Windows Live Mail (Next Hotmail)

Well it's been about a week since I got windows Live Messenger, and now it's time for another newbie.  Windows Live Mail, the future of hotmail, and msn mail!

To start, WOW it's a very nice interface, very clean, and I have to say this, I much prefer it to GMAIL!!

It uses alot of AJAX in it, and at the moment only works in IE, so bad news for firefox users.  But it's not all a no show, they are making it work in Firefox and other browsers, so keep an eye out!

First Photo

Wow, it's a very nice interface.  I've blanked out some of the emails, just cause I don't want you knowing what I've got in my inbox.  It's a very sleak design, and, I prefer it to gmail in the fact that it's stright lines, instead of curves, I'm not a big fan of curves.

Only real downside is the Banner Ads.  In firefox you can thankfully block them with adblock!!

Also you can resize the bar at the side client side, which is cool.

The reply/forward and delete buttons all work on AJAX, so no having to reload the page everytime you wish to move some mail around.  They kinda got that from Outlook web Access that comes with exchange.

Drag and Drop makes an apperance in Windows Live Mail, which can be scene in this photo.  Now for all of you who don't know what drag and drop is, well, try this, on you desktop, move the recycling bin around the screen.  That's drag and drop!

What else for the inbox?!?  O yer, context menu's, Windows Live Mail has context menu's, or be it not very many of them, only on the recycle bin and the custom folders you add. THis is quite a useful function, I've used it quite alot in Microsoft Outlook Web Access.

New Mail

Well creating a new mail is not that much different, apart from the intellisense that is built into the To, Cc, BCc boxes now.  Another drop from GMail, but, once again Windows Live does it better!!

Not much else different in it

Next, erm.... 

The calendar!! Yes that thing!

Well it's changed too, I think.  Windows Live have taken a leaf out of Outlook & OWA, with the calendar.

It looks more professional now, and a bit more user friendly.  I think b4 the calendar was on the side and stuff like that.   And there's still AJAX afloat in there!

The adding a new event looks nicer too now, tho it's just me, haven't really paid much attention to hotmail since I got my own server!

It looks nice tho, wont use it much although!

Once again Invites for this beta should be advailable soon, so keep checking here for more!!

Back to Windows Live Mail now....

The Contacts

The contacts have also had they're listings AJAX'd, it now is one hell of a lot quicker to edit and view contact.

Even search results have been AJAX'd, it now takes a split second to AJAX the results to you, rather than having to reload the page, it's much faster!!

Well this has been quite a lengthy blog post, hope you enjoy the screenshots, and stay at nbdev.co.uk for windows live mail and messenger invites as I get spare ones!!