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Outlook.com app comes to Android with Exchange ActiveSync support wrapped in outdated design

Outlook.com app comes to Android with Exchange ActiveSync support wrapped in outdated design

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Outlook.com for Android
Outlook.com for Android

Microsoft has just released a dedicated Android app for users of its redesigned mail service, Outlook.com, which should be good news for those with certain Android phones that are incompatible with the service's Exchange ActiveSync protocol. Unfortunately, the first impressions from the app aren't great — sure, it offers important essentials like push notifications, multiple account support, and calendar and contact sync, but its user interface is uninspired at best, and outdated at worst. Unlike the impressive, minimalist look of Outlook.com, the app looks like it belongs on Android 2.3, Gingerbread.

Beyond the new Android app, the Outlook.com team has added a few important new features to the webmail client. Gmail staples like one-click archiving, a plethora of keyboard shortcuts, and inbox customization are now available from the website. Lastly, it looks like the pace that the service picked up from its original launch wasn't limited to a couple of weeks, as the team has announced that there are now 25 million "active" users.