So, you're a Microsoft® Outlook® Express user, right? We'd like you to know about the next generation of desktop e-mail, called Windows Live™ Mail Desktop, and you can try out a beta version of it now, for free. (The "beta" part means this product hasn't officially been released yet.)

Here's why you should care:


• You'll also be able to read and manage your RSS and newsgroup content as easily as you get e-mail.
• Even when you're offline, you'll be able to sort and compose e-mail.
• You'll get 2 GB* of online storage with your Windows Live Mail account, which is enough for 1,000 high-resolution ( 2 MB) photos
• And a bunch of other reasons, too. Read more here.





Pawan

I found it a bit buggy on vista. Ok, a lot.

Erm... no. But I do use Windows Live Mail, and I have since it entered private beta testing and Microsoft sent me an invitation. I might look into this. Thanks for posting

I have switched over to Windows Live Desktop Mail Beta and Windows Live Messenger 8.1 Beta today and it works quite nice. I was able to import all stuff from OE6 and MSN over to my account. Altough the interface is modern, it's still based on the old but good Outlook Express. With now everything connected to my Windows Live account this is a big improvement over the old version. The only thing missing is the offline calendar, but including it as well would make it too competitive with bigger brother Microsoft Outlook.

Does anyone have an idea how to get rid of the HUGE advertisement banner on the left that, on mine, is currently proudly proclaiming "Windows Live"? I mean, it takes up about a third of the screen...

Also, it doesn't seem very customisable... I mean, how do I add or remove buttons to the top vertical bar?

Maybe that's just beta software for you...

I've been apart of this beta program for quite sometime. I must say its really disappointing. I much prefer the original Outlook Express.

How does Thunderbird match up to this? Aren't they coming out with a new version?

Windows Live Mail Desktop is no more. Windows Mail is no more.

The features of both and Outlook Express are being combined into Windows Live Mail, which is also in beta and works great thus far.

It has NO ADVERTISEMENTS, unlike Windows Live Mail Desktop.

Now, if you have a GMail, you don't have to specify settings, it is done automatically for you. What a time saver!

Supports Aero on Vista.

Beta is open to everyone. Just search for Windows Live Mail.

(Windows Mail in Vista will be updates by Windows Live Mail. I wonder if MS was running out of time and just used OE and called it Windows Mail pending the completion of Live Mail.)