Outlook 2003 More Usable?

I use Outlook for most of my email needs. It generally sucks, but is still the best email alternative I've found. According to James Governor of RedMonk, both Outlook and Exchange are supposed to get better from a usability and performance standpoint.

"People question whether software upgrades are really necessary. In this case the usability and performance tweaks alone could justify an upgrade."

"Focus on usability and real customer working patterns and the rest can fall into place. Microsoft and the industry at large should take note."

Related posts:
- Outlook, how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.
- Rising Costs of Free Web E-Mail
- User centered design sells products