New Hotmail Subscription Includes Outlook

MSN has launched a new service that gives consumers the same benefits as its existing Hotmail Plus service, but also includes a subscription to use the most current version of the Outlook e-mail client, thereby eliminating the need for the user to purchase the more expensive perpetual license. The new US$60-per-year offering, called Microsoft Office Outlook Live, lets users download and use Outlook 2003 for Subscription Services, which includes the MSN Outlook Connector that synchronizes Outlook with the user’s account on a Hotmail e-mail server whenever connected to the Internet. However, the US$40 per year additional cost will be hard to justify over just buying the Outlook software.

Comparison with MSN Hotmail Plus

Outlook Live users and Hotmail Plus users who own a copy of Outlook 2003 can both do the following:

• Use Outlook (with the MSN Outlook Connector) as their Hotmail client, allowing them to work offline and take advantage of Outlook’s much more sophisticated interface and