SUMMARY
Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 features a new method of e-mail notification named the Desktop Alerts feature. By default, the Desktop Alerts feature is turned on and notifies you when a new e-mail message arrives.

MORE INFORMATION
Note: You only receive Desktop Alert notifications if you have Microsoft Exchange server and Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) profiles. Internet Mail Access Protocol version 4 (IMAP4) and HTTP accounts do not support the Desktop Alerts feature.

To open the settings dialog box for the Desktop Alerts feature, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Preferences tab, click E-mail Options.
3. Click Advanced E-Mail Options.
4. Click Desktop Alert Settings.

In the Desktop Alert Settings dialog box, you can configure the duration and the transparency of your Desktop Alert notifications for when a new e-mail message is received. To turn off the Desktop Alerts feature, click to clear the Display a New Mail Desktop Alert check box.

You receive Desktop Alert notifications for new, unread e-mail messages that are delivered to the default Inbox of the default account in your profile. Additionally, Desktop Alert notifications only occur during scheduled Send/Receive operations or when a new e-mail message arrives after the initial synchronization.

Desktop Alert notifications do not appear during the initial synchronization of an account or when you request a manual Send/Receive.

Visit MS KnowledgeBase for the entire article at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831399