If you are using Outlook Express for email, you can set it to download email
at specified intervals and have it play a sound and place an icon in the
Notification Area when any new email arrives.
In OE, select Tools/General tab and click the "Plat sound when new messages
arrive" and "Check for new messages every" and enter the time interval you
want. In the drop down menu, select what you want OE to do if it is not
connected when the event occurs.