It's weird. I got an invitation for Live Mail, I clicked on the link from the mail, and I ended up on the same old Hotmail. The only difference is that it now has 2GB. Everything else seems the same. How can I see the rest of it?

I have live mail, its an improvement over hotmail, but nothing revolutionary like gmail.

Ionut, try switching to IE6 (if you use Firefox). Then when you enter Hotmail, they asked you which view you want... at least that's what happened here.

Of course I used IE6 SP2. I use Explorer when I visit Microsoft's sites.

Isn't there anything in the options? Hmmmm....

I saw your video. WML is really stupid, the ads are really obtrusive, the search doesn't work. Maybe you should have entered a simple query, without quotes.

Actually, I noticed this when I watched the video: there's a small note saying something like "at the moment, search works only for subjects and authors" (or something). I can't imagine that's what a user expects...

The Live Mail is rubbish. Nothing on Gmail at all. The adverts are terrible as you say, and the right clicking and drag / dropping is seriously over hyped. I personally found the original Hotmail better for a client.

I was invited to Live Mail a while ago. It said I had to make a Hotmail/MSN/Passport ID. I've never had Hotmail, and I don't ever plan on having Hotmail. I tried to make an account actually, but It was going to be like ten screens and then a list of spam lists it wanted to put me on. When I signed up for Gmail all it had was Username, Password, Password, alternate email (optional) and a "check here if you agree" thing. After that screen it showed me my new account.

Windows Live Mail was working with FireFox in a quasi- IE manner a couple of weeks back. However, critical functionality (like "reply", for example) wasn't included. It seems that they've reverted a bit more and started calling the view "Classic Hotmail View", which is accessible to IE users as well (Options – Choose inbox layout).

The two iframe banners that border the inbox don't degrade gracefully when Adblocked – something that does happen quite well with the Hotmail interface. I liked the fact that the screen space is reclaimed in the previous one.

Everything Windows Live really just doesn't work. Like the search for instance. I feel like it just gives me any bunch of links they want too when I type in anything. Google has always known exactly what I'm talking about in their searchers.

I hate how Microsoft will only upgrade when they see a threat like Google is to them now. However I admit Microsoft does make a good OS when it wants too.

I have tried out Windows Live Mail for a while. It's interesting to try out companies' efforts to answer innovations by Google – that's the only value in this service.

I'll never, ever use Hotmail or Yahoo e-mail for day-to-day use, even as a secondary account, unless they add one fundamental feature: free auto-forwarding. I want to always have the ability to get my mail in other places if I so desire. Gmail has had this since (almost) day one.

Can anyone find any reason...any explanation...anywhere...about why Yahoo and Hotmail won't do this? It seems that they want to desperately hold on to "user entrenchment." People who have had Yahoo or Hotmail accounts forever want to avoid the considerable complications of switching services and not receiving emails from people who don't update their address book.

If you want to use live mail or an invite for messenger beta 8.0 just drop a comment on this webpage :

http://www.nadertewelde.com/2006/03/14/windows-live-mail-beta/

or

http://www.nadertewelde.com/2006/03/12/invitation-4-windows-live-beta/

If you can't open links inside a mail, that's because you have not authorized to activate the content.
For security purpose like phishing e-mails, they no longer activate the content by default.
There is a small notification at the top of the message where you must click to activate it.

However, these ads are huge and really annoying. I had a quick look at the HTML layout using the IE developer toolbar, and they are contained in DIV tags that can be easily reduced with one or two javascript commands ;)

This live mail thing doesnt seem to work and i just want my old hotmail back – does anyone know how i can go back to hotmail?!

Same as you jack, i want my old hotmail back!! Help?!

go to
http://www.ideas.live.com/mainpage.aspx
select live mail
then click on "leave this beta".

Q// How will the millions of Hotmailers react when this is rolled out to everyone?

I think most people agree that in terms of looks and usability this new "innovative" service is a downgrade.

Is anyone annoyed by the drag and drop thing? Why get rid of the check boxes? It is so frustrating to right click then selcect an option, I miss just checking off the emails you want to delete and deleting them all in one simple easy click. This is really starting to get on my nerves, especially with a laptop computer

I was furios. please can someone help in getting my old account back?

ionux it will take some time for your interface to change.....

when you accept the live beta, it only changes your storage limit and the interface change will take some weeks.

i too had the same problem and when i consulted the Windows live blog they said it will take some time for your interface to change since, they need to do some compatible test with your account and location

Wait upto 4 weeks ... your interface will change from hotmail to windows live mail....

Hey, that was long ago. I got the new interface in a week or two after that. Thanks anyway.

Disclaimer: I don't have a Live Email account

After watching the video that philipp posted I realized why it looked familiar. If your company uses Outlook web access try it out, Live email is very similar (granted it might not have some of the fancy javascript dragging and dropping) Both the Yahoo Beta email and the Microsoft Live seem to forget that you don't need to have HUGE flashing ads pasted across the entire page to make money. I can use the Yahoo Beta for about five minutes before I get discusted with all the ads (go here to see what I've already said about the Yahoo Beta http://blogoscoped.com/forum/44083.html#id44530)

And if you don't know what NateDawg wants to say about Yahoo ads, here's a whooping sample:
http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/03/new-yahoo-mail-will-have-obtrusive-ads.html

I guess you could go there also :D
lol :)

Yahoo DOES have auto-fwding.