Outlook.com is a free email service from Microsoft. You can say that it resembles somewhat with Gmail service of Google, but there is a twist in it. And it is the link to your Outlook data in your desktop. Microsoft has blended Windows Live and Hotmail in one email service, and has offered support for your contacts (which include Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn) and calendar. You can get full information regarding how to register on Outlook.com, Outlook inbox, Outlook web app, etc on a very informative site, http://www.outlook-email.org/.
You can obtain an Outlook.com account by visiting their website and clicking the link of ‘Sign-up Now’ at the bottom of the webpage. You will have to submit correct personal information, create an email id and password and it’s done! And if you have an existing account on Hotmail, Windows Live or a Messenger, Windows Phone, SkyDrive or Xbox LIVE, you can even log in directly.
Microsoft is now transforming all current Hotmail and Windows Live accounts to Outlook.com, but that won’t change your email id. Thus you get the best from both worlds – the latest technology and an unchanged email id.
Outlook.com is same as the desktop version of Outlook in function, so you don’t need to work out a lot new tricks and techniques. But it indeed looks a bit different. You may notice that the two programs present some same icons, screen parts and designs. Following are some of the same components:
Folder List – This is along the left side of the screen which has the default Mail folder list of Inbox, Drafts, Junk, Sent and Deleted. As Outlook.com is a web app, the screens may alter.
The Ribbon – The Ribbon has several of the links which you can find in the desktop version’s Navigation panel. By default, it shows your mail Inbox, but it may give features like Calendar, People and SkyDrive when you click the arrow to the right.
While you are using Outlook.com, you cannot see many buttons and screens you are in a habit of seeing from the regular Outlook version, but the same features are available. You just have to open an email or appointment, upon which a new set of commands will be seen in the Ribbon. Keep in mind that as you are still making use of a web browser, the top menus are part of the browser program and not of Outlook.com.
Thus Outlook.com presents many features for your convenience so that sending and receiving emails is a lot more easier for you now.
