Signing up for a free Windows Live account give you your own Hotmail address with a large amount of storage space to use. Just pick a unique user ID, enter a few details and accept the terms of service and your new email address is live.

Hotmail offers the ability to personalize the appearance of your Hotmail page. In this episode we'll show you how can customize the look of your page.

Windows Live Hotmail offers a variety of ways to import and manage contacts. In this episode we'll show you some of those ways and help you get started creating your own contact lists.

Within your Hotmail account you can create folders for you e-mails. This allows you to keep important e-mails together so that you can find them easier later.

Hotmail's e-mail system is easy to use. In this episode we'll show you how to compose e-mail as well as a few tips and tricks for getting it done faster. We will also show you how you can use Hotmail to send e-mail from other e-mail accounts that you have access to.

Hotmail allows you to close all your e-mails with the same information it's called creating a signature. This signature will automatically appear at the bottom of all your e-mails. A good example might be a canned salutation, your contact information, an inspirational quote or a plug for your web site or blog.

Your Hotmail account also comes with a calendar that you can use to help keep events organized. In this episode we'll show you how to stay organized by setting up your own calendar, and adding events to it.

Hotmail calendar allows you to do more than just add events, you can share your events and to-do lists with friends and family, you can create to-do lists too. In this episode we'll show you some of the other features of the calendar.

The Hotmail interface has many unique features. In this episode we'll take you through it so you can get to know Hotmail's mailbox and how to access different functions within it.

Hotmail has a variety of features to help with privacy issues. In this episode we'll show you how you can change your password, (make sure you choose a strong password that you can remember) set up filters, and set up a vacation message, aka an auto-responder.

Molly McDonald, AKA DemoGirl, leads us through Windows Live Hotmail, formerly

MSN Hotmail

, formerly... just plain Hotmail. Chances are good you've got a

Hotmail

account yourself, or at least that you know several people that do. But did you know about some of the cool features that are continuously being added to the free email service? From initial sign-up through privacy and power-user tips, we'll take a closer look at Windows Live Hotmail.