Outlook.com Calendar Gets Visual Update, New Features

Microsoft’s Outlook.com calendar was visually updated on Tuesday while also pushing out several new user and business friendly features.

Microsoft has been attempting to streamline all of its online platforms, and the Outlook.com calendar fits in really well with the new design focus. The calendar features Microsoft’s “content over chrome” coloring with a flat design that traverses the company’s various platforms.

According to Microsoft, the new calendar look says it “is faster than ever, helps you focus on the events and appointments and tasks you’ve added, and lets you take your calendar with you on any device.”

Outlook.com users began seeing the new updated look on Tuesday but Microsoft will be rolling out the finished product to all users over the next week.

The Outlook.com reboot doesn’t stop there as Microsoft also added the ability to automatically pull in friends’ birthdays from Skype, LinkedIn and Facebook accounts.

Also included is the ability to import public calendars from various services such as iCalShare. The hope is that customers will make the quick switch to Outlook.com or at least share their files among calendar apps.

Aside from pulling in calendar information, users are also able to share their calendars with a new “share” feature that can be assigned to specific users. The new Outlook.com calendar also provides a link that can be shared so other users can more easily coordinate their schedules. The platform also allows users to sign up for notifications so they know whenever a calendars items have changed.

Adding to its share features Microsoft has also begun providing shareable talk lists, email reminders, and meeting invitations to the new Outlook.com calendar.

Microsoft of course allows users to take advantage of Exchange ActiveSync for keeping their address books and calendars in sync across their PC, tablet and smartphone devices.

Are you a fan of the new Outlook.com platform design?