Well, it's taken longer than anyone (including us) expected, but we can finally offer an update regarding the mail gadget. We're hoping that sharing this information doesn't jinx us and cause further delays :)

The gadget was pulled due to a security issue, which we initially believed could be fixed in a relatively quick fashion. We take security very seriously, and once we became aware of the issue, disabling this gadget was the best way to protect our users.

As our developers worked with the Hotmail developers to see how we could restore the gadget's functionality (while ensuring your data was secure), it became evident that the task was originally much larger than anyone anticipated. The gadget had to be rewritten to "talk" to Hotmail in an entirely new way, and the Hotmail team needed to add new functionality on their end as well. The time needed to design, implement, and test this new functionality is the reason that the gadget has been broken for so long.

However, there's hope on the horizon! While we can't yet give you a definite date (that would be really bad luck), we believe our developers have entered the home stretch with their bug fixes, and the light at the end of the tunnel is growing ever closer. Once the gadget comes back online, we'll return it to the directory so you can once again add it (if you have removed it), and of course, we'll post a very happy blog post here :)

There is a slight catch, however, that we wanted to alert you to. When the gadget returns, you will need to have a Windows Live Hotmail account to use it. This is the "new" version of Hotmail, which offers much richer functionality than the old one. The good news is that upgrading to Windows Live Hotmail is free, and can be done today, by clicking the link in the upper left hand corner of the screen after you log in to Hotmail. The link should look like this:

If you haven't yet tried Windows Live Hotmail, all of the cool new features are sure to keep you occupied until we get the gadget back online. :) Your email address will not be changed when you upgrade to Windows Live Hotmail.

Thanks very much for everyone's understanding - we know you've been anxious to get this gadget back, and we're doing everything we can to get it to you.

Sincerely,

The Live.com Team