Today, Microsoft has released a beta of a new version of its Hotmail online email service. Codenamed 'Kahuna', the project has been made available to select group of current Hotmail users.
The new Hotmail has been rebuilt from the ground up and is "faster, safer and simpler to use"
'Kahuna' will offer 2GB of storage, a rich text editor and integrated protection against phishing scams, which attempt to steal sensitive information such as log-in names and passwords for online banks.
Unconfirmed reports hint at other new features, including automatic inbox refreshing similar to Google's Gmail. It is also said to offer an Outlook-style preview pane allowing users to read email without leaving the inbox.