By integrating all user email accounts into one web client, Hotmail or Windows Mail makes managing email easy

By Stephen Pate, NJN – Only Microsoft Office and Windows Live mail can combine user mail accounts into one client and even one data file.

Download the Consumer Preview of Windows 8

Windows Live as a Microsoft brand will disappear when Windows 8 ships. Windows 8 Mail is a better product that integrates more smoothly with the operating system. Windows 8 will bring many new features for users that make it an upgrade to own.

Gmail can’t combine multiple mail accounts into one client. Apple can’t do it either.

I was speaking to an industry pundit last month and he said Google’s architecture is based around the Gmail account and Google would have to change their system at its roots. That made sense: Gmail, Google Analytics, Google Adsense, YouTube – each Google product is based on a single user account.

Google’s recent changes to combine all services under one agreement by account does nothing to streamline the user experience. Most people have several Gmail accounts, perhaps one for work, another for a small business or hobby and then a personal Gmail account.

Windows Live has become a sophisticated mail client that rivals MS Office Outlook and it’s free.

Goodbye Windows Live – hello Windows 8 Mail

When Windows 8 Beta is released on Wednesday February 29th, 2012 Windows Live as a branded product will begin the end of its life.

Windows 8 will emerge a newer and better mail client into the operating system, simply called Mail.

I’m not sure how Microsoft will position the need to buy MS Office Outlook as a must buy for people, small business and students. The free version will have has most of the things people want like a Mail, Calendar and Contacts.

Organizations invested in MS Exchange, Office OneNote, MS Project and Team sharing of Office documents will still prefer MS Office Outlook for the tighter integration and automation.

All you need for Windows Live Mail is a Windows Live or Hotmail account. With Windows 8, that will simply be known as Windows Account. It will be necessary to register Windows 8, receive support, updates, upgrades and make purchases at The Windows Store.

Window Live Mail Roadworthy

I used the new consolidated Windows Live Mail for the past five months. It loads slightly slower than Outlook but more than acceptable. I really appreciated being on the road with a laptop and keeping up-to-date with all my email in one spot.

Compared with the clumsy single account email client of Gmail, MS Live Mail is a pleasure to use.