Windows Live Hotmail, designed by Microsoft as the successor of MSN Hotmail, was launched worldwide in no less than 36 languages. In excess of 20 million beta testers participated with feedback into the overhauling of Microsoft's email service, the company announced. According to Microsoft, Windows Live Hotmail will begin rolling out today, May 7, 2007.

"We're thrilled to deliver Windows Live Hotmail to the more than 280 million active MSN Hotmail accounts around the world," said Steve Berkowitz, senior vice president of the Online Services Group at Microsoft.

Still, the introduction of the revamped email services will not take place simultaneously for all the markets around the world, but will instead take the form of a transition that will stretch over the coming days. Since Hotmail made its debut on the webmail market in 1996, the Windows Live Hotmail is the largest upgrade delivered by Microsoft to the services, and an update to the brand as MSN Hotmail is now under the Live umbrella.

"Windows Live Hotmail represents an extremely compelling end-to-end e-mail experience that makes it easy for customers to get best-of-breed e-mail access across PCs, mobile devices and the Web. Windows Live Hotmail is a cornerstone online service for Microsoft and a critical part of our online advertising business because e-mail is a key point of influence for consumer purchases. We're pleased to announce the launch of the service to advertisers in addition to consumers on the eve of the Microsoft Strategic Account Summit," Berkowitz added.

New users will simply have to visit the old Hotmail website in order to sign up for a new Windows Live Hotmail account. Additionally, Microsoft informed that existing MSN Hotmail users will be able to update accounts to Windows Live Hotmail by clicking on the green Join Windows Live Hotmail button after they have logged into their account.