Bye Bye Hotmail

[bdw]

If you didnt know this already, Microsoft yesterday (1st August) released a new web email service called outlook.com that looks set to replace hotmail. Its a slick system with the new 'Metro' Windows 8 design and should give gmail a good run for its money.

All the IT nerds and marketing spammers around the world are in a panic to secure a new @outlook.com email address. I was lucky to get [email protected]. Have you got yours yet before someone else snaps it up? Especially if you have a common name like JustJoe

You can also upgrade your existing hotmail to outlook.com, no need to create a completely new address and then have two accounts. But it wont happen automatically. Someone else can still snap up your name if you dont do it now. Having [email protected] does NOT automatically entitle you to [email protected].

To upgrade from hotmail, open your hotmail and click in the options on the top right and you should see something like "Upgade to outlook.com". Also, I think you can just go directly to outlook.com in a browser and enter your hotmail login.

Once you have the new interface, you still need to reserve a new email address (if you want one, there is nothing stopping you from just using your existing hotmail, but thats not cool ). To do this, click the cog on the top right and go into more settings. In here you have options to "Rename your email" or "Create an Alias". Rename will give you a brand new login, but still keep the hotmail as an alias so people can email you on either old or new address and you will get. Create an alias means you still login with hotmail, but have a new address that people can email you on.

You better rush before your name is gone!

[pepe77]

Thanks for the reminder. I also secured my email address as [email protected] - Im sure it will come in handy

[mlclau]

Thanks Don't like the new font though - is there a way to change it?

[pin]

i got firstnamelastname.

Only loosers get firstname_lastname.

[bdw]

i got firstnamelastname.

Only loosers get firstname_lastname.

There's nothing wrong with the underscore, Pin

But actually, one of the nice features of this new system is the ALIAS function. You can create up to 5 aliases per account. I actually got firstname_lastname, firstname.lastname, and firstnamelastname. Its probably overkill and not what the function is designed for. But I think its handy in cases where you might want a formal full addres to put on your resume, another address you can use more casually, etc and each address will go back to the one inbox.

[pepe77]

i got firstnamelastname.

Only loosers get firstname_lastname.

Don´t want to be a looser so I just changed it

[gunsnroses]

I can't bloody open it! I tried to open outlook.com, but it's blocked.
Is there a roundabout way I can use to get there?
(reason for asking is, I can't open gmail.com, but if I open google, and sign in from there I can get to my gmail)

[MovingIn07]

Thanks for the heads up. I got my prefered format of firstinitiallastname which is nice.

[gunsnroses]

My prefered is firstnamelastinitial...

[Fiona in HKG]

There's nothing wrong with the underscore, Pin

But actually, one of the nice features of this new system is the ALIAS function. You can create up to 5 aliases per account. I actually got firstname_lastname, firstname.lastname, and firstnamelastname. Its probably overkill and not what the function is designed for. But I think its handy in cases where you might want a formal full addres to put on your resume, another address you can use more casually, etc and each address will go back to the one inbox.

Thank you for the head's up....grabbed my firstname.lastname too