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Hotmail update starts rolling out for all users, POP3 coming to the US

Feb 7, 2009 3:13 am by damaster | 34 comments

Today the Hotmail team has finally announced the start of the roll out process for all users worldwide to the latest Wave 3 update of Hotmail and People.

The Hotmail team has been hard at work since our last release in the fall, and we’ve got a bunch of new features coming out… and we’re rolling them out now!
If you haven’t seen any changes yet, they’ll be rolling out gradually, so you should see them in the next week or two.

If you’ve been keeping track of the latest at LiveSide, we’ve previously posted what new features are to come in this update. See our previous articles on the latest features for Hotmail and People. To recap, Windows Live Wire blog posted a summary of all the new features coming in this update:

More storage in Hotmail. Start with 5 GB, and watch your storage grow, as you need it.
More themes in Hotmail (including some that change based on time of day or weather)
The top banner ad moved to the side. (You’ve been waiting for that, haven’t you?)
Quickly add maps, directions, movie times and more to e-mail messages. It makes planning a night out so much easier. (UK and US-only, for the moment)
See “what’s new” updates from people in your network on Hotmail’s Today page.

Get Hotmail on your mobile phone’s e-mail program. POP3 access is becoming available to Hotmail users in the US and Brazil, in addition to United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Japan, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Create e-mail signatures in HTML. Get as fancy as you want to be.
The People page has been re-organized.

I’m surprised though that there’s no mention of the new Web Messenger integration anywhere on the two blog posts. I hope they’re just keeping it as a surprise. After all from the screenshot on Windows Live People above the “Messenger” button is clearly visible, and our friend Picturepan2 from LiveSino had also been noticing that Web Messenger is starting to show up on 2 of his accounts.

Have you received the latest update to your Hotmail and People yet? Leave us a note!

This entry was posted in Featured, News and tagged Hotmail, People, POP3, Wave 3, Web Messenger. Bookmark the permalink.

http://www.liveside.net/members/orionll/default.aspx orionll
Not here yet, as usual :P.
Looking forward to it though :).
jbeaul
Is it I’ve overlooked some setting somewhere or is everyone’s inbox draining into the deleted folder for mail that is older than 30 days? Certainly not a desireable thing to discover.
http://www.liveside.net/members/joeale/default.aspx joeale
This will bee a great update.
Web Messenger integration when?
http://www.liveside.net/members/JSYOUNG571/default.aspx JSYOUNG571
For the first time in a while, I am excited about the Windows Live Hotmail finally getting it’s full update. I hope the web messenger is included on this round. I think I can speak for majority of us when I say that we are really waiting on the web messenger in Hotmail. Also thanks to Windows Live for fixing my calendar. I am finally getting the full use of my calendar. The holidays are back, and I am getting daily emails of events on my calendar. This is how a calendar should work. Thank you again.
http://www.shrenik.spaces.live.com shrenik
“Get Hotmail on your mobile phone’s e-mail program”
would POP3 be only on phones? or I can use it in Outlook?
I’ve been using Outlook with IMAP (and without Outlook Connector) for quite some time…can someone suggest which one’s better?
damaster
@shrenik: Yes POP3 will work on any email client that supports it – including Outlook. But for a richer experience it’s recommended that you use the free Outlook Connector.
http://www.liveside.net/members/Edgar-J_2E00_/default.aspx Edgar J.
Hope this includes:
1)A dam new favicon.
2)Messenger integration (I have seen “Messenger” on my account but doesn’t work.
3)Bug fixes for it on my Firefox 3.0.
4)Google Chrome compatibility.
http://www.liveside.net/members/aho/default.aspx aho
On one of my accounts the adverts are down the side, and got the same theme as the rest of windows live, so it does appear I have the update, and there is no sign of messenger!
http://www.liveside.net/members/JSYOUNG571/default.aspx JSYOUNG571
@ aho…I believe including the web messenegr in Hotmail must be the most difficult project for Windows Live along with trying to set up sync with Windows Live Calendar for mobile. Who knows maybe it will be the last thing to come out.
http://www.liveside.net/members/Edgar-J_2E00_/default.aspx Edgar J.
@aho – Screenshots?
@JSYOUNG571 – In some part it maybe the last feature.
http://nunnally.ahmygoddess.net ranpha
When the POP feature arrived, will we be able to pull email off other POP accounts (like my ISP e-mail)?
damaster
@ranpha: As part of the Hotmail Wave 3 upgrade, both POP Access and POP Aggregation features will be available to all users for free. However, these features will come in “phases”, and it is said that POP Aggregation (what you mentioned) should be coming after POP Access.
Refer to http://www.liveside.net/main/archive/2008/11/13/windows-live-hotmail-an-early-look-at-some-more-improvements-to-come.aspx for more information. =)
http://www.liveside.net/members/martijnsch/default.aspx martijnsch
POP 3? That’s so 2008. I want IMAP!
http://www.liveside.net/members/Edgar-J_2E00_/default.aspx Edgar J.
@Everyone – Have someone asked yourself when WLM are going to change their OLD as HELL emotions or emoticons?
http://www.liveside.net/members/damaster/default.aspx damaster
@Edgar J.: Sorry I’m not sure which emoticons you’re talking about. In Windows Live Mail (the client), I’m seeing the latest default emoticons being used, same as those ones used in the latest version of Messenger. In Hotmail I’m also seeing the latest emoticons (like the Messenger ones) being used. Are those the emoticons you’re referring to?
http://www.liveside.net/members/mcrobbiegt/default.aspx mcrobbiegt
Still nothing for me. Seems to be taking its time getting this side of the pond!
http://www.liveside.net/members/Edgar-J_2E00_/default.aspx Edgar J.
@damaster Yes those, I have been using them since the 2000s, they are boring xD.
http://www.liveside.net/members/ChaosAngelic/default.aspx ChaosAngelic
@Edgar J.:
Well, the ones in the other clients are ugly. IMO, Windows Live has the best ones, even if they are old.
http://www.liveside.net/members/luisfelipe/default.aspx luisfelipe
I saw the changes in Hotmail early this morning, but now they aren’t there anymore…
With the changes, Hotmail looks really better! But, I’m disappointed because the new interface aren’t up and running in my account…
Why?
Does anyone also saw the changes? Is there any URL trick to use the new interface?
I can’t wait to use them!!!!
http://liveside.net/members/seiichiro/default.aspx seiichiro@start.com
POP3 is already works even if webmail updated or not.
I tried via Gmail.
Hotmail web updates step by step.
1.More room for messages.
2.Ever-growing storage.
3.Info at your fingertips.
Some of my account got all updates. another one got only first two.
not so good
http://www.liveside.net/members/rb1385/default.aspx rb1385
Looks like pop 3 finally hit my account on bay 116….hotmail now works on my iphone
http://www.liveside.net/members/rhann/default.aspx rhann
My mums just got it (why not me, she never uses the thing) looks good no sign of the messenger controls though. at least they put the search on the today page, really annoying when you are on the today page and to search your emails you have to click on inbox or something.
http://www.liveside.net/members/mcrobbiegt/default.aspx mcrobbiegt
Some of my mates here in the UK have just got the new Hotmail… still nothing for me though : (
Pull your finger out, hotmail!!!!
xgrinch
WebMessenger appeared for me:
[IMG]http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/messenw3.jpg/1/w529.png[/IMG]
xgrinch
http://i40.tinypic.com/w6pmvo.jpg
http://www.liveside.net/members/rhann/default.aspx rhann
No sign of the new version of mail but i now have the messenger drop down.
http://www.liveside.net/members/orionll/default.aspx orionll
I got Web Messenger on my LEAST used Live account, as usual…
http://www.liveside.net/members/DN2004/default.aspx DN2004
Quickly add maps, directions, movie times and more to e-mail messages feature doesnt select my right location, searches throw up results for Wiltshire county
and not herfordshire county any idea why it would do this?
http://www.liveside.net/members/JSYOUNG571/default.aspx JSYOUNG571
OK! In my exciting morning Monday, Feb 16. I opened my email account at work to find I had the updated version of Hotmail. Like a kid on Christmas, my mouth fell wide open when I discovered not only did I have the updated version of Hotmail, but I also had Web messenger included. I went instantly to chatting away and bragging. I almost forgot I was at work because I was so excited. At lunch, I was on web messenger chatting. I couldn’t wait to get home and see how the new Hotmail looked on my wide screen, even thou it looked nice on the laptop. When I got home and checked my email at 8:00 pm…I found myself screaming to the top of my lungs NOOOOOOOOO! and WHYYYYYYYY! My web messenger in the email had vanished. I kept signing in and out of my account in disbelief. COME ON WINDOWS LIVE! WE ARE ALREADY 2 YEARS LATE BEHIND AOL,GOOGLE AND YAHOO WITH BEING ABLE TO USE MESSENGER IN EMAIL.
http://www.liveside.net/members/Jamie/default.aspx Jamie
@JSYoung571 i first had Web Messenger in Hotmail yesterday morning (Sunday) and was just like you . i came back later it were gone then a few hours later it was back. the current status of it is gone
With Webmessenger peek-a-boo and hide and seek come to mind!
the time i did see and have used it i do have constructive feedback to make it better being fonts, colour, formatting – bold italic and underline and how about sort by status – away, available and offline to the People’s ‘In Messenger’ and/or include a facebook profile tabs ajax style to popout.aspx to tab multiple conversations and an status list so not to have many popout.aspx windows
IIRC it is [serversandbays].mail.live,com/im/popout.aspx
I hope it is back again soon (and hopefully stays) and this is just a stability issue
http://www.liveside.net/members/orionll/default.aspx orionll
O:
You’re right, Web Messenger went away! D:
http://www.liveside.net/members/orionll/default.aspx orionll
Oh yeah, and got it on 2 more accounts, not my good ones again, though…
http://www.liveside.net/members/vdelvecchio/default.aspx vdelvecchio
I too got the full Hotmail update including Web Messenger. But now it’s gone, no where to be seen. What’s up with this? Either give the full update or don’t. A partial update to users, just makes us angry and frustrated. I’ve yet to understand the thinking behind this. If MS’s explanation is that Web Messenger isn’t ready, then don’t roll out a “partial” update. Wait for the whole thing to work properly before rolling out. Just my $0.02 cents.
http://www.liveside.net/members/orionll/default.aspx orionll
Got it on all my accounts, but Web Messenger has mysteriously disappeared…