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Microsoft email definitely better
TBO.com
Associated Press
Published: February 24, 2013
NEW YORK - Longtime users of Hotmail, MSN and other Microsoft email services will start noticing a big change: When they sign in to check messages, they'll be sent to a new service called Outlook.com.Associated Press
Published: February 24, 2013
You might be thinking, isn't Outlook the software Microsoft Corp. makes for people to use email at work? Indeed it is, but Microsoft is now adopting that brand for personal, Web-based email services as well. It's part of a broad makeover that includes the company's overhaul of the Windows operating system and the Office software suite.
The consumer Outlook.com feels the way Web email should. It bears more similarities with consumer-based email services, such as Google's Gmail and Yahoo Mail, than with the corporate Outlook.
People have been able to sign up for Outlook.com email addresses and use the new interface as a "preview" for several months now. Microsoft made Outlook.com official on Tuesday and plans to spend millions of dollars to advertise it. Microsoft is even starting to force people using older Microsoft email services to switch to Outlook.com.
You'll see a lot of improvements when you switch, though nothing feels revolutionary if you've already been using Gmail.
Outlook.com adopts conversations, which makes it feel like it's catching up to Gmail, but it still uses folders instead of labels.
The improvements over Gmail are mostly around the edges. Outlook integrates with leading social networks such as Facebook.
Outlook also lets you create alternate email addresses without signing up for additional accounts — up to five a year, or up to 15 at any one time. So you can create "UseThisForSpam(at)Outlook.com" for dealings with merchants, whereas Google requires you to set up a new Gmail account to get that second address, which you can then link with your main account.
Outlook matches Gmail in letting you use Outlook.com to manage email from other services, such as Gmail and AOL, though neither works with Yahoo Mail unless you pay $20 a year for a Plus account.
Microsoft did a good job refreshing its email service, but that might not be enough for you to switch if you are already happy with your service.