A Detailed Review of Microsoft Outlook 2013
Introduction
Have you heard of Microsoft Outlook 2013? It's the all-new email service created by Microsoft. It has many new features and updates, which we will be discussing later in this article. We will also look at whether it is worth upgrading to Outlook 2013.
What is Microsoft Outlook 2013?
Microsoft Outlook is an email service created by Microsoft. You can send and receive emails using this service. There have been many older versions of Outlook, the latest being Microsoft Outlook 2013.
New Features: Better Inbox
In Outlook 2013, you can now preview your emails in the Inbox so you can see which emails are top priority and which ones are not. Usually, email providers have just the name and subject written for an email. Now with Outlook 2013, you can see a short snippet from the email in the Inbox before you read it.
Emails are now sorted into two categories named; All and Unread. This is a handy feature as you can now read the emails that you have not read previously.
The Calendar, Weather and People Card
Another handy feature added is the calendar. If you have to schedule an appointment with one of your colleagues, you can place that appointment into your calendar. There is no need to open a new window with a calendar; the calendar is simply in your email account. Beside the day in the calendar, you can also view the weather complete with temperature, humidity, wind, images and forecasts of your local area. There is no need to open a new browser window and check the forecast; you have it all there in Outlook 2013.
The People Card is a great tool to use. It holds information about your contacts on a business-type card. You can find information such as phone, email, address and even if they are available or not about a certain contact. From this card, you can send an instant email or even schedule a meeting. You can also flag, delete and mark your emails as read or unread using easy access tools. You can quickly switch between Outlook elements whether it is from email to calendar or vice versa using a versatile tab tool at the top of the screen. You can also choose to view your emails as conversations if you prefer.
There have been some improvements to the interface, with a ribbon on the top giving you all the options. The preview pane allows you to see a preview of the email before you click on it. You can adjust this to one, two or three lines of the email. New 'quick buttons' have also been added so you can flag, star or mark any email you like in a flash. Overall the layout is smoother and easier to navigate through.
Final Verdict
Overall, Microsoft Outlook 2013 is the essential email service for the business person as it incorporates new and improved features. It is not a revolutionary update but it still impresses. I particularly liked the calendar and people card. The layout is sleek and stylish with a modern interface. It is expensive though, the lowest price being $109.99 and can be bought as part of an Office 365 subscription. It would be worth updating especially for working clients and business people. With over 1 billion Office users worldwide, it is excellent to take part in it too. I would give Outlook 2013 a nine out of ten. Excellent.
