Hotmail was launched in the late nineties at a time when web based free email was a service that was novel and rare. As a result, it became hugely popular as it introduced the concept of electronic mail communication between people anywhere in the world, all based on the world wide web. Soon it was taken over by Microsoft. The domain of Hotmail remained but it was also made available through MSN portal. Microsoft then transited Hotmail to its new integrated mail service called Outlook.
Today, those who retain their Hotmail account from yester years can access the email account in the following ways:
- They can type in www.Hotmail.com in their web browser and be redirected to the outlook.com domain portal.
- The Hotmail account login details remain the same and these can be used to enter the email account that one owns.
- All one needs to do is type in their full Hotmail email address in the login panel that is showcased.
- This leads to the old inbox, but with a new interface, functions and features that are common between Outlook and Hotmail email services.
Changes that have come about are several though Hotmail users will find all their old correspondence intact in their new inbox layout. As Microsoft integrated all Hotmail accounts under the Outlook email service, the old accounts and their inbox and other folder details have been preserved to allow users to continue their correspondence and other kinds of communication as were already present in their inbox. However the Hotmail domain has been integrated with Outlook, which is the new web based email service of Microsoft. As a result, one can choose to create a new Hotmail or Outlook email account on this portal, but the separate Hotmail domain has ceased to exist.
Several new features have been added to the new inbox and layout of Hotmail as part of the integrated email service offered by Microsoft under the Outlook domain. The infrastructure is based on Office 365. Some new features offered to Hotmail account users are the following:
- New layout options for calendar.
- The filtering service helps to remove mail such as clutter easily with a single sweep function.
- New themes and designs help add color and make the email interface look attractive.
- The contacts, calendar events and old emails are all transitioned to the new inbox layout and users can continue to use the email inbox as they did with their contacts and old correspondence remaining intact.
- Social media accounts can be easily integrated with the email inbox; hence, one can check their social media account posts and updates in their Hotmail inbox itself.
- Security features have been revamped; the two step verification feature will help protect your account when you open it up from different devices or locations; it will also help you surpass the need to key in the password with the authenticator functionality offered by Microsoft to all account users.
- Access to Office tools makes it easy to add documents, spreadsheets and presentation files while these can also be edited and worked upon in the email interface itself.
- Hotmail account users can access their account through the Outlook app. This makes it easy for one to check their emails on the go. One can stay logged into their email account on their phone and get updates on email correspondence.
- The same Hotmail login details become the unified login access to all Microsoft services. One can sync with Skype, OneDrive and other services of Microsoft. One can use Xbox and other services of Microsoft and become members of the same with their Hotmail account login details.
The above features are some of the new conveniences and amenities offered to Hotmail account users in the new domain of Outlook. Indeed, over the years, the changes that Microsoft has introduced have led to the betterment of the email services and Hotmail account users have benefited from these changes. Today they can enjoy a modern email interface and inbox with features that rival the best and modern email services offered by other service providers. This helps encourage Hotmail users from continuing to use the service.
