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Microsoft’s Outlook connects with LinkedIn
Microsoft Corp. (NSDQ:MSFT) on Wednesday unveiled a new social networking tool within its Outlook e-mail program, dubbed as the ‘LinkedIn Connector.’
by Priyanka - February 18, 2010 - comments
The new feature in Microsoft’s Outlook will enable users to access all of LinkedIn features while managing or viewing e-mail messages.
"Starting today you can download the new Outlook 2010 Social Connector to see what your contacts are up to on LinkedIn from right within the Outlook 2010 beta. When Office 2010 ships, you'll also be able to see your contacts' Facebook and MySpace actions in the same place," announced Microsoft's in its official blog posting.
Microsoft also announced that it has struck up a deal with both Facebook and MySpace to work with its Outlook Social Connector. The downloadable beta for Facebook and MySpace are scheduled to be released in the first half of 2010.
The LinkedIn product manager director Eliot Shmukler wrote in a blog posting, "At LinkedIn, we believe every professional is more productive when their professional network is close at hand and available wherever they spend their professional time."
The fix-up makes sense for all—Microsoft, LinkedIn, and users
Social networking is a flourishing industry these days and Microsoft intends to boost its Outlook’s reach in this area by collaborating with LinkedIn. On the other hand, LinkedIn could be looking to better connect with enterprise users via this deal.
The ‘LinkedIn Connector’ Social networking tool will come attached to Microsoft’s Outlook 2010 as a key component, due out in June. The Outlook Social Connector will be running on the 32-bit version of the Outlook 2010 beta. The feature will also be offered as a part of the free Outlook Social Connector for Office 2003, and the Office 2007 beta.
The testing for the Office 2010 beta began in November 2009, at the same time when Microsoft announced the Outlook Social Connector. The LinkedIn for Outlook will allow users of Office 2010 Beta to see information posted by colleagues on LinkedIn and photos in e-mail messages.
Additionally, users will be allowed to add LinkedIn contacts from Outlook and email connections from the auto-complete feature.
Experts’ take on Microsoft’s new offering
With its new move, Microsoft is jumping into social networking big time, but some experts do not think that the new technology would help businesses run smoothly.
Microsoft’s business customers have expressed their concerns over company’s new offering. They believe that the new feature might end up making employees less productive by providing all the extra information at their disposal.
According to David Grantz, CTO of ExchangeMyMail.com, an Albertson, N.Y.-based hosted mail provider "Personally, I don't think there's any room for these kinds of tools in a place of business, and would prefer to keep Outlook a business tool. There's no need to integrate social media into the workplace any more than it already is."