# "Upgrade" to Outlook for Android.  Rant, then recommendation sought



## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

This is about the Android app, which made me "upgrade" this morning.

The following will be a rant. I can't write it in the Playstore because you have to sign up to Google+ to do that. (Google has enough information without me giving them the permissions it requires to join Google+).

*Rant:*

I liked the Hotmail app. It kept things simple, its size fitted the screen, and it allowed me to have more than one account. (I need two: one for work, one for personal).

However, it forced me to "upgrade" to Outlook this morning. This is a shitheap of an app. It has a bug that keeps giving me the "Upgrade" button when I open it, even though I've upgraded already. I've tried uninstalling and starting again. But it keeps sending me in circles.

When you do finally get it open, the font size of the sender field is too big, meaning the overview of the inbox is restricted. There is nowhere I can change this. (I know some people like big text: I do, but not this big, and I'd like the option to choose a size that suits me, please). The body of the emails "float" because they don't fit the screen. And worst of all, there is no way I can find of adding another account.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the old Hotmail app, but Microsoft have thought of that, and have headed me off at the pass.

So, the only option left to me is to change to a new email client.

*Query: *

I've used Hotmail since it began, before even Microsoft took it over. My personal account is the one all my friends and relations know. My work account is the one all my clients know.

So, is there an email client that will do enough of the following:

- keep my old hotmail address, or at least let me access it?
- failing that, has an easy way of alerting my contacts to the change?
- actually has an android app that works?
- has an android app that lets me access two accounts?
- isn't gmail?

Thank you.


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## Pingu (Apr 17, 2013)

its always been outlook under the skin tbh   (the web based version) this is nothing but a rebranding (and its always been Microsoft).

the app works fine on my note2 but I cant say I actually use it that much.


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## salem (Apr 17, 2013)

Can't you just use the default mail client and access hotmail via exchange - 
http://www.khimhoe.net/2011/02/13/how-to-setup-hotmail-imap-in-android/

Otherwise you can set up a link to the outlook.com web page. I have no idea how good their mobile page is but the gmail one is about as good as the app and saved me space when my phone got full before.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

Pingu said:
			
		

> its always been outlook under the skin tbh (the web based version) this is nothing but a rebranding (and its always been Microsoft).
> 
> the app works fine on my note2 but I cant say I actually use it that much.


It doesn't do what it used to do as Hotmail, so it's more than a rebrand.

eta: Just to be clear: I'm not talking about the general rebrand to Outlook.  I'm talking about the Android app, which made me upgrade this morning.


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## joustmaster (Apr 17, 2013)

Give in. Use Gmail. 
They are no more evil than the next man; who cares which fire you put your dick in to, the results are the same.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

Pingu said:


> (and its always been Microsoft).


No, when I first signed up in the mid 90s, it was an independent company.  I remember the emails telling me about the move to Microsoft.

That's a by-the-way, though.  The point is that the Outlook app on my phone is buggy, doesn't do what the old Hotmail app did, and more importantly doesn't do what I need it to do: hold two accounts.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

salem said:


> Can't you just use the default mail client and access hotmail via exchange -
> http://www.khimhoe.net/2011/02/13/how-to-setup-hotmail-imap-in-android/


Cheers. Trying to find a way of doing that now.  Doesn't have the menus/options the way the demo looks, but I'll persevere.



> Otherwise you can set up a link to the outlook.com web page. I have no idea how good their mobile page is but the gmail one is about as good as the app and saved me space when my phone got full before.


I find that too fiddly.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

salem said:


> Can't you just use the default mail client and access hotmail via exchange -
> http://www.khimhoe.net/2011/02/13/how-to-setup-hotmail-imap-in-android/


Won't let me access Hotmail by IMAP.


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## Fez909 (Apr 17, 2013)

This isn't ideal, but it's pretty good and it's something I didn't know you could do. Have Hotmail forward all its mails to your Gmail account. I know you didn't want to use Gmail, but hear me out.

You could have both your Hotmail accounts, and send and receive from within the Gmail app, but the messages would still come from Hotmail. With Gmail, it has a built in account switcher, so it's easy for you add your second account (although you'd need a second Gmail account to make sure the two Hotmail accounts don't get mashed together).

If it's privacy concerns relating to Gmail then this obviously isn't the right answer as they will appear in your Gmail inbox and they will be subject to the same lack of privacy that using it as your main account would give you.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

Fez909 said:


> This isn't ideal, but it's pretty good and it's something I didn't know you could do. Have Hotmail forward all its mails to your Gmail account. I know you didn't want to use Gmail, but hear me out.
> 
> You could have both your Hotmail accounts, and send and receive from within the Gmail app, but the messages would still come from Hotmail. With Gmail, it has a built in account switcher, so it's easy for you add your second account (although you'd need a second Gmail account to make sure the two Hotmail accounts don't get mashed together).
> 
> If it's privacy concerns relating to Gmail then this obviously isn't the right answer as they will appear in your Gmail inbox and they will be subject to the same lack of privacy that using it as your main account would give you.


Cheers, Fez.  I'll think about that.  I may have to do this.

My problem with Google is that I don't want to put all my eggs in their basket. There's too much cross-referencing, and I like to try and keep things separate.


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## Fez909 (Apr 17, 2013)

danny la rouge said:


> Cheers, Fez. I'll think about that. I may have to do this.
> 
> My problem with Google is that I don't want to put all my eggs in their basket. There's too much cross-referencing, and I like to try and keep things separate.


 
Yeah, that's fair enough.

Have you tried K-9? It's free and open-source! Handles exchange, pop, imap. The only thing it doesn't mention is multi-account, but I'd be surprised if it doesn't. And you could always put in a feature request.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

Fez909 said:


> Yeah, that's fair enough.
> 
> Have you tried K-9? It's free and open-source! Handles exchange, pop, imap. The only thing it doesn't mention is multi-account, but I'd be surprised if it doesn't. And you could always put in a feature request.


That looks great.  Cheers.  All the apps I'd searched had crap reviews.  Hadn't seen this one.  I'll give it a whirl.


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## Fez909 (Apr 17, 2013)

danny la rouge said:


> That looks great. Cheers. All the apps I'd searched had crap reviews. Hadn't seen this one. I'll give it a whirl.


 
Good stuff. I might even have a go myself. I'm a big fan of open source.


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## Pingu (Apr 17, 2013)

danny la rouge said:


> No, when I first signed up in the mid 90s, it was an independent company. I remember the emails telling me about the move to Microsoft.
> 
> That's a by-the-way, though. The point is that the Outlook app on my phone is buggy, doesn't do what the old Hotmail app did, and more importantly doesn't do what I need it to do: hold two accounts.


 
very briefly though it was not MS for less than a year and has been MS owned and run for the past 16 years so cant really blame anything recent on that move

which app are you using? I use this one with no problems at all https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hotmail.Z7&hl=en (its the official app I think)


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## Pingu (Apr 17, 2013)

danny la rouge said:


> Won't let me access Hotmail by IMAP.


 
think you can via pop3 though

eta

settings etc here: http://www.bfinternet.co.uk/news-in...3-hotmail-email-on-android-google-nexus-phone


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Apr 17, 2013)

I've got a hotmail account alongside my gmail account in the standard mail client.

If that's not to your taste then I've found Aquamail works alright as well.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

Pingu said:
			
		

> so cant really blame anything recent on that move


I'm not. It was an aside.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

Fez909 said:
			
		

> Good stuff. I might even have a go myself. I'm a big fan of open source.



It's great. Does exactly what I need. Will support multiple accounts. 

It is happy with my personal account, but my work account is too "recent", so I'm going to change that to a service K9 can support. It'll be worth it, I think.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

Pingu said:
			
		

> which app are you using? I use this one with no problems at all


The official one. Which changed this morning. With the problems I outline in my OP.


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## mincepie (Apr 17, 2013)

I see i'm forced to upgrade too. (Same app)
Hotmail app is just stuck on a screen saying "upgrade"
Bit naughty that as presumably I  haven't got any email alerts etc from it in it's current "you must upgrade" state.


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## danny la rouge (Apr 17, 2013)

mincepie said:
			
		

> I see i'm forced to upgrade too. (Same app)
> Hotmail app is just stuck on a screen saying "upgrade"
> .


Exactly. 

I'm delighted with K9. It's doing exactly what I need.


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## mincepie (Apr 17, 2013)

Outlook:

Why is everything HUGE!
I only get about 4 emails on the screen.
It still has the same basic FAIL that the old Hotmail app had, and the reason I went to Hotmail app over the default Android email client (in the hope that this would be sorted) - that is - you can't search for old email, other than ones that are held on the device (max 30 days). Whereas with the gmail app - searching looks through all the emails ever sent/received.


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