We’re happy to announce that Windows Live Hotmail is integrating instant messaging capabilities within its web interface. With this functionality, you can get your email and IM all in one place!  This feature lets you IM your Windows Live Messenger contacts from within your Hotmail inbox or People page without having to switch over to the Messenger client.

The feature arrives today in Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the US, and joins countries that rolled out web messenger last month (France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the UK). Not in your geography yet? We will be rolling web-based messenger to more locations in the coming months.

Send an instant message from anywhere – With this new feature, you’ll now have instant messaging capabilities when you use a public or otherwise shared computer, without having to download a client program.  Already logged in to Messenger elsewhere?  Not a problem  -- you have the option to sign-in (or sign-out) from Hotmail through the “Messenger” drop down menu even if you are signed into the client elsewhere.

Start a chat easily and immediately – See something interesting in an email?  Or confused about a friend’s response?  Start a chat instantly with your friend.  Inside an email, simply click on the presence indicator next to the sender’s name to start a chat.  A window will pop up displaying your chat conversation and allowing you to instant message while viewing your email.

All your contacts in one place – You can chat with any of the Windows Live Messenger contacts in your People page (click “People” in the Windows Live header). Or, from the “Messenger” drop down in the top right corner, you can click “view Messenger contacts”. Once you’re on your contact list, click on a person’s picture and select “Send an Instant Message”.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about the new integrated instant messaging feature within Hotmail. Try it out soon and let us know your thoughts!

Your Windows Live Hotmail Team