IncrediMail and Outlook Express Compared

Are you considering using IncrediMail instead of Outlook Express? Then here is quick comparison and review to help.

Outlook Express is without doubt a good and popular email and newsgroup client with most of the features that most people need. However it does appear to be a little dull and outdated to some and lacks certain functions that are considered essential by others, such as:

• Built in spell checker -Relies on other office products.

• Automatic email notification

•  Emoticons

•  Ecards

•  Limited Stationary

To overcome these deficiencies most install various Outlook Express add-ons. The good news for those that require these features is that they can be obtained with a single add-on /replacement- IncrediMail. IncrediMail can be used to completely replace Outlook Express or as an alternative to Outlook Express.

 For Outlook Express users IncrediMail is a modernised Outlook Express with all of the missing features already available, and with a more modern up to date look and feel. Because of the very similar layout and configuration there is very little relearning to be done when moving from Outlook Express to IncrediMail.

Almost all reviews of IncrediMail have been very positive with a few concerns over spy ware. IncrediMail is not, in my experience, spy ware. I have a spyware checker installed and it doesn't complain about IncrediMail. IncrediMail themselves have a statement about privacy and spyware to this effect on their website.

 To download just go to the Incredimail website  and download the free version. There is also a demo available online  so you can see what you are getting before you decide to download.

IncrediMail Versions

There are two versions available the free ( IncrediMail Xe) and the premium version. The free version has most of the features of Outlook Express and should be sufficient for most. If you think you may need  IncrediMail premium a review and comparison of the two versions is available in the article IncrediMail Xe and IncrediMail Premium.

IncrediMail Install

The Install is relatively straightforward and for more information please see the How to install IncrediMail article. The install doesn't remove your Outlook Express files or settings but copies them to IncrediMail.

 The install will detect your Outlook Express accounts and import them along with messages and contacts into IncrediMail so that when you've finished you have you're old Outlook Express environment available in IncrediMail. However as with all installs it is good idea to ensure that you have a recent backup of Outlook Express.

 What's IncrediMail Missing?

 There are two main functions in Outlook Express that are not included in IncrediMail:

• Find People option for querying X500 directories Bigfoot etc -It didn't work too well in Outlook Express anyway.

• Newsgroup access- IncrediMail is email only if you access Newsgroups through Outlook Express then you will have to continue to do so.
  
  

I will be doing a more detailed review of IncrediMail in coming articles but why not try it yourself in the meantime.

Related articles and tutorials:

• Connect Incredimail to Yahoo email
• Incredimail Install and Upgrade
• Incredimail Xe and Incredimail Premium
• IncrediMail Notifiers
• IncrediMail letters
• IncrediMail stationary