Origin of Hotmail and Live

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Hotmail and its impact on the digital age:
The origin of Hotmail is an important milestone in the history of the Internet. It was one of the first free web-based email services that revolutionized the way people communicated online. At a time when emails were primarily accessible through Internet Service Providers, Hotmail broke barriers by offering an email service accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection. This innovation democratized access to digital communication and paved the way for the popularization of email as we know it today.

Microsoft's first email service was Hotmail, founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith in 1996. Hotmail's distinguishing feature was its accessibility through a web browser, eliminating the need for specific client software. This meant that users could access their emails from any internet-connected device, which was revolutionary at the time.

Hotmail quickly gained popularity and attracted the uk mobile phone directory attention of Microsoft, which acquired the service in 1997. Under the Microsoft umbrella, Hotmail continued to evolve and improve, becoming an integral part of the company's digital ecosystem.

Over time, Microsoft rebranded Hotmail as Outlook.com as part of its broader platform called Windows Live. This move not only solidified Microsoft’s presence in the email market but also integrated additional features such as cloud storage, calendar, and contacts.