I found the easiest way to access my Hotmail account with a mail application was to get myself a GMail account, then set up GMail to check my Hotmail via POP3 and download all Hotmail emails into my GMail account.
That way, I just check my GMail account and I get both GMails and Hotmails.
Google's GMail site has very specific instructions for setting up your GMail account to check other mail accounts.