A Web-based e-mail client, tentatively called Office Live Mail, could be a key piece of Microsoft's forthcoming Office Live software-as-a-service offering, according to a published report.
A posting on the LiveSide blog  an independent site run by a number of Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals, among others, that is dedicated to tracking Microsoft's Live efforts  describes the alleged features of Office Live Mail.
"Office Live Mail provides users with the ability to read and receive emails from any Internet-connected computer in the world. Ideal for those on the move, Office Live Mail can be accessed from either a web browser or Outlook 2000/2003. Here are some things to expect upon the release of the beta," according to the LiveSide description.
Office Live Mail will be offered in two flavors, the posting on LiveSide said. Free accounts will provide users with 250 MB of storage, while paid, subscriber accounts will offer 2 GB of storage. Office Live mail will provide Outlook 2000 and Outlook 2003 access via HTTP as a "trial service," the report said, and will allow users to read messages from their MSN Plus, MSN Premium and other POP accounts.
The new service also will allow users to assign up to 100 "favorite contact" or "Quickname" designations to e-mail buddies, the LiveSide said.
Microsoft officials did not respond to a request for comment on the Office Live Mail report by the time this article was published.
It's not clear whether Office Live Mail is based on the same code as is Windows Live Mail, another Microsoft service that is currently in beta test. Windows Live Mail, code-named "Kahuna," is the successor to Hotmail. One difference between the two services is Windows Live Mail currently does not provide support for POP3, however, while it sounds as if Office Live Mail may do so.
Windows Live is a set of services designed to be extensions of Windows. Microsoft is beta testing a handful of these services, many of which are expected to be free and ad-supported. Among the Windows Live services currently in beta are the Windows Live Safety Center, Windows Live OneCare, Windows Live Favorites, Windows Live Custom Domains, Windows Live Search and Windows Live Expo.
The LiveSide reported last week that the kick-off of Microsoft's Office Live beta was imminent, and that Microsoft had mailed the beta invitations to selected participants the first week of January.
The invitations promised "a free Web site with your own domain name, free hosting, online business applications, e-mail and more" along with easy access to 'your company e-mail, customer and project information from almost any Internet-connected computer,'" read the beta invitation, according to the LiveSide.
In a recently published interview, Jeff Raikes, the president of Microsoft's Business division, said Microsoft is planning to release Beta 1 of Office Live to as many as 70,000 testers.
A posting on the LiveSide blog  an independent site run by a number of Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals, among others, that is dedicated to tracking Microsoft's Live efforts  describes the alleged features of Office Live Mail.
"Office Live Mail provides users with the ability to read and receive emails from any Internet-connected computer in the world. Ideal for those on the move, Office Live Mail can be accessed from either a web browser or Outlook 2000/2003. Here are some things to expect upon the release of the beta," according to the LiveSide description.
Office Live Mail will be offered in two flavors, the posting on LiveSide said. Free accounts will provide users with 250 MB of storage, while paid, subscriber accounts will offer 2 GB of storage. Office Live mail will provide Outlook 2000 and Outlook 2003 access via HTTP as a "trial service," the report said, and will allow users to read messages from their MSN Plus, MSN Premium and other POP accounts.
The new service also will allow users to assign up to 100 "favorite contact" or "Quickname" designations to e-mail buddies, the LiveSide said.
Microsoft officials did not respond to a request for comment on the Office Live Mail report by the time this article was published.
It's not clear whether Office Live Mail is based on the same code as is Windows Live Mail, another Microsoft service that is currently in beta test. Windows Live Mail, code-named "Kahuna," is the successor to Hotmail. One difference between the two services is Windows Live Mail currently does not provide support for POP3, however, while it sounds as if Office Live Mail may do so.
Windows Live is a set of services designed to be extensions of Windows. Microsoft is beta testing a handful of these services, many of which are expected to be free and ad-supported. Among the Windows Live services currently in beta are the Windows Live Safety Center, Windows Live OneCare, Windows Live Favorites, Windows Live Custom Domains, Windows Live Search and Windows Live Expo.
The LiveSide reported last week that the kick-off of Microsoft's Office Live beta was imminent, and that Microsoft had mailed the beta invitations to selected participants the first week of January.
The invitations promised "a free Web site with your own domain name, free hosting, online business applications, e-mail and more" along with easy access to 'your company e-mail, customer and project information from almost any Internet-connected computer,'" read the beta invitation, according to the LiveSide.
In a recently published interview, Jeff Raikes, the president of Microsoft's Business division, said Microsoft is planning to release Beta 1 of Office Live to as many as 70,000 testers.