Outlook.com, Microsoft's answer to Gmail

[malcontent]

http://reviews.cnet.com/e-mail/micro...-35404526.html

Designed as an eventual replacement to Hotmail, the free browser-based service sports a strikingly simple interface, Skydrive and social media integration, and lots of tweaks both new and familiar. And with a promise of "virtually unlimited" storage (we'll see how that pans out), it should satisfy the most prolific writers and media consumers.

Though currently Outlook.com is only in preview mode, any new or existing Hotmail users can switch over. You'll also have the chance to claim your "@Outlook.com" address.

[drew]

malcontent, Thanks for telling us. Much appreciated.

I am not a fan of Microsoft but they are
one of the major players being the dominant
Operating system on home computers so
for many they will be the natural thing apart
from Facebook.

Here is an important text if you want to join.

If you're signing up for a new account, take note
that the captcha is case-sensitive and
Outlook.com does not support spaces in passwords.

I didn't notice that at first since I switched an existing Live.com account
over, but CNET's security expert Seth Rosenblatt discovered it right away.

That's a troubling move since spaces enhance password security and
Gmail supports them. Microsoft wouldn't comment on why it made that decision.

Just out of curiosity I did join.

Username where taken due to it is very common.

It make use of live to log in. So Outlook.com redirect
to the Live.com login. Not sure how they handle that
when every country has their own live.se live.no live.dk live.de etc

To sign up for it as a new user they wanted a lot of info.
They want birthday, male or female, Country and Zip code and they
want either Mobile number or Contact email and security question.
I failed at the Chapta thing had to refresh it several times.

When does one know if an 0 is an O or not when in a chapta?
Okay one can listen to them but I had no speaker going.

I don't know what to think about it. Would be interesting
to hear the experts give their comments

[digp]

Have just switched to this.

Looks good.

OWA 2013 is even better, but for free, can't argue with it.

All the popular names seem to be taken...?

[digp]

And at long last the hotmail.com name might be shut down?

[digp]

I wonder what are the activesync settings for this?

Also: "Microsoft is giving Outlook.com users unlimited e-mail storage and up to 7GB of storage on its SkyDrive cloud service. But that's down from the 25GB folks used to get through Hotmail on SkyDrive."

[David]

Thanks for the 'heads up' malcontent; after reading the cnet review I am pretty confident that I will be switching over soon.

My Yahoo Mail is already forwarded to Hotmail.

This will be a good 'second account' to my main email account methinks - compliments of my web host.

[chrisretusn]

I really don't care for the social integration. If I want to use Facebook I log in to Facebook.

I am fine with @hotmail.com and @live.com, don't see any reason to go with @outlook.com. That said I my do it anyway.

I do not use spaces in my password, there are plenty of other characters to use.

They have changed the log in page. My Firefox add-on Secure Login no longer works. I now have to manually type my log in name, as it's not placed log in field when I click on the Secure Login button. Annoying to say the least. Glad I use POP3 on my accounts.

I note that my accounts all give me the option, under options to upgrade to Outlook.com, I went ahead and upgraded one of my least used accounts.

WOW! I really like the new look. I think I will switch all of my accounts over. Not that it really matter as I use POP3 on all of my accounts.

From the welcome email I clicked on "Get new ID" which takes me to a page that says:

Rename your email address

Why rename your address? When you rename your email address, your new ID works just like your old one. Your new mail will go to your inbox, and you can choose to keep your old mail in a separate folder. All of your other Microsoft account info—like contacts, photos and Office docs on SkyDrive—will also switch to your new address within a few days.

I am not sure I want to rename my @live address to @outlook. I was interesting to note that I was also offered to rename to @live.com.ph, @hotmail.com and @hotmail.com.ph. I may take them up on one of the .ph ones. It's not clear if I do this, what will happen to the @live.com address. I've been though email address change hell before, I do not want to go through that again.

I did find an option called "Create a Outlook alias" just above another option called "Rename your email address", so it looks as I have a choice to rename or keep the @live.com and alias to outlook.com. The other domains mentioned above are also offered.

I found a few option sets I have no use for, not sure if these were available before the switch, the defaults in bold, I changed them:

Auto-complete suggestions
As you search for people or add them to a message, we'll suggest possible matches. You can choose which suggestions appear.
- Give suggestions for anyone I've communicated with (contacts and non-contacts)
- Only suggest people in my contact list

Deleted messages
Outlook can help you recover messages after the Deleted folder has been emptied. We'll put a link at the bottom of your Deleted folder. Learn more
- Let me recover deleted messages.
]- Don't let me recover deleted messages—once they leave the Deleted folder, don't give me a link to get them back.

That second one, concerns me a little, it sort of implies they are keeping my deleted messages anyway.

They offer a selection of keyboard short cuts (useful to some, not to me):

Select which mode you'd like to use:
- Turn off keyboard shortcuts
- Outlook and Outlook Web Access (OWA)
- Yahoo! Mail
- Gmail
Note: The Yahoo! Mail and Gmail modes support many of the shortcuts from those services. To see the full list, get help with keyboard shortcuts.

I turned them off.

I don't know if this is new or not under Filters and reporting (default in bold):

Delete junk email
Junk email is automatically moved into the junk email folder, where it is deleted after ten days.

Report junk messages
Choose whether you'd like to report messages to Microsoft and the companies who help us fight junk email.
- Report junk - Help us keep junk out of everyone's inboxes when you use the Junk button.
- Don't report - The Junk button will act just like the Delete button. Nothing will be reported to Microsoft or anyone else.

Block content from unknown senders
Outlook always blocks content from suspicious-looking senders, but you can control what we do for senders that have good reputations but who you haven't marked as safe.
- Show attachments, pictures, and links for senders with good reputations
- Block attachments, pictures, and links for anyone not in my safe senders list

Not sure what "good reputations" means. Not sure I would trust it.

I see that POP3 is still available, that is a relief. That is my normal method of access.

[Cory]

Just signed up. It's nice, almost too clean lol.

Common names are already taken, tried to get Cory, and CoryP, no go on that. Had to settle with firstinitial lastname lol.

But besides that, it is decent looking. Haven't had a chance to play with it enough to know my real opinion on it yet.

[Cory]

A possible issue I'm noticing. If your University uses Live@Edu or Office365 Education, or your company uses Office365. Can you log into more than one "outlook.com" account at the same time?

Since I think their all accessed through here? I just noticed that because when I went to sign up for an Outlook.com account my Office365 trial mailbox loaded up instead.

[drew]

Originally Posted by digp

I wonder what are the activesync settings for this?

Also: "Microsoft is giving Outlook.com users unlimited e-mail storage
and up to 7GB of storage on its SkyDrive cloud service. But that's down
from the 25GB folks used to get through Hotmail on SkyDrive."

We have to find out about that one. Seems they have down graded then.
Why would them do such things? Ask them about it

Chris wrote:

My Firefox add-on Secure Login no longer works.
I now have to manually type my log in name,
as it's not placed log in field when I click on
the Secure Login button. Annoying to say the least.

My Firefox has it the other way around. For years I ahve been
annoyed about Hotmail never being remembered.

But now the outlook got remembered so seems to depend
on some technical difference in our set up then?

[walesrob]

The Emperors New Clothes? Or a Wolf in a Sheeps Clothing?

I welcome the cleaner interface and the SkyDrive integration, but its still the same product underneath. If M$ are after Google Mail market, they've got to do a lot more than dress it up in nice new clothes. Wheres IMAP and CalDav to use with Thunderbird? Wheres the free Google Apps style and functionality for personal domains like catch-all, aliases, etc? Its nothing but hype for me, and while M$ will snigger at Google's privacy nonsense, at least Google's product is far superior in many ways.

[chrisretusn]

Originally Posted by drew

My Firefox has it the other way around. For years I ahve been annoyed about Hotmail never being remembered.

But now the outlook got remembered so seems to depend
on some technical difference in our set up then?

Glad to hear it's working for you Drew.

When I first started using Secure Login I had no problems with Hotmail with "Activate JavaScript protection on login" enabled it was one click login. A year to so ago that stopped working. I had to turn off "Activate JavaScript protection on login" and let Secure Login put the login name and password in the appropriate fields, then click the Hotmail Sign In button. Now when I click the Secure Login Key, all that is entered is the password, nothing for login name.

Are you using "Activate JavaScript protection on login"? If not does it put your login name and password in the fields?

I've got quite a few add-ons, one of them my be causing the problem.

[drew]

I am using an Addon that I have mixed feelings about.

NoScript. I most likely have not thought about secure?
Maybe I mislead you. I thought they always had https
and that such is default on the major email services?

Google had it? Yahoo? Ooops derailing the thread.

Anyway I don't like if they have gone from 25GB storage
on Drive down to 7 GB. Huge difference

Not that I use it but there are others than me needing it.

[Fang]

Created a new account to check things out.

Glad to see their Account Info page is now more organized, similar to Google's. Sadly not a big fan of Hotmail anymore, too many radical changes in too little time. Also when you have a problem the help pages sometimes keep you going in circles. Of course they might change that too, hopefully they will.

Something that is sorely missing is an "account activity" log similar to Gmail's, IMO this single feature would be greater than any aesthetics overhaul.

[NJSS]

Just moved my HotMail account to Outlook.Com.

I have a question about POP - please see this thread:-

http://www.emaildiscussions.com/show...833#post541833

I was pleased too that Outlook.Com supports aliases, managed to get my perferred aliases + my preferred user name.

NJSS