Microsoft on Thursday announced two new services aimed at curbing the ever-increasing amounts of spam making its way into MSN Hotmail customers' inboxes. Called MSN Postmaster and Smart Network Data Services, together the services will both ensure legitimate bulk e-mail makes it to Hotmail customers, as well as add an extra line of defense against unwanted spam.

"MSN Postmaster and Smart Data Network Services represent a move by Microsoft toward broader, more-comprehensive and transparent information-sharing with ISPs and e-mail senders to help protect e-mail and ensure that it continues to be an essential and valuable communications tool," said Kevin Doerr, product unit manager for MSN Hotmail at Microsoft.