Microsoft Introduces Modern Email Service

On Wednesday, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) introduced a personal email service that will replace its current Hotmail service. According to the company, the new email will have a cleaner look, have less advertisements, connect to cloud based services, and new connections to social media sites such as Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter. The new email is Microsoft's first major improvement to its cloud based system in eight years according to Chris Jones, Microsoft's corporate vice president of Windows Live. Recently, Microsoft has talked quite a bit about a cloud service for Windows 8 and Windows Phones. One recent improvement in the company's cloud service was the creation of SkyDrive. SkyDrive allows users to upload files to cloud storage and then access it from a web browser.Jones stated, “We think the time is right to reimagine personal email, from the data center to the user experience. So today we're introducing a preview of Outlook.com.” Outlook.com will have many new features that give it a clean look and easier-to-use platform. One of the new features that was demonstrated in the preview of Outlook is a slideshow display for easy picture viewing. Outlook will also provide a smart inbox with the power of Microsoft Office and SkyDrive.Microsoft stated that the new service will enhance conversations by connecting users to social networks. The new service will give users the ability to chat with people who are on Facebook from anywhere on the Outlook platform. Another social media network that will become available through the Outlook platform is Skype. This will allow people to video chat through the Outlook, even if they don't have the Skype application installed. The service will also allow for users to open, edit and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents from anywhere. Outlook will also allow for clean and easy editing options for these documents from the inbox.Jones went on to state that Outlook would be based off the Outlook application that people have used on their computers. He also noted that the new email service would work well with smartphones and tablets. Increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets could give the Outlook platform an edge over other cloud-based services.Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) already offers cloud-based services through its Gmail and Drive platform. This service allows for users to upload, access, and edit documents through any web browser. Will the new and innovative features of Outlook pull customers away from the Gmail platform?As the business world and technology is constantly changing, cloud based services are impacting how people interact with each other. Microsoft could have a large impact on the evolution of cloud-based service by incorporating its email service with social networking and an easy to use platform for smartphones and tablets.