Yahoo has launched Yahoo Mail Beta, which the company boasts is twice as fast and offers more social networking connectivity from directly within the inbox.

 Users can opt-in to try Yahoo Mail Beta.  The new mail service allows users to view and share updates from Twitter and Facebook without having to leave the inbox. An automatic slideshow feature allows people to see photos and videos from sites like Flickr, Picasa, and YouTube from within their email messages.

“Online communication tools are an important part of people’s lives—whether they’re connecting with their friends and family, sharing pictures and videos, or keeping up on news across social networks,” said Blake Irving, chief product officer, Yahoo.

Other highlights of Yahoo Mail Beta include:

*A new email search feature that allows users to navigate, sort, and narrow search results by sender, attachment file, date, or folder location.

*Improved instant messaging and texting along with using third-party apps all within the inbox.

*Improved spam protection and a consistent email experience on desktop, mobile and tablet devices.

During the Beta period, Yahoo says it will update and add new features to Yahoo Beta Mail. Users can switch between the new and old versions of Yahoo Mail. The new service is available in 25 markets globally.