Windows Vista and Windows XP users, get ready for a new email experience from Microsoft! The Redmond Company has made available for download a fresh beta version of Windows Live Mail. After just a few months of general availability for Windows Vista, and not soon enough for a long overdue update for Windows XP, users will now be able to preview and enjoy the future of Windows Mail and Outlook Express. Windows Live Mail is designed to act as a desktop mail client and testers in nine markets around the world will be able to access localized versions, while the rest of us have to be content with the English build.

Microsoft is delivering the beta build free of charge, and as yet, the company announced that it will not implement advertisements into the product. "Windows Live Mail is the successor to Windows Mail in Windows Vista (and Outlook Express on Windows XP) and also (designed to replace) previous betas of Windows Live Mail desktop. It sports a brand new UI that more aligned with what's being adopted across Windows Live. Windows Live Mail will allow syncing with Windows Live Hotmail, serving as a client-to-service bridge. The first beta of Windows Live Mail will offer: offline mail, Windows Live Hotmail account aggregation , additional account aggregation for POP3 and IMAP mail accounts, RSS feed aggregation," revealed Nick White, Microsoft Program Manager.

Windows Live mail will also bring to the table enhanced photo-sharing capabilities, advanced search options and integration with Windows Desktop Search. And on top of all this, Microsoft is also sporting additional safety measures set up in place for basic protection.

But perhaps one of the enhancements that will immediately stand out is the support added for the Windows Aero interface in Windows Vista. Microsoft has also focused to improve the installer, account setup and migration, and to increase stability and performance. Windows Live Mail Beta is available for download here.