Microsoft is making a push to help make Office Online a little better when it comes to collaboration, and has announced plans to build Skype integration right into the Office Online apps.
The integration will include both Skype voice and video, and will allow collaborators to chat about what they're working on with someone else as they do it. It will also offer instant message support, with the messaging history remaining tied to the document, so users can talk about the document, leave for a few hours and come back to pick up the conversation later.
According to Microsoft, these updates will go live at some point in November, and will be included in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook Online.
"The integration creates a natural, collaborative experience in which you can co-author and have a conversation using instant messaging or video calling right from within a document," said Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president of the Office team, in a blog post.
Not only has Microsoft improved collaboration in Office Online, but it is also releasing a new Chrome extension for the apps. The extension will simply sit alongside the address bar in Chrome, allowing users to quickly and easily access Office Online apps and documents. Users also have a "recents" list, so they can access a particular file in a matter of a few clicks. The new Office Online Chrome extension is available now from the Chrome Web store.
Interestingly enough, Microsoft first integrated Skype into its Office desktop apps, following them with Office Online.
In addition to these updates, Microsoft has enabled a presenter mode for users of the PowerPoint Android app. These users will need to have a subscription to Office 365, which is available for between $6.99 and $9.99 per month.
Via: PCWorld
