PingBack from http://www.techaddress.com/2007/06/11/microsoft-office-outlook-connector-beta-now-available/

Hi Brandon

This appear's to be a major shift in the MS policy to enable free hotmail access to Outlook.No denying the fact that it is indeed and a good one :)

This was the an earlier post by MS on the removal of free hotmail access.

===============================================

At this time we are not going to make any changes that will discontinue your ability to access your Hotmail E-Mail from Outlook or Outlook Express.  We may re-evaluate this in the future however if any changes are going to be made to discontinue this functionality we will notify you in advance.

To give you some background on why this change is happening, spammers have exploited the use of Hotmail accounts via Outlook and Outlook Express to send unwanted messages to Hotmail customers as well as the overall email community.  Due to the magnitude of this problem we have had to make the tough decision to make this functionality a subscription only feature moving forward.  By making this ability part of our subscription services that require users to provide billing information, we can more effectively manage and put a stop to abuse of this functionality, protecting you and others from receiving unsolicited mail. To ensure continued access to your account from Outlook or Outlook Express you may want to consider purchasing a subscription service such as MSN Hotmail Plus or MSN Premium which both will give you this ability along with many other added features.  To see the other benefits of upgrading your Hotmail or MSN account or to create a new subscription account please visit http://join.msn.com.

===============================================

So my question is simple,how is MS going to ensure that spammer's dont misuse this service for their benefit?

Regards

Rahul Thomas

Hi

Is there any chance that a product will be release that will allow Entourage to have the same functionality on Mac OS X??

Here's hoping!!

Mike.

Finally! its here

From the Windows Vista blog this morning, news that the Outlook Connector is back in beta form. The Microsoft

Don't you love the way the title of a product described what it is? While this product does what

Brandon, I have two Questions:

Q#1: What restrictions/limitations are imposed on the number of contacts that may be synchronized between Outlook and Windows Live Hotmail? For example, if I have 2,000 contacts currently in Outlook, will I be able to synchronize all 2,000 contacts with Windows Live Hotmail? If there are restrictions/limitations on the number contacts, do the restrictions very with unpaid/paid WLH subscription levels?

Q#2: Does the new Office Outlook Connector work with Office XP?

Cool!

I have been using it for the past two days, and it seems to have a lag in Synchronizing mails... i.e. new mails can be seen via the Web interface, but when I check via Outlook 2007, it doesn’t find them…

Looks like its one of those Beta bug needs ironing out…

N.B: I have tested this with Hotmail Plus Account.

Hotmail Plus worked quite good, but not able to sync the calendar with my home account ( = Live) is a problem. Should we pay for this feature 19,95€ a month for MSN Premium? I don't think MS makes may persons happy with this strategy.

For now: It's not possible to use the same calendar at work (Exchange), in your phone (Pocket Outlook) and at home (Windows Live Hotmail) :(((((((

If you read the text of the download site, it says you only need a subscription. Isn't 19,95€/year (Windows Live Hotmail Plus) enough for just a sync feauture ?????

Thnx Brandon for this clear answer.

I hope that the rest of the world (as we use the English software too) won't be forgotten. We got English software, a credit card, a internet line to the US, but creating a domain with Office Live Essentials isn't possible. Isn't that weird?

Second, I hope that the US compagny will inform their offices in the other countries about changes in their services.

I have time for a solution, but I can't wait forever. The strategy is good with Live at home and Exchange at work, but there is a lack of information (which service to choose) and lack of working tools. Now we can test the Beta to get a bug-free working tool, but the service isn't there :(

I hope you and MS make us in Europe happy soon!!

I am using Outlook 2003 and Windows Live Mail.  I have installed the Connector (1.8.3501.0)but can't get my email to sync. I do not have the premium package as I only want the email to sync which is free.

However, I think the connector is trying to sync the calendar as well and fails because I do not have the premium service.

When I click on the Server Status icon in the bottom right tray I get the following:

Storage quota is not available!

Mail: Connecting

Calendar: Connecting

Contact: Connecting

The detailed report says:

Outlook Connector Version 1.8.3501.0

Account: xxx@hotmail.co.uk

Signed in successfully at 04/07/2007 21:14:43                                                                          

Mail:                                                                                                                

Calendar:                                                                                                              

Contacts:                                                                                                              

Errors :

Time: 04/07/2007 21:14:44

Error in Mail

Outlook Connector is available only to subscribers.

It seems to be objecting that I'm not a subscriber, but I don't want the subscription part.  Is there a setting to only specify that I want the email only to appear?

Thanks in advance.

Are there any places to get support on the Beta or provide feedback?

I have an MSN premium account and one of my machines only shows mail from last week.  Another machine correctly shows all mail up to today.  Deleting and recreating the account didn't fix the problem nor did downloading Outlook Connector again.

Selecting the Contact Us link is amusing.  You can't get Chat support since the Beta doesn't have a PID.  Calling the number listed gets you the runaround between Outlook, MSN, and Outlook.  Give it a try :-).

rossc

Brandon,

Thanks for your help.  I have only just re-visited the site to see your response.  I have just downloaded and installed the BETA version which seems to be working.  Syncing the first time now.

Thanks again.

PS. Is it intended to work with Windows Live Mail in the future full release.

Hello Brandon,

and thank you for the opportunity that this blog represent.

I'm among those that, until yesterday, and since the OC Beta has been released, has been happily syncing all the Outlook elements with no problems.

OC Beta is faster than OC (even if not fast as an ordinary HTTP session through WLM).

I encountered some minor bugs on Categories and their Color (I use OL 2007 on Vista Enterprise EN), but I think is due to a Pocket MSN sync issue, involved in my quite fool chain synchronization.....

I'm investigating on it, anyway.

Well, coming back to my problem, after a month of proper work, I decided to remove all the flags from mail messages (flags made messages populate my "to-do" list voiding its proper use).

This wide (and annoying) removing (more than 1000 items) caused a first set of OC errors, their explanation substantially is that sync sessions can't manage "too many elements" in one time.

So, I tried to reinstall everything erasing registry voices under HKCU/..../Windows Messaging Subsystem/profiles.

What I reached is the actual, depressive error:

-----------------------

Outlook Connector Version 12.0.4518.1047

Account: stefania.castelli@hotmail.com

Session timed out.  Automatically re-signed in at 17/07/2007 2.58.40                                                    

Mail: Last successfully refreshed at 7.30.                                                                              

Calendar: Last successfully refreshed at 7.30.                                                                          

Contacts: Last successfully refreshed at 7.30.                                                                          

Errors :

Time: 17/07/2007 2.58.47

Error in Mail

There is an error synchronizing your mail account, please call Microsoft support to resolve this issue.

Error: 3206.

Time: 17/07/2007 3.28.48

Error in Mail

There is an error synchronizing your mail account, please call Microsoft support to resolve this issue.

Error: 3206.

Time: 17/07/2007 3.58.57

Error in Mail

There is an error synchronizing your mail account, please call Microsoft support to resolve this issue.

Error: 3206.

-------------------------

I contacted the Live Hotmail Plus support, and after some unuseful mail exchanges, they suggest me to ask to the following link for an help (https://support.microsoft.com/common/survey.aspx?scid=sw;en;1214&showpage=1).

Nevertheless, this is a generic feedback form, I diligently filled.... but it doesn't seem technical and specific.

Their answer is meaningful about this:

-------------------------

Hello Stefania,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Online Customer Service.

I understand that you are receiving error message synchronizing with Live Hotmail Plus.

From the information you have provided in your message, I found that you are located in Italy. So, your best resource for support is the Microsoft Italy Subsidiary.

There are significant programming differences between North America and localized versions of software. So. you may contact the Microsoft subsidiary in Italy at:

Centro Direzionale San Felice

Palazzo A

Via Rivoltana, 13

20090 Segrate (MI)

ITALY

Phone: +39 02 70 398 398

Fax: 39 02 70 392 020

Microsoft Customer Care Center:

+39 02 70 398 398

or you may visit the following website:

http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/phone/contact.aspx?country=Italy

Stefania, I hope your issue is resolved at the earliest. If you have additional questions or concerns, please write back to us.

Thank you for using Microsoft products and services.

Srinivas

Microsoft Online Customer Service Representative

---------------------

I even contacted the Office Live Support Team, with which I have a solid relationship and that I love because they're fast, reliable and supportive.

But Live Hotmail is not a product managed by them (even if I know if they'd wish......I collected dozens of mails with them in order to solve sync problems between Office Live Essential Trial domains accounts and OC or OC Beta..... servers are the same....).

So, as happened to other customers I read about here, they sent me to the generic MS Product support pages.

There you're asked to provide a Product ID, in order to proceed with your requests.

Unfortunately OC Beta doesn't own a PID, so even that chance is voided.

Finally.

I'm a terrible fan of OC. According to me is the "Exchange Light" of the future.

But I'm not able to find a support team to refer to.

So, Brandon, If you please have a suggestion to solve this problem or where to address it,  please write a line on this blog or send a mail to this hard headed tester at stefania.castelli@hotmail.com.

Thanks a lot in advance

All the Best

Hello everyone and Hello Brandon,

It's five 'o clock in the morning here, not so far from Venice (Italy).

My OC Beta started unaspectedly to (testually): "Downloading Full Items in Inbox: (44 of 3249)".

For days and days error 3206 persecuted my quiet use of Outlook....

My last action, I don't know if this is the real source of this miracle but sure the most probable (having mailed unsuccesfully any kind of Customer Care at MS), has been to call for an help here:

https://support.microsoft.com/common/survey.aspx?scid=sw;en;1214&showpage=1

I explained to them everything reporting the OC Beta logs and selecting "Other" as software involved in my request.

My Request Subject: Outlook Connector Nightmare ;-)

Ciao

Stefania

Hello Brandon.

I have Office 2003 and I downloaded the latest beta. I own Hotmail Live free account still I get the same problem Golfer had:

Storage quota is not available!

Mail: Connecting

Calendar: Connecting

Contact: Connecting

The detailed report says:

Outlook Connector Version 1.8.3501.0

Account: xxx@hotmail.co.uk

Signed in successfully at 04/07/2007 21:14:43

I contacted both Hotmail Live support and Office support yet all they did is referring me from to the other over and over...

May you assist?

Thanks.

Brandon, that's exactly the version I have.

Yet I get the same problem.

No one tried to help me.

Thanks.

Hi Brandon,

Trying this myself but also have the dreaded 3206 error every time it tries to sync. Any news on this or shall I give up and go back to 1.8:

Outlook Connector Version 12.0.4518.1047

Account: xxxxxxx@hotmail.com

Signed in successfully at 31/07/2007 23:35:28                                                                          

Mail: Last successfully refreshed at 23:42.                                                                            

Calendar: Last successfully refreshed at 23:42.                                                                        

Contacts: Last successfully refreshed at 23:42.                                                                        

Errors :

Time: 31/07/2007 23:35:33

Error in Mail

There is an error synchronizing your mail account, please call Microsoft support to resolve this issue.

Error: 3206.

I'm on the other computer at the moment, I'll check it again, though I'm pretty sure I have the latest version.

I have Hebrew Office (2003), should that matter?

Already there - posted 22/7:

http://blogs.msdn.com/outlook/archive/2007/06/15/microsoft-office-outlook-connector-beta-released.aspx

Never mind. Back to v1.8!

I just installed Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager and used a yahoo e-mail address in Outlook.  I was unable to send e-mail so I signed up for a hotmail account and plan to install OutlookConnector Beta Version but three versions are available:

Outlook_Connector_12_0_FAQ.doc 39KB and 24KB and OutlookConnector.exe 4.1MB.  Should I install 4.1MB or how do I determine which one to install.  I have Windows Vista.

Thank you LeBlanc,

Victoria

Brandon,

Thank you sooooo much!

Victoria

Brandon,

I need help or direction, please.

I installed the Microsoft Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager today.  When I signed up for email I used my yahoo account and was unable to send email and it had yahoo as the server POP.

Since then I have completely deleted that information. I have a Windows Live ID and I am able to sign in there.  I have the full version of Windows Live Hotmail - it says it is free.  All I really want to do is e-mail with the new Outlook software I bought and with Publisher.

I have gone to tools, then account settings,

e-mail, clicked new e-mail and typed in my hotmail address and password for that address.

Then it asks me to verify my e-mail address and password but it won't verify and there is nothing to click like NEXT. I has my password typed in and wants me to type in front of it.

It says to type in the password provided by my ISP.  I called my cable ISP and the technical support had no idea what I was talking about.

they do not have email and I can' remember needing a password to log onto to the cable.

It also pops up and says "Access to Hotmail via Outlook and Outlook Express now requires a subscription.  Please sign up at http:join.msn.com/general/Email

so I pressed okay though I just want the free e-mail. I went to the address it gave me and my hotmail is working.

Then it says "Cannot log on to Server".

Can you help me with this?

Thank you,

Victoria

Brandon,

I also downloaded OutlookConnector.exe to my

c drive.

Victoria

Brandon,

My note is suppose to say that I can't remember needing a password to log on to my cable ISP.

Victoria

Brandon from Victoria,

I figured out what to do to get my Outlook to work and it is working great now.  I am new to this so it takes me a while to figure things out.

Thanks,

Victoria

Hello:

I've been searching the net, and have been in contact with various tech supports... but you seem to be someone who actually knows what's going on.

This is my situation...

My ISP is Bell Sympatico - who has a partnership with with Microsoft, they offer a "Sympatico MSN Premium" and I also subscribe to this service.

I have a master and two secondary @sympatico.ca e-mail accounts that are all associated with MSN Premium.  With the old (non-beta) version of MOOC everything, including the calendar, syncs fine.  The beta version does not work with these accounts.

I also have a Windows Live Custom Domain, with two e-mail accounts.  The old (non-beta) MOOC does not work at all with these accounts.  The Beta version of MOOC works with these accounts BUT will not sync the calendar since it says I do not subscribe to a Premium service.  Since these accounts ARE valid Windows Live IDs, I tried to add them to my MSN Premium service (I have 8 free e-mail addresses left) - BUT apparently there is a bug in the current MSN Premium version (9.5) which prevents Windows Live Custom Domain e-mail addresses from being accepted.  The last version that supposedly allowed for this was 9.0, but I can't confirm that since no one seems to be able to give me access to that version.

Sorry, I know this is long.

THIS is what I want.

As a subscriber to MSN Premium, I want my Microsoft Windows Live Custom Domain addresses to be recognized as valid "Premium" accounts without having to pay another $60 (CDN)/year to make them Windows Live Hotmail Plus.  I already pay for MSN Premium.

I want to be able to use some form of MOOC to fully (including calendar) synch my two Custom Domain accounts and to be able to use the Windows Live Hotmail WITHOUT ads (since I DO subscribe to a Premium service).

So, my question is... do you have ANY idea about if/when/how I can do that?

Thanks!

Brandon, here's the log as I promised:

Outlook Connector Version 12.0.4518.1047

Account: XXX@hotmail.com

Signed in successfully at 04/08/2007 14:52:56                                                                          

Mail:                                                                                                                  

Calendar:                                                                                                              

Contacts:                                                                                                              

Errors :

Time: 04/08/2007 14:52:58

Error in Mail

Network operation failed

Time: 04/08/2007 14:53:02

Error in Mail

Outlook Connector is available only to subscribers.

Time: 04/08/2007 14:53:03

Error in Calendar

Outlook Connector is available only to subscribers.

Time: 04/08/2007 14:53:21

Error in Mail

Outlook Connector is available only to subscribers.

Thanks...

Drazick,

I don't know much about this stuff but after you downloaded the Outlook Connector did you install the download to your computer?

Victoria

I hope they come out with an attachment previewer for Outlook soon for xps and pdf files.  I made files in .doc and was able to read them in Outlook.

Victoria

Is there a method to download (sync up) my Live Hotmail emails using Windows Live Mail email client of Windows Vista. I mean without using MS Office Outlook (and the mentioned connector) is there a method to download all my mails. There used to be this simple method in XP wherein you could use "Outlook Express" to read all ur mails from your hotmail account. I am wanting to have the same thing for Vista and Live Mail.

If not, why was this discontinued? Due to anti-trust issues?

Well, it doesn't work for me. I've downloaded from Office 2007 suggested location for Outlook Connector. It reports version number: 12.0.4518.1047.

It doesn't connect. In fact, it says "Connecting" and it doesn't change. Detailed Report does nothing, no popup window or anything like it. I  have the free Hotmail Live account.

Now that I've noticed, the Mail Storage shows up correctly. 4.9MB of 2.0GB. Am I missing something? Thank you guys.

Today, the Microsoft Office Outlook Team has made the new version of the Microsoft Outlook Connector

Hi, Brandon. I've also found the error 3206 when I received email via OC from my live hotmail mailbox last week. Did you find any way to solve this problem? I've tried many method to do with it, but it seems not very lucky. Thank you very much

And it still doesn't work. :(

Hi Brandon,

I've got serious problems with OOC. I need version 12.4518.1047 but I only get the wong version.

Can you help me

Greetings from Holland

Rob van den Berg

Does anyone know what the sync schedule is of the Connector using Outlook 2007? The FAQ almost implies that it's on as 'as-items-arrive' (push?) basis. (It states that in Outlook 2003 items only arrive when Outlook performs a scheduled Send/Receive, as opposed to "automatically" in 2007.)

So, what does "automatically" in that context mean? I'm using Outlook 2007, and as far as I can tell, my mail only arrives when Outlook performs a scheduled send/receive.

I'm now using Outlook Connector version 12.0.4518.1063 that was released today (09/11/2007) along with Outlook 2007. I was having trouble today getting the sync to complete, so I upgraded to the new version.

I have a Hotmail Plus account and I noticed that as of today I now have 10 GB of space available. But in the Outlook Connector it reports that I have 5GB of space.  Could it be that the descripency has something to do with the problem?

My wife has a free hotmail account that only has 5 GB of space and her sync is working just fine.

Does anyone know how to clear the Hotmail server when using Connector? Once I have downloaded e-mails to Outlook, they are still all on the Hotmail server when I next log onto the web based version.  Thanks