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Windows Live Hotmail rolls out: our interview with Omar Shahine and Ellie Powers-Boyle

By on April 18, 2007 2:54 PM
9 comments

Windows Live Hotmail, a completely rebuilt web based mail client set to replace MSN Hotmail, started its rollout to selected markets this week.  This morning, I talked on the phone with two members of the Windows Live Hotmail team from their offices in Mountain View, California.  Omar Shahine and Ellie Powers-Boyle have been working on “Kahuna” since 2004, and we talked about the code base, the beta, performance, and more.

Omar and Ellie introduce themselves 00:00
Hotmail signup has a new code base, too 01:45
Initial reports on the first stages of the rollout 03:08
What the user will see and what they won’t see but will notice 04:19
Balancing performance and features 08:55
A new code base positions WL Hotmail to compete 12:50
Ellie talks about a unique beta 16:49
Windows Live Calendar and @live.com accounts: I had to ask 23:27

Download and listen to the 10mb .mp3

Posted in Interviews | Tags:

Comments

  • foaf

    Omar mentions ‘MSN Calendar’. I wonder if that is an indication of the branding of the calendar. It would be a shame if it was.

  • CalumJR

    That is too big for me to download (I’m on dial-up cos of my mum).

    Can somebody please tell me what they said about “@live.com” email addresses?

  • Chris

    foaf: I would be very surprised if it was branded MSN Calendar. I can’t see any way in which they could justify that.

    calum-r-: to paraphrase Omar, he said “short term concerns are around taking our existing user base and making sure they have a smooth transition. after that, will move onto things like the @live.com namespace.” hope that was useful ;)

  • http://www.ecxocorp.com zlinko

    Hmm… there keeping quiet about the Calendar… I’m guessing they must have something in the works and it seems like it might be pretty big since they where so hush, hush about it.

    I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

  • Kip Kniskern

    calum-r-

    Yeah didn’t mean to keep you in suspense but there wasn’t much news to report. The @live.com addresses are coming but no set timetable as of yet.

    And as for Omar’s “MSN Calendar” reference, remember he kept calling it Kahuna the whole time, too. Sometimes I think that the code names and name changes are harder for ‘Softies to keep straight than they are for us.

  • DavidK

    Thanks for the interview, good work! It’s good that they will talk to people about their products!

    I’m aching for this calendar to make an appearance, I really hope it’s been worth the wait.

  • Zaarin

    zlinko: they may also be very hush, hush because almost nothing has been done on it.

  • rhann

    they changed the colour to white, that’s quite a bit of work

  • CalumJR

    Thank you Kip and Chris.

    What do you mean rhann when you say they changed the colour to white? :-S

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