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Windows Live Mail goes into beta

After a long wait since the last build of Windows Live Mail desktop beta, the new free email client from Microsoft Windows Live Mail has launched into beta. Designed to succeed Outlook Express on Windows XP and Windows Mail on Windows Vista, it replaces Windows Live Mail desktop as Microsoft's in-development free email client.

So what are the main changes?

  • Updated UI -  Windows Live Mail adopts the new Windows Live "Wave 2" UI with Aero support if you are running Windows Vista. If you are not using Aero or are using Windows XP, you get the non-glass UI. Weirdly though, of the two UIs it is the non-glass one that more closely matches the Messenger 8.5 beta glass UI (no product name or orb in the glass UI and the standard Windows border cannot be hidden).
  • No forced signin - Users can choose to add a Windows Live ID to the application for sign-in however this is optional. Some advanced features such as Photo Email and Windows Live Contacts cannot be used unless you are signed in to the application. (Tools - Options - Connection to enable/disable this feature)
  • No advertising - ActiveSearch contextual ads continue to be tested for US users but can be disabled
  • Improved performance and stability - always nice :)

Screenshots (Click to enlarge) 

Overall its a nice update from the last Windows Live Mail desktop beta build, performance is much better and there are less freezes when you use the application. However if you are thinking about trying the RSS reader again and have anymore than a handful of feeds, let me save you the trouble.

Windows Live Mail beta homepage
Windows Live Mail download

Previous Posts:
More info on Windows Live Mail (the desktop client)
Windows Live Mail: details about the new beta announced

Published May 30 2007, 08:48 PM by Chris
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Comments

 

mrx9898 said:

So does this completely replace Outlook? I only ask this cause my computers shared *sighs* and all the other people prefer freakin' outlook!!!!!!!!

May 31, 2007 1:20 AM
 

newo said:

Looking very good!! I'm loving WLM!! WAY better than the other ones!

May 31, 2007 1:25 AM
 

calum-r- said:

Why is the download not up for this!?! They post it on thier official blog as well but iit still goes to the get.live.com homepage!! Absolutrly ridiculous. Can any of the LiveSide guys tell me why it is not iup please??

May 31, 2007 1:26 AM
 

rieuwa said:

I LOVE IT! No more ads... I could live with them in WLMDb, but now I have fallen in love with this new version! Thanks to the liveside guys for centralising all the news... makes it so much easier for me with exams coming up :-)

May 31, 2007 1:35 AM
 

Chris said:

Calum the download is up but the address changed from what it was supposed to be.

http://g.live.com/1rebeta/WLM_en-us

May 31, 2007 10:12 AM
 

porio said:

Hey! where did the 'Calendar' button go? I know that in the previous build the button did nothing more than linking to the web-based hotmail (or Live?) calendar; but now that they removed it, does it mean that there will be no calendar support ever in the desktop client? What is the use of a desktop client that can not handle all of the functions of the web-accessed account?

May 31, 2007 11:00 AM
 

calum-r- said:

Thank you Chris, I realised that after In posted the comment and installed it fine, but forgot to say lol.

Thank you again for the heads up on all theser betas!

May 31, 2007 12:47 PM
 

adamzhu1986 said:

I like it! Downloading now, but I wanna know will it replace the WL Mail Desktop when instilled?

May 31, 2007 1:02 PM
 

Gus said:

All 3 apps installed without problems for me, on XP SP2, all previous versions uninstalled first. Windows Live Mail does not replace Outlook or Outlook Express; it is installed into its own folder and does not take over or become the default email app unless you set it to be. In case it does set itself as the default, you can reset Outlook from its own options, or from IE's Programs tab in the options.

May 31, 2007 6:17 PM
 

DavidK said:

I'm not completely won over by it... I'm still hanging out for the "connector" beta to go public, I thought that was supposed to be out at the same time?

May 31, 2007 7:51 PM
 

Chris said:

porio - gold star for you! anybody else notice the blank space between the messenger icon and the frame that is button sized? :)

calum - no problem.

adamzhu1986 - yes, it will replace WLMd. everything will migrate over except newsgroups you have subscribed to.

May 31, 2007 7:54 PM
 

yanverm said:

porio & Chris - The missing calendar button was also the first thing I noticed... (next to the new interface of course). I think they will add it in the blank space as Chris said, later on, when they are ready with the development of the "live calendar". Thanks also for the installation help in the posts!

May 31, 2007 10:07 PM
 

chels75 said:

Visit http://chels75.free.fr/ to solve installation problems.

June 6, 2007 5:11 PM
 

newo said:

This version is MUCH better than WLMd, it's much faster, more stable and doesnt have the annoying little bug where if you sign out of Windows Live Messenger while WLM is loading, it won't recieve emails for five minutes. Good work Windows Live Team! :-D

June 12, 2007 10:53 PM

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About Chris

Chris has a regular day job, therefore needs to insert the standard blogger disclaimer:

Please note that the views expressed here at LiveSide.net reflect the views of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of their associated employers, companies or organizations.
You can contact Chris via email about anything regarding LiveSide or Windows Live - chris*at*liveside.net

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