Microsoft upgrades its Hotmail service

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Jul 12, 1999

REDMOND, Wash. (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft has redesigned its free electronic-mail service Hotmail to be faster and easier to use.

The upgrade is the first since Hotmail started three years ago.

The service is faster in part because high-resolution graphics have been eliminated, Microsoft said.

Hotmail also has more space for reading and writing messages, and several services, including addresses and reminders, are easier to find, the company said Friday.

Microsoft bought Hotmail in December 1997 for its 9.5 million subscribers and to enhance its Microsoft Network online service.

Hotmail's subscriber list has swelled to 40 million, though it also now faces dozens of competitors as companies such as top Internet service America Online and Internet content producer Cnet have unveiled free e-mail services. The new design is available in Hotmail's four languages -- English, French, German and Japanese, Microsoft said.