Starbucks Is Coming To Microsoft Outlook
Starbucks, the coffee joint we affectionately call Fivebucks at my house, is coming to Microsoft Outlook.
The Starbucks for Outlook add-in will allow users of Outlook 2013 and 2016, Office 365 and even Outlook.com to schedule meetings at their local Starbucks and even send Starbucks gift cards via e-mail.
Obviously, the idea is to remind Outlook users that Starbucks is a great place to meet someone when they’re thinking about setting up a meeting. Or, if you need to send a thank-you gift, Starbucks will only be a touch away in your inbox. If you’re interested in checking this add-on out, you can click here to learn how to get it for your version of Outlook.
Microsoft Buys LinkedIn
Speaking of add-ons coming to Outlook, I wouldn’t be surprised if you soon see a lot of connectivity with LinkedIn. Microsoft has shelled out a hefty $26.2 billion dollars to acquire the LinkedIn social network. Unlike Facebook, LinkedIn is aimed at professional, rather than personal connections.
More than 433 million people worldwide are part of the LinkedIn network.
Chat Is The Hottest New Platform
Chat apps are seen as the future of communication by many experts. They are rapidly replacing phone calls, text messages, and social media as the preferred method of communication of young people.
So it’s not surprising that Microsoft has purchased message app developer Wand Labs. Wand will be part of the push to integrate services into the chat platform.
For example, FB Messenger allows you to send money and use other apps all without exiting Messenger. Microsoft wants to add other services that harness their Bing search engine. In the future, a chat platform could replace browsers and stand-alone apps as the most common way to access the Internet.
~ Cynthia