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More info on Windows Live Mail (the desktop client)

By on May 7, 2007 5:30 AM
17 comments

In case you missed it during the Windows Live Hotmail announcement, the press release contained a brief sentence relating to the Windows Live desktop email client, now just called Windows Live Mail - ”Windows Live Mail, a free consumer e-mail client that will be the successor to Outlook Express and Windows Mail on Windows Vista”. 

Nothing is ever simple with Windows Live, and the latest naming / product change to Windows Live Mail is another fine example. Why you would ever reuse a name that was used by a different yet similar product for the previous 15 months we’re not quite so sure. Here’s an attempt to try and address some of the confusion that’s already showing. Our questions and the responses we got back are below.

Q: Will Windows Live Mail overwrite Windows Mail on Windows Vista? How about Outlook Express on XP SP2? 
A: Windows Live Mail will not overwrite or remove Windows Mail or Outlook Express.  Instead, it will be the successor and superset of the existing free clients, changing the entry points (so things like shortcuts replaced). 

Q: What does this mean for Windows Mail support in Windows Vista SP1 and beyond?
A: Windows Mail and Outlook Express will continue to be supported as they are today (including bug fixes) while at the same time new innovation and future investment are made to Windows Live Mail.

Q: Will Windows Live Mail have ads?
A: While there won’t be graphical ads, we will continue to test Active Search in the US, but users will have the option to disable it/turn it off and on.

As a Hotmail Plus subscriber I’m not sure how I feel about the lack of ads in Windows Live Mail. While its definitely good for the user, the latest financial figures show that MSN/Windows Live is struggling to break even. With Windows Live Mail potentially putting the user experience over monetisation, it’ll be interesting to see how this is reflected in other desktop applications such as Windows Live Messenger. Messenger has always displayed ads to premium subscribers, this move will give them renewed pressure to change this policy.

The new Windows Live Mail (client) support blog is available at http://wlmailclient.spaces.live.com/ and they have helpfully quantifed the timeframe until the next beta build - the end of May. Here’s a sneak peek at part of the new wave 2 UI we’re expecting to see (remember details can change). A more complete feature list is under discussion here.

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Comments

  • http://khristopherr.spaces.live.com Khristopher

    Thanks for the small sneak peek. I was expecting something more different looking, but it doesn’t appear to be that much different from WLMd.

  • HellsChicken

    So confusing! Just so I’m clear here.. windows live mail desktop is going to change its name to windows live mail, and the new windows live mail will replace windows mail which ships with vista.. but not automatically; only as an active participation download. That about sum it up?

  • http://paulstorms.spaces.live.com paulstorm

    I can imagine it would take months to integrate the various code from all the free Microsoft email clients out there into one single free email client. :-) I can’t wait for this to be done so that they can take Windows Live Mail to the next level!!

  • http://www.borntoclone.com ian-live

    The ads haven’t been around for a while now.
    How on earth will they utilise aero?

  • Kip Kniskern

    HellsChicken
    Yup that about sums it up. Good thing we have computers to help us keep all this straight, huh? :)

  • DavidK

    The screenshot looks hot! But if it doesn’t have calendar in it I’ll be using the Outlook Connector until it does.

  • HellsChicken

    Thanks for the clear up Kip. Despite the confusing renamings, I’m actually glad it looks like they’re trying to streamline things and not have a million different products all over the place with redundant features/uses.

  • http://www.lifeinvasion.com zlinko

    So why would you want to pay for Hotmail Plus again?

    -Outlook Connector now free to everyone.
    -No Ads In WLM (Desktop)
    -2GB of space for free

    Honestly I don’t a point in paying $20 for no ads in WL Hotmail and 2GB more and a bigger attachment size limit. Especially when the calendar is in the state it is in now.

    So I ask the question again.. why pay for it? Do you think it’s worth it?

    I kind of feel for the people who are Plus subscribers at the moment, I used to be one myself. They must feel like they are getting ripped.

  • http://sxmangel.spaces.live.com/ sxmangel

    I agree with zlinko..what are Plus subscribers paying for now?

  • HellsChicken

    One of the articles on here said that they are going to be coming up with new offers for the premium services, so I guess they have something up their sleeve to keep it worthwhile.

  • Chris

    As a Plus subscriber I have to agree with you guys, the only benefits now are no ads on Windows Live Hotmail and on your own Windows Live Space.

    HellsChicken: unfortunately they’ve been saying that for 18 months now :(

  • rb1385

    It will be interesting to see how it all evolves :)

  • mrx9898

    wow, this is so confusing! wait…it could just be me :D. I have one big question. I have several different user accounts on my computer, so say I wanted to use outlook express in one, and this new windows live mail in the other, it wouldn’t replace outlook express? hmm…

  • http://paulstorms.spaces.live.com paulstorm

    Lack of ads is still a big draw for me…especially since I’m constantly roaming around in a Windows Live world. :)

    I, too, hope to see more value added to the Plus/Premium package given how they’ve opened up a lot of subscription-only capability to all users (which I applaud!).

  • CalumJR

    mrx9898, why would you want to use Outlook Express on one account and Windows Live Mail on the other?? :-S Especially when WLMail is goiing to be much better.

    I think that screenshot does make it look a bit better than WLMd. The new GUI looks polished. However, I don’t think I like the mae change much. I think they should have kept Hotmail as “Windows Live Mail” and called this “Windows Live Mail Extra” or something.

    Those names sound much better to me ^^^

  • http://gigaboot.spaces.live.com Jesper

    As a Plus subscriber I also get 4 gb of storage, but I really hope they have something good coming, otherwise there’s little point in paying for it.

  • http://www.starjoxx.com david28078

    Sometimes this is all so confusing….

    I do like the Community Server prog though…..

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