Along with the Wave 3 version of the Windows Live Suite (Live Messenger, Live Photo Gallery, Live Mail, Live Toolbar, Live Movie Maker, Live Writer), Live Hotmail has been redesigned. Over the next few weeks you should start seeing the new version when you access your Hotmail account. This week we look at the new layout and features.

You’ll know you’re using the updated Wave 3 version of Live Hotmail when you open Hotmail (either from the email icon on Live Messenger or by going directly to http://hotmail.live.com) and receive a page informing you that you’re now using the new version. Note you can turn off this message page by clicking the Don’t show me this again box at the bottom of the page.

After clicking Continue, you’ll be in your inbox. Firstly notice that the Hotmail toolbar has its commands in a larger font size, it’s moved a little and there are no icons alongside each option.

The top of the left pane gives you access to your folders as well as a link to add more so you can organise your email. Access to your Today page, Contact list and Calendar are at the bottom of the left pane. A reminder that the Calendar has also been extensively updated in the past month or so, including the addition of a to-do list.

The menu bar at the top enables you to create a New message, Delete one or more messages, mark a message as Junk (and move that message automatically to your Junk folder), Mark as to report phishing emails or other suspicious email, Move to to place an email in one of your folders, print a message and arrows so you can move up and down your list of messages.

Over on the right-hand side of the tool menu is the Options link.

Here you can choose how you want to have your messages and message list appear: Right gives you a three-pane view (folders, messages list, reading pane on the right) which is the most convenient, Bottom (much like the old Outlook Express layout) and Off.

In the previous version of Hotmail we were allowed to change the colour but now that option has been expanded to enabling a choice of themes. Hovering over one of the current options immediately changes your page so you can see what it’s like. To make your choice permanent, click the option.

The More Options takes you various settings you can make. In particular, you’ll want to check your settings to handle junk email under Filters and reporting.

In the left-most pane, we can navigate back to the inbox, go to the Today page, check your Contact list to add, delete or edit your contact information, or jump to your Calendar.

The Today page provides news headlines and special offers. As well, you’re able to see how many messages in your inbox and go directly there to catch up on outstanding unread messages or write new emails.

By the time you receive the full update of Live Hotmail, you’ll see the final piece – a web version of Live Messenger integrated into Hotmail so you can chat with family and friends, look at and share each other’s photos and carry out audio and video messaging.

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