Microsoft Integrates Skype Into Outlook

Microsoft has unveiled a preview of Skype in Outlook.com for users located in the United Kingdom.  The service will also available in the U.S. and Germany in the coming weeks before it is rolled out to the rest of the world.

The preview mode of Skype enables video and voice calls from within an Outlook.com inbox, reducing the number of words you have to type in communication, says Microsoft, by making it easy to make a phone call instead. If a phone call isn’t the right solution, a video call is also possible, and if neither of those work for you, instant messaging video Skype is also possible from within a user’s inbox.

Skype for Outlook.com requires a one-time download of a plugin, which is available for the most recent versions of Internet Explorer, Chrome and Firefox. Users can connect to Outlook.com using their Microsoft account. People who already have existing Skype accounts can link it to Outlook.com, which will allow them to add their Skype contacts to the email service.

Source: techcrunch.com