GMail account.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

That's fine. But I use a much longer than 16 character password for my GMail account.

Try typing only the first 16 characters of this longer password on the GMail website. I guess you will sign in normally.

[Hungry Man]

Nope.

And why is my Zip Code required information?

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

Nope.

Did you test it correctly? I tested here and it worked.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

And why is my Zip Code required information?

I always type a fake zip code anyways.

IMO, Google is worse, with their mandatory SMS activation mechanism.

[Hungry Man]

They don't have a mandatory SMS activation mechanism and they don't require my zip code.

I don't mind the zip code thing too much it's just weird.

I also don't like their UI at all - are there themes?

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

They don't have a mandatory SMS activation mechanism and they don't require my zip code.

Try to setup a new youtube account and see.

As for Hotmail, you can type a fake zip code without side issues.

[Hungry Man]

Just registered for youtube through the new GMail account I just made. Nothing SMS related has appeared so far.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

Just registered for youtube through the new GMail account I just made. Nothing SMS related has appeared so far.

Well it used to be mandatory some months ago. They change this policy a lot.

I guess the most recent one is this:

http://support.google.com/youtube/bi...answer=1628029

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

I don't mind the zip code thing too much it's just weird.

Not weird, the zip code information improves the verification procedures if you lose your account password. Yahoo requires it as well.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

I also don't like their UI at all - are there themes?

Yes. http://explore.live.com/hotmail-get-started?T1=t5

[Hungry Man]

Their theme just kinda... changes the top bar area. The rest all still looks the same.

The image is large so I'm going to host it elsewhere.
http://tinypic.com/r/ehfyfp/5

I must prefer being able to customize my entire page.

Well it used to be mandatory some months ago. They change this policy a lot.

I guess the most recent one is this:

http://support.google.com/youtube/bi...answer=1628029

This only applies to uploaders, which makes sense.

Verifying GMail accounts can be done with two-step verification or with a linked account - same as HotMail.


It's nice to see they're making improvements. Hotmail used to be awful. I'll stick with GMail for now.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

Their theme just kinda... changes the top bar area. The rest all still looks the same.

The image is large so I'm going to host it elsewhere.
http://tinypic.com/r/ehfyfp/5

I must prefer being able to customize my entire page.

Do you get any real advantages with your customizations? That's what matters IMO.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

This only applies to uploaders, which makes sense.

Verifying GMail accounts can be done with two-step verification or with a linked account - same as HotMail.

Yeah, but by requiring zip code Hotmail makes this process a bit more secure without making it more difficult.

[Hungry Man]

Do you get any real advantages with your customizations? That's what matters IMO.

I find the UI more compact and compartmentalized. Having a dark background is very important to me - I find it much easier to look at especially if I'm in a dark room.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

I find the UI more compact and compartmentalized.

I find Hotmail UI better organized and more intuitive comparing it on your screenshot. Anyways, we will have to agree that this part is very subjective.

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

Having a dark background is very important to me - I find it much easier to look at especially if I'm in a dark room.

I couldn't think on a downside on the Hotmail when objectively comparing Hotmail with GMail, but this is definitely one. So, there is still room for improvements. Anyways, on Firefox I can think about quite a number of workarounds for this issue.

[J_L]

My school already loves it.

Originally Posted by J_L

My school already loves it.

It's funny, isn't it?

My school blocks social networks including instant messaging sites/apps, and now people use the (Web Live) Messenger integrated on Hotmail. The school doesn't do anything against Hotmail because most people use Hotmail as their email provider. The school is back to the manual monitoring, in other words, it gave up. lol

[funkydude]

I've gotta say, I've used Hotmail for about 13 years and never felt the need to change. They may add "great" new features but at the end of the day it's an email service and it can send and receive emails, that's all I need it to do. ^^

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by guest

Try to setup a new youtube account and see.
...

And later:

Well it used to be mandatory some months ago. They change this policy a lot.

I guess the most recent one is this:
http://support.google.com/youtube/bi...answer=1628029

As HM showed, for YouTube, SMS is not mandatory. It's required only for enabling unlimited-length video uploads. Just in case people get the wrong impression

Hotmail totally makes sense for those dependent on Microsoft.

Originally Posted by vasa1

Hotmail totally makes sense for those dependent on Microsoft.

Yes, and makes sense for anyone wanting a free email provider. And it works on non-Microsoft platforms. You know: "Just in case people get the wrong impression."

[Amit]

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

That's fine. But I use a much longer than 16 character password for my GMail account.

but I don't think gmail allows more than 16 character password........

Originally Posted by guest

IMO, Google is worse, with their mandatory SMS activation mechanism.

when I setup my gmail.....I had to go through sms activation......

I love gmail more than hotmail.......

[vasa1]

Originally Posted by guest

Yes, and makes sense for anyone wanting a free email provider. And it works on non-Microsoft platforms. ...

That needs to be fixed ASAP Don't you agree?

Originally Posted by vasa1

That needs to be fixed ASAP Don't you agree?

I access Hotmail on my Samsung Galaxy S II (OS: Android) and also on my Nokia N8 (OS: Symbian) regularly. Also, sometimes I install Ubuntu using Wubi (for fun) and Hotmail works fine.

No "fix" needed, really. lol