Skype Toolbar for Outlook in beta

I have written about Outlook Skype in the past which integrates Skype calling with Outlook.  I have known for weeks that the Skype people noticed how useful this third party application was and they apparently bought it up from the developer for a future release.  Marc Orchant is reporting today that Skype has released the Skype Toolbar for Outlook which is the same program released under the Skype umbrella.  Note that the add-in is still in beta so there may be some issues.  Features reported on the Skype Developer Zone:

• Easily match individual outlook contacts to Skype contacts.
• See Presence, start calls and chats for all known message senders direct from the toolbar.
• See presence, call and chat to all outlook contacts known to Skype.
• Create Outlook contacts direct from incoming email.
• Use Skype to Call all Telephone numbers for Outlook contacts.
• Use Skype to call and chat with all other known contacts in the Cc and To message headers
• Record journal entries for all incoming Skype calls
• Use Skype to call telephone numbers and even Skype names in the body of Email messages
• Start group chats from email messages where topics are automatically set the to the email subject
• Automatically add Skype callto signatures to outgoing email messages.
• Import contacts to Skype direct from Outlook.
• Open Outlook contact automatically for incoming calls.

If you are both a heavy Outlook and Skype user as am I then give it a whirl.  There are also a number of other free Skype enhancements in the Skype Developer Zone.

Comments

[Brad Feld]

I started using the Skype Outlook Toolbar yesterday and so far it's awesome.

[VictorE]

The SOT works like a charm. I like the fact that you don't have to push/click any buttons to initiate a call.

[Michael Arrington]

It's the fifth bullet you post above that really grabbed me. The ability to click and call from outlook is wonderful and is really what makes this compelling for me personally.

[Paul Andrews]

A new Skype plugin released this week - Skylook - takes Outlook and Skype integration to a new level. In addition to the basic contact integration features provided by existing plugins, Skylook adds some deeper Outlook integration to Skype.

Skylook shows you which of your contacts in on-line in the Outlook toolbar and provides options to review contact details and review previous communications with the contact. Skylook also records all voice calls (as MP3) and text chats to a special Outlook folder.

The idea behind Skylook is that Outlook manages emails very well. You can organize them, search on them, archive them in many ways. Why not provide the same capabilities to Skype conversations?

A free trial of Skylook is available from http://www.skylook.com

[Paul Andrews]

Oops! That should read http://www.skylook.biz