Sending an IM is quicker than dealing with an email client so, for those times when a few-words reply will suffice, Microsoft has created a new app.
The new Send app – developed by Microsoft Garage – is an email app in the form of an instant messaging tool.
Designed for “in-and-out” email communications, Send will allow iOS users to send “brief snappy communications” to their Outlook contacts.
The company wrote on the Office blog (via Engadget): “While tools like text messaging and IM are great for short messages, you often don’t have your co-worker’s cell phone number or an IM app on your work phone. And we’ve heard loud and clear from people at work, they want all their communications available in Outlook—even if they send them from other apps. This is where Send comes in!
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Microsoft says there are no subject lines, signatures or greetings required, stripping out the work email etiquette in order to allow co-workers to get straight to the point.
The company says it could come to the rescue if urgent communications are required, while Send won’t show all email conversations, just those that are started within the app.
Microsoft explains: “Imagine you’re walking into a big presentation and someone asks you to find out if your colleague will be attending. Chances are, you don’t have your colleague’s phone number, but you will probably have their email address—especially if you’ve been emailing with them recently. You don’t have time to search your inbox, start a new thread, or even type out a subject line. You just want to ask that person, “Will you be at the presentation?”
Microsoft says the app will come to iOS and Android in the coming months.
This is the second app released by the startup-like Microsoft Garage team in the last few weeks. It recently outed the Tossup app, which allows friends to make hassle-free plans by canvassing the opinions of the group.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
