Live/Hotmail vs Gmail for data management

[TGBmark1234]

Both use activesync. The only thing hotmail has is the connector for outlook but that thing is shoddy. You're better off just using Windows Live Mail which makes Hotmail function much like an Exchange account if run concurrently with WLM (can set it to start WLM when you start the mail app).

I have to disagree with you here. WLM, particularly in its 2011 form, is a huge smelly pile of junk. I've been using the Outlook Connector with Outlook 2010 for about a year now and never had an issue. It just works. I wish it would sync tasks, but that's the only problem I have with it.

The thing I dislike about hotmail is the amount of spam and phishing emails I get there. Account security is a huge issue on Windows Live in my experience. Hotmail has a relatively bad reputation. That's why Microsoft tried to rebrand it like 50 times.

It's going to be different for different people, but I've had my hotmail address for about 10 years and don't get any significant amount of spam at all. Like 1 or 2 messages a week which is the same as I get in my gmail account.

You should take a look at some of the work that MS have done to reduce spam, both in hotmail and in general. eg: 90% less spam in Hotmail, 15% less spam on the Internet

There is no technical reason why account security on hotmail would be any less than in gmail. User behaviour is the biggest weakness in both systems.

 

[cgk]

There is no technical reason why account security on hotmail would be any less than in gmail. User behaviour is the biggest weakness in both systems.

Actually I think there is - no multi-factor authentication for hotmail is there?

 

[TGBmark1234]

Actually I think there is - no multi-factor authentication for hotmail is there?

OK, I stand corrected on this, thanks. Didn't know gmail did this. Does it work with WP7/Outlook?

 

[cgk]

OK, I stand corrected on this, thanks. Didn't know gmail did this. Does it work with WP7/Outlook?

Work fine - also because someone has written an authentication client for WP7, you can also use your WP7 to provide the code when you log in on a strange desktop, it also provides multifactor authentication for lastpass.

 

[Justin.TV312]

I just love it when N8ter,M8ter,B8ter H8ter gets proven wrong but he fails to realize it.

 

[N8ter]

I have to disagree with you here. WLM, particularly in its 2011 form, is a huge smelly pile of junk. I've been using the Outlook Connector with Outlook 2010 for about a year now and never had an issue. It just works. I wish it would sync tasks, but that's the only problem I have with it.

WLM isn't a smelly pile of junk. It just works, and with WLMessenger installed email is pushed directly to the client. Outlook Connector is terrible. It doesn't even push email on Outlook 2007 (not sure about 2010, but I'm doubtful it does) and Outlook has TERRBILE integration with other Windows Live Essentials applications, which matters because of the workflow SkyDrive integration forces upon you in many cases.

Both use a Ribbon Interface. It's really just preference, but WLM is not bad at all.

It's going to be different for different people, but I've had my hotmail address for about 10 years and don't get any significant amount of spam at all. Like 1 or 2 messages a week which is the same as I get in my gmail account.

I've had mine for almost a decade. The amount of spam and phishing emails I get are ridiculous. Within the past 6 months my Windows Live Account was compromized twice despite me having really strong passwords with more than 15 characters and 2 Numbers + 1 Special Character thrown in there...

My Google Accounts have never - ever - been compromized... Ever...

You should take a look at some of the work that MS have done to reduce spam, both in hotmail and in general. eg: 90% less spam in Hotmail, 15% less spam on the Internet

There is no technical reason why account security on hotmail would be any less than in gmail. User behaviour is the biggest weakness in both systems.

I know what Microsoft has done. I still get an inordinate amount of spam not filtered by their servers. I use a Windows Phone and an Android device. I have both Windows Live and Gmail. I get a side by side comparison on a daily basis.

And you're wrong about security. There are shortfalls in the way the security is designed in Hotmail, like not being able to toggle SSL to always be without breaking certain clients.

 

[TGBmark1234]

WLM isn't a smelly pile of junk. It just works, and with WLMessenger installed email is pushed directly to the client. Outlook Connector is terrible. It doesn't even push email on Outlook 2007 (not sure about 2010, but I'm doubtful it does) and Outlook has TERRBILE integration with other Windows Live Essentials applications, which matters because of the workflow SkyDrive integration forces upon you in many cases.

Both use a Ribbon Interface. It's really just preference, but WLM is not bad at all.

Yes there is personal preference going on here, but I've had WLM crash regularly when working with large email folders - that's not opinion. I don't use any of the other WL apps so don't know about the integration you mention.

Outlooks syncs on whatever frequency you tell it to in the settings. It's not exactly the same as push but can be close enough. That is more a feature of Outlook than the Connector add-in.

I've had mine for almost a decade. The amount of spam and phishing emails I get are ridiculous. Within the past 6 months my Windows Live Account was compromized twice despite me having really strong passwords with more than 15 characters and 2 Numbers + 1 Special Character thrown in there...

My Google Accounts have never - ever - been compromized... Ever...

If your passwords really are that strong then there is something else going on here. A password that complex is virtually immune to brute force cracking in any sensible timeframe.

And you're wrong about security. There are shortfalls in the way the security is designed in Hotmail, like not being able to toggle SSL to always be without breaking certain clients.

Actually you're wrong here. If a client cannot connect via SSL then it's a fault with the client, not Hotmail itself. I have SSL forced on and quite happily connect with Outlook and WP7. I have no other clients that I use.

 

[N8ter]

I didn't say it was the servers fault. The issue here is that the SSL setting breaks some of Microsoft own software in cases... Lol... It's ironic.

Doesn't matter. Main point is hotmail has 0 advantage over gmail on WP7. They both sync in the same exact way, and the same data except for to dos which are Borderline useless for task management anyways. Google tasks are just as useless, btw.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

[N8ter]

Also push is superior to poll especially on a laptop off the plug.

And you can still crack passwords like that fairly quickly. I've done it on Windows machines in less than a minute with open source tools.

I don't prefer passwords like "&ehvx$184_hfsj" though.

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[fogel35]

I don't prefer passwords like "&ehvx$184_hfsj" though.

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

Time to go change my password *grumble

 

[Pronk]

I use both, but prefer gmail because it has a better desktop layout and functionality (e.g. drag and drop file attachment), and I make use of quite a few of the Gmail labs plugins on my desktop, which are very handy. Hotmail also seems to have an inferior spam filter (I still get far more spam messages there in my inbox than my Gmail accounts), and it still produces logout errors when using browsers other than IE periodically.

Gmail is more user friendly too. The Hotmail web interface layout has improved but it's still less intuitive and gives over more screen real estate to advertising.

 

[martin_strahilovski]

This may be a repeat but I could not find it...

I regularly use both live.com and Gmail. Both work well within my expectations. However, the live.com email seems to be just a bit more efficient at managing my calendar and contacts than my Gmail does. Am I crazy or is hotmail actually better?

Here's where a potential problem lies for me: I use Google Apps for Business and my Company email is facilitated by Gmail. Given cost factors, I am unable to move to Microsoft Exchange and Hotmail doesn't appear to offer a similar service. Any thoughts or feedback?

Yes, hotmail is way better, but with the new update that is rolling worldwide, MS has fixed that issue. Email. Fixes a Google mail syncing issue.You can read more about it on the next link:
Full Changelog For 8107 Update Released By Microsoft | WMPoweruser

 

[snowmutt]

This is a lot like the "google vs Bing" arguments. What are you use to? I actually went with a Hotmail account when I decided to get a Windows Phone, and just thought it would be a better experience. While it is obvious WP works well with either one, I really needed a long period of time to get used to Hotmail. I am not impressed with setup and layout with Hotmail. They are trying so hard to make it look different, they made it kinda difficult.
However, once I was used to it, I kinda liked it. I think the options are fantastic. I stuck with it and I am glad.

 

[cedarlog]

i use live for everything i don't like gmail at all