Hotmail for Android

Hotmail for Android

Microsoft is battling back in the webmail wars with an improved Hotmail service and with it, a Hotmail app for the Android service.

Yes, a Hotmail app, although this 'first' might not last long, as the company has Apple plans too. More on that later. In the meantime, let's focus on Android. No more third party apps or web browser catch-ups, with the official app taking care of most of the basics.

That means 'push email', so you get messages on your phone without delay, as well as synced calendar and contacts plus the option to view your folders in Hotmail, including sub folders, send pictures from your phone using Hotmail, work with other attachments and use the app for multiple Hotmail accounts. It's free and good to go with Android 2.1 to 2.3 right now.

So what about this iOS 5 thing? That's coming too - presumably in the coming hours. According to Pocket Lint, Bryan Saftler, Hotmail product manager, Microsoft Consumer and Online UK, explained that Apple's updated software will have the email service ingrained into it: 'We're going to be native on iOS 5, which is going to be released momentarily, so just like you get any other email, it's going to be on that experience; push, calendar, contacts and email,' he said.

So Android owners, enjoy your webmail superiority now, it's unlikely to last for long.