Microsoft's Outlook.com Will Integrate Skype Calls | TechTree.com

Microsoft's Outlook.com Will Integrate Skype Calls

Skype for Microsoft Outlook.com can enhance communication for corporate and home users.

 

Continuing its services revamp spree, Microsoft will integrate Skype into its Outlook.com email service. With this, Outlook.com users will get a bonanza (the same that Gmail users have enjoyed for years), as they will be able to indulge in voice and video communication, in addition to the conventional textual communication mechanism.

Microsoft states in a blog post that a preview version of Skype for Outlook.com would be rolled out starting right now. Although this version will first be available to Outlook.com users in the United Kingdom, Microsoft says that users of other countries would get the preview version soon. Indian users will have to wait, to benefit from the service integration that allows for making Skype calls directly from the Outlook.com Inbox. This means that people can check their e-mails and talk about the contents simultaneously. In case you forgot, Outlook.com is the successor of the Hotmail.com email service.

Microsoft explains the move behind this concept, "Even with the best email service, sometimes text isn't enough. We all face those situations where it's just easier to jump on a call to talk something through. Sometimes that quick call can accomplish more than a long email reply. That's why we are bringing Skype audio and video calling to your Outlook.com inbox." Microsoft states that to obtain Skype for Outlook.com email, one has to download a plug-in for their web-browser - recent versions of Chrome, Firefox and IE are supported. Thereafter, users can use their MS account to connect Skype to their Outlook.com Inbox.

To help understand the integration of Skype with Outlook.com better, do take a look at the video detailing the features and ease of use is embedded below:


Of late, Microsoft has been focusing a lot on Skype. The tech major, last year replaced its Windows Live Messenger with Skype. This became mandatory for Microsoft users throughout the world, except for mainland China. However, if you didn't like Skype, and preferred Windows Live Messenger, you can download the Messenger Reviver 2 utility and get it back until the service is phased out (expected to be during the first half of 2014).


Microsoft has been overhauling many aspects - starting with changing their corporate logo and moving to the tiled interface for Windows 8. As with Google and Yahoo, Microsoft has shut down a few products too. Some products were replaced, such as SkyDrive in place of Live Mesh; Skype in place of Live Messenger, and Outlook.com in place of Hotmail. The behaviour of some services have been changing too. Some recent examples of Microsoft's revamping spree covered by TechTree:

Microsoft Revamps Outlook.com's Calendar Design
Microsoft Updates Skydrive iOS App
Microsoft Revamps Outlook.com App For Android
Bing Maps Gets A Major Revamp; Shows Off Images From The Ocean Bed
Microsoft Next Gen Xbox- Revealing On May 21
Microsoft To Revamp Bing, Xbox And Skype
Microsoft To Roll Out Two-Step Account Verification
Microsoft Windows 8 Core Apps Updated For March 2013


TAGS: Microsoft, Internet

 
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