Thread: Microsoft Outlook

If you don't want to stray too far from Outlook Express, how about switching to Microsoft's more powerful email software? Whereas Outlook Express is designed for home users, Microsoft Outlook was developed with serious business folk in mind and it comes packed with features.

The latest version, Office Outlook 2007, allows you to search for keywords, dates and other flexible criteria to locate items in your email, calendar, contacts and tasks. You can also create and publish internet calendars on Microsoft Office Online, to share your diary with other people. Outlook also syncs very well with Windows Mobile devices, such as smartphones or handheld pes, letting you carry your address book, calendar and email wherever you go. Meanwhile an improved junk mail filter disables links in messages and warns you about threatening content within email messages.

On the down side, the application is expensive to buy.while it's included as standard in the full price edition of Microsoft Office 2007 it's sadly missing from the cheaper Home and Student versions of the office suite. However, most Windows Mobile smartphones come with a copy included in the box.

One of the most useful features also happens to be one that's included in any good email application. If you don't have a spam filter function in your chosen email tool, then it's definitely time to switch. Sure, Outlook Express (or Windows Mail as it's known in Vista) includes Junk Mail options to weed out advertising messages from your everyday mail. But systems deal with junk mail in different ways. Some will filter it based on their own lists of web addresses, some will look for common words or phrases and others enable you to set up your own guidelines based on messages you receive.



Most email software provides a spam folder to search or browse. That means if the system has been a bit overeager and accidentally removed some legitimate emails, you can still find them. And with phishing attacks being such a problem these days, anything that helps to block rogue emails and stops your identity being stolen or your bank account being emptied has to be a good thing.

The second most vital function, again standard on any email system, is some form of contact or address book. Obviously you don't want to have to remember every person's email address every time you need to get in touch. Most address books can also be saved as a file and imported into other email programs, so you don't have to type them in all over again if you decide to switch systems.

Addresses are not the only thing that can be shared between most mail programs. For example, your existing collection of email messages and even information, such as junk mail filters are stored as separate files and can often be moved between email programs.

Another useful service is the ability to encrypt your email using something like the Hushmail web service. This online email account scrambles messages when they are sent across the internet, so no-one can read them if they get intercepted.

It sounds complicated but you need no technical knowledge as encrypting a message is as simple as clicking a button. This extra security can be added to your existing email program use the free webmail version online.

Many email programs also include a newsgroup reader. In the same way that email software reads the personal messages sent to your account, a news group reader looks at an online group you have signed up for and displays any messages found there