May 14
Outlook.com is taking a major step to woo Gmail devotees by integrating Google Talk contacts into its webmail messenger service.
May 02
Microsoft finishes migrating Hotmail users to Outlook.com, adds direct SkyDrive sharing
Posted in: Today's Chili
When Microsoft took Outlook.com public, it also took on the rather daunting task of moving 300 million-plus Hotmail accounts over to the more modern infrastructure without drawing our wrath. However you feel about the new interface, that transition is at last complete: Outlook.com is now the sole front end for the over 400 million people who use Microsoft’s free email services. Both Hotmail.com addresses and Hotmail Plus accounts will keep working despite the switch, the company says.
To mark the occasion, Microsoft is launching two significant upgrades. It’s adding tighter SkyDrive integration that lets users attach files directly from their SkyDrive accounts, including optimized photo attachments. Those who rely on email aliases will also like that Microsoft has finally let us choose an SMTP server to send messages from non-Outlook addresses without revealing the true source — we won’t have to put up with “on behalf of” tags any longer. Both features are rolling out today.
Filed under: Internet, Microsoft
Source: Outlook Blog
Apr 29
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 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.
Filed under: Internet, Microsoft
Source: Skype Blog, Outlook Blog
Apr 17
Outlook.com lets you sign in with an alias, adds 32 international email domains
Posted in: Today's Chili 
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.
Filed under: Internet, Microsoft
Source: Outlook Blog
Apr 16
The Outlook.com Android app was previously updated back in November last year. Today Microsoft has announced a new update for this app, which brings an overhaul for the entire user interface as well as new features. Microsoft says that the overall response to Outlook.com has been very positive, but their Android app was quite behind. They say they’re very excited to take this large step forward, which will give Android users the same look and feel of the e-mail service as they’ve seen on Windows 8 as well as on the web.
Apart from bringing the UI at par with other platforms, the updated Outlook.com Android app comes with a host of new features that greatly enhance user experience. These include filters for unread and flagged mail, threading of conversations and the ability to mark email messages as junk. The updated Outlook.com app can be grabbed right now from Google Play Store. It will be supported by any device running Android firmware version 2.2 or higher. Initial user reviews on the Play Store indicate that the new UI is being appreciated a lot.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: WhatsApp CEO Says They Have More Users Than Twitter, Android Malware Infections Tripled In 2012, 
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Apr 02
Microsoft has said a number of times before that it has a calendar upgrade for Outlook.com in the works. Today we’re finally seeing the Redmond based company reveal what exactly does this calendar update entail. Starting this week, the company will rolling out an updated version of Outlook.com calendar. A lot of the features have been improved. It has been entirely redesigned and optimizes ‘content over chrome’, which means that things of substance have are focused upon the most. For Outlook.com calendar, it means that appointments and events are entirely focused upon.
Users will now able to add events with a single click. Navigating around the calendar is easier and faster than ever before. Tasks can now be added without having to open a new page. Facebook, Skype, LinkedIn, birthdays, weather forecast and holidays can be integrated in to the calendar. The calendar is private by default but there are a host of sharing options available from the ‘Share’ menu in the header. Microsoft says that the updated Outlook.com calendar will be available across the world later this week. It can be accessed from http://calendar.live.com.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Microsoft Warns Of Circulating Scam Promising ‘Free Xbox Points’, Game Of Thrones Season 3 Premiere Illegal Downloads Peak Over A Million, 
Mar 21
Microsoft posts its first Law Enforcement Requests Report, shows US-centric scrutiny
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Civil liberty advocates have had access to Google’s Transparency Report and a handful of equivalents to understand just how frequently governments want our data. But what if we spend most of our time in Outlook.com, Skype or Xbox Live? Microsoft wants to show that it’s equally concerned, and it’s accordingly publishing its first-ever Law Enforcement Requests Report to reveal just how much attention the police gave to our information in 2012. The gist? While there were 75,378 international requests, 99 percent of the 1,558 actual content disclosures went straight to American agencies — thankfully, with court warrants. Microsoft did get its fair share of FBI National Security Letter requests, although those may be short-lived. Different Microsoft services also received different levels of attention: Skype handed over certain account details but no actual content, while enterprise users were virtually untouched from Microsoft’s position. The company plans to keep publishing these reports in the future, which should give us a better long-term sense of just how we’re put under the microscope.
Filed under: Internet, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Feb 19
The Daily Roundup for 02.19.2013
Posted in: Today's Chili 
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.
HTC One unveiled
HTC One: 4.7-inch 1080p display, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, UltraPixel camera, Android 4.1.2 with Sense 5.
HTC One hands-on: design and hardware
The HTC One made quite an entrance in London and New York today with a slick-looking design and re-imagined Android user experience.
Ubuntu for tablets revealed with split screen multi-tasking
Here it is: the fourth and final piece of the Ubuntu puzzle. We’ve seen the OS on smartphones, on TVs and of course on desktops, but the tablet version has spent a little longer in its dressing room.
Rumors claim Google will launch its own retail stores
On Friday, a report surfaced on 9to5Google that Google was making serious plans to open permanent retail locations, and it’s been followed up today by the Wall Street Journal indicating the same thing.
You also might like:
- Outlook.com exits preview with 60 million active users, Hotmail UI to be retired this summer
- Reuters: Apple employee computers hacked, no evidence of stolen data
- NVIDIA intros Tegra 4i with built-in LTE, details Chimera camera tech with HDR
- NVIDIA unveils the GTX Titan, an enormous graphics card that costs $1,000 (eyes-on)
Feb 18
Outlook.com exits preview with 60 million active users, Hotmail UI to be retired this summer
Posted in: Today's Chili 
It’s been so long since Microsoft launched Outlook.com that we forgot it was technically in preview mode. Well, that ended today, at 12:01AM ET on the dot. The company just announced that the email service is no longer in beta, and that the site has racked up 60 million active users — over a third of whom came over from Gmail. If you decide to join today, you’ll be getting the same feature set announced last summer, just with a smoother, less glitchy experience (not that it was ever that buggy to begin with, if you ask us). To lure in even more users, Microsoft is launching a massive advertising campaign, one that will include TV and radio spots (see one of them after the break), online ads and even posters in subway stations. Basically, the sort of heavy promotion Microsoft is already doing for Surface.
Regardless of how much success Microsoft has in converting Gmail loyalists, though, a lot more people are about to become acquainted with Outlook’s clean UI: the company has said it plans to switch Hotmail users over to the Outlook interface by summertime. To be clear, Microsoft says it has no plans to shut down the hotmail.com domain, so your existing Hotmail email address is safe, and you don’t even have to register for an Outlook.com addy if you don’t want to. Additionally, all of your folders and settings will be preserved. It’s just that you’re soon going to have to say goodbye to the old Hotmail. Onward, we say.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Source: Microsoft
Feb 07
This past holiday season, Microsoft launched an online campaign to help make potential Google shoppers aware of their search results being based off of how much a particular retailer has payed Google in order to be listed, and not based on actual search algorithm. The campaign, called Scroogled,was also introduced to have potential Google shoppers use Bing instead.
Today, Microsoft is yet again attacking another Google-owned service as they have turned their Scroogled.com website from slamming Google Shopping, to slamming Gmail. The site highlights a number of factors why Gmail shouldn’t be used as Microsoft is informing Gmail users of Google’s ability to track your emails in order to target its advertising to its users. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Instagram Launches Feed Feature Allowing Users Full Use Of Service On The Web, Microsoft Markets Bing As More Trustworthy Than Google, 
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