Outlook 2010 performance much slower than 2007 and 2003 when used with POP3 mail provider over slow network connection

When received messages include embedded pictures, Outlook 2010 does not persist those pictures in the .pst file with the message text.  Instead, it redownloads the pictures every time the message is rendered for viewing or printing.

1. Send/Receive to replicate a message with multiple embedded pictures from POP3 mail server (not Exchange server)
2. Select and view the message - notice all the x placeholders for the embedded pictures
3. Right-click any x placeholder and select to "download pictures"
4. After some delay, the pictures are rendered, replacing the placeholders, to form the complete message
5. Now, select "File" and "Print" -- notice that the preview is not immediately displayed.  There is a delay while thos same embedded pictures are downloaded, again.  Sometimes there will be a pop-up notification that Outlook is "communicating with the server"
6. Eventually the message is fully rendered with all embedded pictures
7. Now, select a different printer -- notice that the preview disappears and it takes time to .... yes, redownload those same pictures, again.
8. Finally, click on "Print" -- notice yet another delay for a final download to rerender the message for the printer.

Having done all that, close Outlook, disconnect from the network (turn off wireless or disconnect wire), open Outlook and view that same message.  The x placeholders are shown instead of the embedded pictures.  Although those embedded pictures were downloaded multiple times already, they were not persisted locally.

Outlook 2003 and 2007 correct ask for confirmation to save the pictures locally then does so.  Printing and viewing is then possible without having to redownload those pictures.

Is there going to be a fix for this Outlook 2010 defect?   I've been waiting, applying updates, and waiting.....