It all began with the launch of Windows 8 and Microsoft Office 2013 by the tech giant founded by Bill Gates. Analysts were skeptical, no doubt, but with its new Metro UI interface and the cloud-friendly, touch-friendly interface with solid colors and a redesigned logo for each product, Microsoft has surely built ground for some major changes in its extensive range of products. The recent move has added more weight to the email service, Hotmail (or MSN, Windows Live Mail and the like). An email was recently sent out to Hotmail users by the Outlook.com Team urging people to upgrade from Hotmail to Outlook.com. In this post, we will analyze and asses the difference in features and benefits the proposed change has for you and is it really worth it? And if you’re a professional, this information is critical for you!

The Windows logo and feel had never been this apparent in your Hotmail inbox, and if you were struggling to adjust to the professional environment Microsoft Outlook 2013 provides to you, well, Microsoft made everything easier by transforming your Hotmail to an online Outlook-like interface (simply put, you don’t have much choice, adapt or shift). With a few clicks, you can upgrade from Hotmail to Outlook.com interface with some additional and useful features like aliases and more. Let us analyze the differences in some detail.

If there was one word that could be used to describe the new outlook, its modern. It’s like moving from a messy room to a neat and tidy, organized environment allowing you to think freely and perform efficiently. All the clutter has been cleaned up and organized for your benefit and according to the official statement, you can now view 30% more messages in the inbox with Outlook.com (remember Outlook.com is simply an upgrade, you still need to sign in with your original Hotmail account, only the upgrade has been dubbed Outlook.com). Microsoft had recently shut Windows Live Messenger in favor of the popular Skype application and is planning to provide Skype calling options from within your inbox. The flurry of the social media has also been integrated with the new interface allowing you to add in Facebook and Twitter circles to your new email environment with latest statuses and feeds informing you of the mood of your email recipients with ease. In short, the upgrade from Hotmail To Outlook.com is definitely worth it.

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