A Syncing Feeling: How to Sync Windows Live Hotmail with a Local Email Client

After an initial delay, Microsoft recently announced the retirement of the legacy DAV protocol used to sync Hotmail (a.k.a. Windows Live Mail) in Outlook Express and Outlook.

While somewhat sluggish, buggy, and indeed outdated, the DAV protocol allowed me and many other Hotmail users to easily sync email between Hotmail's web mail service and Outlook Express. Thanks to DAV and Outlook Express, I was able to seamlessly sync my Hotmail -- including all emails and folders -- between the web mail service accessible on any PC, and my two home computers running Outlook Express (a little dated, but simple and efficient overall).

With the retirement of DAV, such users are now compelled to find another solution to access/sync Hotmail, by September 1, 2009. The main options include:

• Accessing Hotmail via the POP3 protocol supported by Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, and other local mail clients. The significant downside here is that emails downloaded / filtered / read / deleted / sent via POP3 will not sync with Hotmail on the web, nor on another PC's email client. Likewise, folders will not be synced. In short, changes in one interface will not be reflected in another. If you choose the POP3 protocol, follow the setup instructions carefully, and be sure to check the "Leave a copy of messages on server" option unless you want your Hotmail inbox to appear strangely empty the next time you access it via the web.
  
• Replacing Outlook Express with Windows Live Mail, Microsoft's successor to OE. I am currently testing Windows Live Mail. As advertised, it feels very similar to Outlook Express, and syncs Hotmail just like DAV did in Outlook Express. The email search is essentially the same as in OE, although added features include an in-line search box under the toolbar, event reminders, and calendar syncing / sharing. Windows Live Mail also suggests that you download Desktop Search, Microsoft's search index utility. On the negative side, Windows Live Mail seems to be rather sluggish when opening an email in the preview window. Outlook Express did not present this problem on my test machine, which is a Centrino-based laptop running WinXP Pro SP2 with 512 MB of RAM.
  
• Ditching Outlook Express or other email programs, and exclusively accessing Hotmail via the web. Obviously, not a solution for those who prefer a desktop email client. However, Hotmail's web interface is excellent, and mimics a local email client like Outlook Express. One possible downside is the lack of offline access to Hotmail, although these days the lack of an Internet connection is rather rare.
  
• For Outlook 2003/2007 users, downloading Microsoft's Download Connector to continue to access Hotmail within Outlook. Alternatively, Outlook (including Outlook 2002) users can access Hotmail via POP3.

Feel free to share your own experiences with Hotmail and the syncing dilemma. Another time, I will post my thoughts and frustrations about syncing other email services such as Gmail and Yahoo! Mail with a local email client like Thunderbird.