The way Hotmail works on mobile devices has also been improved. People who work in enterprises that use Exchange ActiveSync will be able to synchronize e-mail between their smartphones and the Web. Hotmail apps are available for BlackBerry and Symbian-based Nokia phones. (We weren't able to confirm whether apps for other mobile devices, such as the , are in the works.)

How does the revamped Hotmail compare to Gmail? In some ways, it's superior. The new Hotmail beats Gmail hands down for social network integration; Gmail also lacks the ability to view embedded media content from sites such as YouTube. For e-mail handling, while Gmail does an excellent job of that, I prefer the new Hotmail -- but that's strictly a personal preference. (For more on Hotmail vs. Gmail, .)

This new version of Hotmail focuses largely on productivity enhancements such as improved mail handling. It's also now easily the most elegant-looking of any Web-based mail service. If you've never used Hotmail before, or swore off it in the past, now is the time to take a new look -- you'll likely be exceedingly pleased at what you find.