hotmail

Microsoft lets Hotmail users set encryption by default

Microsoft announced today that it is offering Hotmail users the ability to take advantage of encryption when using the free e-mail service.

To enable full-session HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) for Hotmail you can type in "https://hotmail.com" or set it as the default for e-mail, calendar, and contacts at https://account.live.com/ManageSSL. Previously SSL was only used at the time of sign-in, but now it's available from the start until a user logs off, a Microsoft spokeswoman said.

Also starting today, SkyDrive, Photos, Docs, and Devices pages will all automatically use SSL (Secure … Read more

Combine and organize your e-mail accounts

I'll wager you've got mail waiting for you right now--probably in several different inboxes.

Gone are the days of having only two e-mail accounts: one from your boss for work and another from your ISP for everything else. Now you're likely to have a Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, or other free Webmail account--and maybe two, three, or more such addresses--in addition to or in place of your work and ISP accounts.

You can avoid having to open multiple programs or browser windows to view all your messages by forwarding mail between your active accounts. That way you've … Read more

Hotmail now works with other e-mail accounts, even Gmail

Windows Live Hotmail has a new trick up its sleeve--one that's aimed directly at getting users with e-mail accounts on other services to use it exclusively, even if they keep that address.

That trick, which begins rolling out to Hotmail users today, lets them add accounts from other Web mail services that can be read and sent from within the Hotmail Web client.

As Hotmail's group program manager Dick Craddock writes on the Inside Windows Live blog, this functionality is something that's long been available in the Outlook software client, but not on the Web. Craddock also … Read more

Microsoft beefs up Hotmail password security

Microsoft added new security features to Hotmail today that are designed to make it harder for accounts to get hijacked and easier for victims to recover them if so.

Hotmail users have been able to answer a security question or have an e-mail sent to an alternate e-mail address when they need to get into their locked account, either because it was hijacked or because they forgot the password. Those systems can be problematic as many people forget the security questions or they can be easily figured out by strangers with enough Web research.

Now, they can register a mobile … Read more

Microsoft continues Windows Live's social push

Aiming to continue having its Windows Live services play nice with others, Microsoft today said it is adding LinkedIn and Facebook chat ties to Hotmail and Messenger.

In a blog post, Microsoft said that the LinkedIn connection will allow users of both services to more easily keep tabs on their activities.

Among the added features are auto-contact linking, being able to use Messenger to get updates on what LinkedIn contacts are doing, and making it easy to use Messenger to share updates with one's LinkedIn network. Hotmail is also getting the ability to chat with Facebook friends, a feature … Read more

Yahoo Mail to get 'Minty' freshen-up

Yahoo is planning to unveil this fall yet another revamp to its Yahoo Mail service to address a drop in users and improve the product's performance overseas where Net connections tend to be slower.

As part of a project code-named "Minty," Yahoo plans to juice up the performance of its Web-based e-mail service and bring its look in line with simpler iPad and Android versions of the Mail product, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

"We have been previewing our next version of e-mail that provides higher performance, sleeker design, and great integration" with social-networking … Read more

Exchange ActiveSync to arrive on Hotmail on Monday

REDMOND, Wash.--One of the features promised as part of the latest update to Hotmail will arrive next week, CNET has learned.

In an interview here on Thursday, Microsoft's Dharmesh Mehta told CNET that Exchange ActiveSync, which will let Hotmail users get push e-mail on cell phones and other devices, will become available on Monday.

While many phones support ActiveSync for connecting to an Exchange server, the feature will be most useful on a relatively small number of phones that support dual ActiveSync accounts, including the Palm Pre, the latest iPhone, and the forthcoming Windows Phone 7-based devices. Phone … Read more

New Hotmail taking its time

Microsoft acknowledged on Tuesday that fewer than 1 percent of Hotmail customers have thus far been upgraded to the new service, though it said that it plans to add more users this week.

In a blog post, Mike Schackwitz said that as is often the case, Microsoft found a few issues as it started deploying the upgrade. With some minor changes made "under the hood" Schackwitz said the company is ready to put the new Hotmail on a few more server customers.

"When we roll out new software, we typically find a few things that we want … Read more

Microsoft starts rolling out new Hotmail

Microsoft has started upgrading Hotmail users to the new version of the Web mail service, an update that includes support for larger attachments and new views for looking at attached photos and documents.

The company is upgrading to the new service one server cluster at a time--and it has hundreds of such clusters--so not everyone will get the upgrade right away.

"If you don't see these features today, please hold on just a little while longer--everybody will be upgraded this summer," program manager Mike Schackwitz said in a blog post on Tuesday.

The company previewed the new-look Hotmail … Read more