Microsoft's Hotmail email service received a faceflift today, marking the first major design change implemented on the email service in over ten years. The new interface of Hotmail is heavily based on Ajax and closely resembles Microsoft Outlook, especially in terms of functionality offering features such as drag-and-drop capabilities and auto-complete addressing. The service has also been re-branded, now called Windows Live Hotmail.

In a move similar to Google and Yahoo, Microsoft has also provided a built-in version of Windows Live Messenger. Microsoft also allows users to VOIP call contacts directly through their web browser. Inbox storage has also been improved, now ringing in at 2GB. We are quite interested to see how Microsoft will respond when Yahoo rolls out its infinite inbox.

For those of us who aren't as easily adjusting, Microsoft also provides an option to revert back to the "classic" Hotmail interface, which has been around since 1996.