Microsoft Brings Skype Into Outlook.com’s Email Interface [Updates]

Microsoft’s Skype integration continues with the latest addition of Skype to the company’s Outlook.com email service. This new Skype integration is just a preview for now, and will only be available in the UK at this time. In the next few weeks, users in the US and Germany will be able to enjoy the preview as well, with the rest of the world joining them “in the coming months”.

Skype for Outlook.com brings video and audio calls to Outlook.com’s interface, making it possible to initiate Skype calls right from your inbox. So next time you’re writing an email and suddenly realize text is just not enough, you should be able to start a voice or video chat with just a click or two.

In case you’re not familiar with it, Outlook.com is Microsoft’s newest version of Web email service, and was launched last year as a replacement for the seasoned Hotmail.

In order to try out the preview of Skype for Outlook.com, you will have to install a browser plugin which is currently available for Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. You will also have to link your Skype account to your Outlook.com account, thus merging your Microsoft and Skype accounts. If you’ve already done this — as preparation for Window Live Messenger’s demise, for example — you should be all set. Linking your Skype account will add your Skype contacts to your Outlook.com contacts.

Do you like the idea of Skype and email integration? If you’re in the UK, let us know what you think of Skype for Outlook.com!

Source: Skype Blog

The post Microsoft Brings Skype Into Outlook.com’s Email Interface [Updates] appeared first on MakeUseOf.