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Outlook Web App for Android will help your smartphone fit in at work
It's easy to find Android phones that can handle the Exchange-based email you often find in the workplace, but they don't always support all the latest features. That won't be a problem for much longer, though, as Microsoft has just revealed plans to bring Outlook Web App to Google's platform later this year. Much like its iOS counterpart from 2013, the Android release should let you take advantage of Office 365 technology that might not make it into third-party email software. The app may not be all that exciting by itself, but it could be the key to using your preferred phone for work instead of having to switch to company-approved hardware.
Skype's web-based version is now available worldwide
You no longer have to live in one of a few fortunate countries to make a Skype call while checking your Outlook.com email: As of today, Skype for Outlook.com is available worldwide. All you need now is to download a browser plugin and link your Skype account. The global release comes alongside improved software support, too. PC users can now participate in HD video chats, while Mac users get a Safari plugin. If you're heavily invested in Microsoft's internet services, everything you need to get started is at the source link.
Microsoft rolls out tool that makes it easier to switch to Outlook from Gmail
Microsoft has never made any bones about the fact that Outlook.com was designed to lure users away from Gmail. Heck, the company said as much at launch, and even went out of its way to note that a third of its first 60 million users came over from Google. That's a good start, but it's clear Microsoft wants an even bigger piece of the pie: the outfit is introducing a tool that will make it even easier for new Outlook users to import their Gmail messages, contacts and folders. With this new feature, Microsoft can copy your emails from Google, marking them as either read or unread, depending on whether you got a chance to read them over on the Gmail side. The import tool also preserves your existing folder setup -- something Outlook didn't do when it first launched. Finally, you'll still be able to send emails from your Gmail account, even from within the Outlook.com interface. Granted, some of these things have been possible for a while now; they just haven't been as intuitive. For instance, you could already forward new Gmail messages, and also transfer over older emails. But, says Dawn Martynuik, Director of Outlook, because this new tool is built on the IMAP standard it should be easier to use. So, if you're one of the reported one in four users (according to Microsoft) who would switch email providers if it were less of a hassle, you might want to look into it. The tool is rolling out now, but be warned: Microsoft says it could take a few weeks before everyone sees this import option in their settings.
Microsoft updates its Outlook.com Android app with server-side search, vacation replies
If you're one of those non-conformists who uses Microsoft's Outlook.com email service on an Android phone, you'll definitely want to hit up the source link at the bottom of this post: Microsoft just updated its Outlook app for Android with a bunch of new features, including some that users have been demanding for almost a year now. Chief among them is server-side search, so that you're not just limited to the emails stored locally on your device. To that end, you can now download all of your mail, though, again, you might not need to now that searching Microsoft's mail servers is an option. Continuing on, you can also set a vacation responder from the app, in case you forgot to do it when you were sitting at your desk. Wrapping up, the Android application supports aliases (finally), and there's now a total of 11 color choices for personalizing your inbox. And that about sums it up: the download link is listed just below. Go nuts, kids.
Microsoft details updated Mail app for Windows 8.1 with Outlook.com integration
Microsoft has been making a big push with its Outlook.com email service since migrating all of its Hotmail users there, and it's now also set to more deeply integrate the service into Windows 8.1. The company has detailed a number of updates to the operating system's Mail app in a blog post today -- something first promised at its BUILD conference this summer -- which will see the app brought in line with a number of features that have so far remained exclusive to the web-based offering. That includes automatic sorting of newsletters and social updates, Outlook's so-called Sweep feature for organizing email, as well as automatic syncing across devices with Exchange ActiveSync. Outside of those Outlook-related features, the app will now also let you finally drag-and-drop messages into folders, and Microsoft says that the entire app has been optimized for use on a tablet. You can find a full rundown of all the new features on Microsoft's Windows Experience Blog.
Perfect World reassures players regarding the future of RaiderZ
There are certain things that trigger instinctive fears from MMO players. Things like having your game of choice shut down in its country of origin, which rarely bodes well for the future of the game as a whole. RaiderZ has shut down in both South Korea and Europe, but Perfect World Entertainment's senior product manager Mark Hill insists in a recent interview that this does not mean the title is in any risk of shutting down in North America. Hill states that the game is still developing a new expansion for release in the near future and that the development team is in close contact with the North American staff. He also points out that the game is not region-locked, allowing players to still register and play for the American version regardless of their countries of origin. While this doesn't mean the game is invincible in this market, it should help make current players a little more comfortable while playing.
Outlook.com gains IMAP support, integrates with third-party services like TripIt
Hello, compatibility! Microsoft's obviously a major proponent of Exchange ActiveSync (EAS), but if you've been using electronic mail for any length of time, you're probably aware that IMAP is a darn near universal protocol. Now, Microsoft is adding IMAP (and OAuth) support to Outlook.com. In addition to this being a lovely sign of Microsoft not shunning rival standards, it also opens up a ton of new possibilities. For one, applications that haven't supported EAS -- programs such as Mac Mail and the Mac edition of Mozilla Thunderbird -- can now host Outlook.com accounts. Moreover, IMAP gives devs the ability to build third-party clients and services that are useful to end-users, and Microsoft's announcing the first set of those as well. TripIt, Sift, Slice, motley*bunch, Unroll.me, OtherInbox, and Context.IO have taken advantage of Outlook.com's new IMAP capability and are rolling out updates today that allow their apps and services to integrate with your Outlook.com email. If you'd like for your own app to follow suit, Microsoft's providing a bit of instruction right here.
Skype for Outlook.com preview now available in the US
Americans waiting for the Skype for Outlook.com preview can stop twiddling their thumbs -- the test release is now available in the US, complementing existing access in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and the UK. As in other countries, stateside users with merged Outlook.com and Skype accounts just have to install a plugin for Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer to make calls while checking email. Those in other regions will have to sit tight, however; Microsoft only promises worldwide access to Skype for Outlook.com sometime in the "near future."
Microsoft explains Outlook.com outage, provides long-term fixes
It may have taken three days, but Microsoft has officially resolved its Outlook.com outage -- and it has both explanations and long-term solutions for affected email users. Trouble began with the failure of a caching service for Exchange ActiveSync. The resulting deluge of reconnection attempts promptly overwhelmed company servers; a slow recovery was necessary to avoid another meltdown, Microsoft says. To prevent repeat incidents, the tech giant is both upgrading its network capacity and implementing a more elegant error handling system. While the fixes likely come too late for some users, they suggest that Microsoft has learned a hard lesson about the fragility of online services.
Daily Roundup: Tablet buyer's guide, Outlook goes down, Windows 8.1 launch date, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Yes internet, Outlook is down (Update 2: Service mostly restored)
We're not sure how you managed to send us those messages, but you did -- a lot of you. Seems Outlook has been experiencing all sorts of issues. Microsoft's privy to that fact, and we assume looking into it as we speak, noting on its status page, "We're having a problem accessing email. You might not be able to see all your email messages." Looks like Hotmail, Messenger and SkyDrive are having some issues right now, as well. We're reaching out to Redmond to find out exactly what's up. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Microsoft got back to us to say it is aware of the issue and looking into it. It claims that, whatever the problem is, it's only affecting a small number of Outlook and SkyDrive users. You can check the Live status page here for the most recent updates. Update 2: Looks like MS has been able to restore access for most users, though some are still having issues. Here's a followup statement from the company, "Outlook.com experienced an incident that caused some users not to be able to access their account or share their SkyDrive files. We have restored web access for all users but some people might still see issues with their mobile devices. We are working to restore full mobile access as quickly as possible."
Microsoft Outlook app hits iOS
While there have been plenty of third-party options available for connecting iOS users to their Outlook accounts, there has never been an official app from Microsoft. It's an oversight that has finally been corrected with the Outlook Web App (OWA) for iOS. The app is being released in two different native versions, one for iPhone and one for iPad. OWA for iOS connects to the email, calendar and contacts of Office 365 for business subscribers, giving them complete access to their Outlook on the go. Beyond those basic tools, the app features push notifications and a powerful voice search that can access your contacts or bring up your calendar. Head off to iTunes for the iPhone and iPad versions.
Outlook Web App comes to iOS devices in native form
It hasn't been hard to get Exchange support on iOS devices, but there's some for whom third-party apps and web clients just won't do. Microsoft has them covered today -- it just repackaged the Outlook Web App as a pair of native iOS releases. Both OWA for iPad and OWA for iPhone deliver email, calendar and contacts to Office 365 subscribers with access to Exchange Online. The developer is quick to note that this isn't a recreation of the Windows Phone environment, and there are a few elements borrowed from Outlook's web version. Still, we see a few reasons to give OWA a try: the native iOS software sends push notifications, takes voice commands, and supports both passcodes as well as remote wipes. Between the new apps and Office for iPhone, it's clear that iOS users are now welcome in Microsoft's world.
Microsoft shutting down MSN TV this September
Just after celebrating the service's sweet 16th, Microsoft has announced it will be shutting down MSN TV on September 30th. To help ease the transition, Redmond is offering current subscribers free access to MSN Premium through December 31st. After that, customers will have to pay the standard rate of $10 per month or $90 per year. Naturally, the modern service isn't compatible with MSN TV's defunct hardware -- save it for your makeshift Linux cluster. Users will have to switch their email addresses to Outlook accounts and copy any saved content (bookmarks, Scrapbook photos, et cetera) to SkyDrive before September if they want to access it in the future. Of course, folks that miss the WebTV experience still have other equally unwieldy options. The shut-down was inevitable, but we can't help feeling at least a little nostalgic for the service's 640 x 480 view of the web.
Outlook.com drops linked email accounts in favor of aliases
Hotmail and Outlook.com have long supported linked email accounts for organizing messages. However, Microsoft now sees connected accounts as tempting targets for hackers -- so tempting, in fact, that the company is severing those links as a safety measure. Within the next two months, Outlook.com will move to using its alias system as the only way to handle multiple accounts. Users will have options to forward email and send messages from other addresses, but they won't get to control multiple accounts through one sign-in. Microsoft will start unlinking accounts in late July, so those who'd like a more orderly transition to the safer (if less convenient) approach will want to act quickly.
Microsoft adds built-in Google Talk to Outlook.com and SkyDrive.com
Make no mistake, we don't just like Outlook.com; we love it. The problem with Microsoft's revamped email service, though, is that ditching Gmail can be a tough sell, as it's meant giving up features like built-in Gchat. At last, however, Microsoft is adding support for Google Talk, which means you can keep sending your friends dancing-parrot videos even after you make the switch. (Outlook.com still does Facebook and Skype chatting too.) What's more, you'll find Gchat baked into SkyDrive.com -- a handy tool if you happen to be collaborating with Google users. To clarify, this feature is only coming to the Outlook and SkyDrive websites for now -- Dharmesh Mehta, Sr. Director of Outlook.com, told us Microsoft is still considering how GTalk might fit into its mobile apps. In the meantime, though, you can load up Outlook in your browser if you want a peek. And don't worry if nothing shows up right away: the company is warning users that the roll-out could take several days.
Skype for Outlook.com preview launches in the UK, coming to the US soon
Outlook.com's 60 million-plus users will have another feature to take advantage of soon, as Skype is previewing built-in web access to its service. Currently available in the UK (headed to the US and Germany in "coming weeks," -- worldwide this summer) it lets users make calls directly from their inbox via a browser plugin available for Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox. Users with existing Skype accounts will also need to link their account to the website which will allow their contacts to be merged, with the idea of having more choices of how to reach out to close contacts. Gmail's added easy access to hangouts and even Facebook has integrated Skype-connected video into its messaging so we suppose it's necessary for feature parity, with the added bonus of Skype's large install base. There are two demo videos embedded after the break, or you can head to Skype's blog for more details.
Outlook.com lets you sign in with an alias, adds 32 international email domains
Aside from the two-step verification feature revealed yesterday, Microsoft also rolled out a pair of updates for Outlook.com that are decidedly less important but welcome nonetheless. Namely, users are now able to sign in via a new alias instead of their initial username, and they can add a bit of international flair to their Outlook address with any of 32 new country-specific domains as well. It still might not have the support of trendy email apps, but at least Outlook seems to be trying to improve itself.
Outlook.com app update for Android brings that fresh, clean Windows Phone 8 look
Tired of that not-so-fresh-looking Outlook.com app on your Android device from all the way back in December 2012? Despair no longer, as Microsoft updated its Outlook Android app today, pushing new features and that distinctive, minimalist Windows Phone 8 aesthetic to its flagship mail program. And not just any new features, but hallmarks like "conversation threading, filters for unread and flagged mail, as well as the ability to mark messages as junk." The update is already available in the Google Play store, and works with Android OS versions 2.1 to 2.3.3 and 4.0 to 4.1.
AppleScripting Email > Developing a Quoted Reply Service
A reader recently wrote to me with a problem. Apparently, Microsoft Outlook no longer contains the ability to create quote level chunks of text when replying to messages in plain text format. Why this functionality was removed, I can't say. But, with a little help from AppleScript and Automator, I was able to help the reader to add this functionality back via a Service. Better yet, the Service can be set up to work in any email client, or even system-wide in any app. Here's how you can do it... Building the Service 1. Launch Automator (in /Applications) and create a new Service workflow. Creating a Service workflow in Automator 2. Configure the workflow (at the top) to process selected text in any application, or your favorite email client, such as Mail or Outlook. Then, select the "Output replaces selected text" checkbox. In this screenshot, the Service is set to appear only in the Outlook app. 3. Find and add the Run AppleScript action to the workflow. It should link up with the header, indicating that it receives text as input. Enter the following script into the action. Note: If you get stuck, you can download the completed script and workflow here. Example of the completed workflow 4. The script above is set to limit lines to a maximum of 42 characters. If you want longer lines, go ahead and adjust this in the script. Just set the theMaxLineLength variable to the desired length. Also, note that this is a guideline. The script tries not to break words in the middle. So, if an extra long word is encountered, you may still have lines longer than the maximum length. 5. Save the workflow as Email > Quote Selected Text. Automator puts it where it needs to go. Saving the Service workflow Using the Service Now, anytime you're in your email app and want to create quoted text in a plain text message, just select the desired text. Right-click it (or Option+Click it) to display the contextual menu. Then, select Services > Email > Quote Selected Text. Again, this is intended for plain text messages. It will probably generate inconsistent results with HTML formatted text. Triggering the workflow from the Services contextual menu in Outlook to process selected text in a message If you don't see the Services menu in the contextual menu, then whatever app you're using may not support contextual Services. In this case, try triggering the workflow from the App > Services menu instead. Triggering the workflow from the Application > Services menu If all goes well, your selected text is passed to the Service workflow, and the processed quoted text is inserted. Happy Scripting! A message containing processed text
