Microsoft has been unafraid to create apps that run on devices made by competing companies, and the latest official app to arrive is Hotmail for Kindle Fire. Previously, Hotmail could be accessed on the Kindle Fire through the browser or the native mail application, but a dedicated Hotmail app developed by Microsoft allows for a more tailored experience. Based on Hotmail for Android, but modified for the Kindle Fire (a custom implementation of Android), the app syncs all mail, contacts, folders and subfolders, thanks to use of the Exchange Active Sync protocol in place of POP3 (which only downloads mail).

“We think it’s critical that our customers can use Hotmail from any device they choose,” wrote Director of Hotmail Product Management David Law on the Inside Windows Live blog, “So, in addition to making Hotmail work great on devices running Windows, we’ll continue to invest in great experiences on other major device platforms.”

Increase in number of Hotmail accounts on iOS and Android, from Microsoft

According to Law, there are over 12 million active Hotmail users on iOS and 3 million on the official Android app.

Our own Courtney Boyd Myers went hands on with the Kindle Fire shortly after its release, which you can read about here.

➤ Hotmail for the Kindle Fire

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