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Windows 8 Mail update now available, Google Calendar support removed for existing users

Windows 8 Mail update now available, Google Calendar support removed for existing users

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Windows 8 logo stock
Windows 8 logo stock

Microsoft has started pushing out its latest Windows 8 Mail, Calendar, and People app updates to users today. A little ahead of the schedule, the application updates are now available in the Windows Store, bringing performance enhancements and a whole host of new features. Mail has been updated to include flagging, junk mail, and folder support. While Calendar includes a new weekly view and support for an inline time view.

What about the Charms?

The People app has also been updated with an improved user interface and the ability to post on Facebook users walls. Interestingly, the Mail app now includes search and print buttons that trigger the Charms sidebar for each option. It appears that Microsoft has recognized that the Search Charm and Device Charm aren't always obvious locations to launch search and print options for users, and the company is attempting to surface them.

One of the big changes with these updates is the removal of Google's Exchange ActiveSync support for Mail, Calendar, and Contact syncing. "We can't connect…because Google no longer supports Exchange ActiveSync," says a message urging users to reconnect their accounts to the Mail, Calendar, and People apps in Windows 8. Google announced its plans to stop supporting the protocol, and Microsoft has now disabled access to it entirely in Windows 8, even if you're an existing user.

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The situation is less than ideal for Gmail Windows 8 users. Microsoft had promised that users who had setup a Google account using Mail, People, or Calendar before January 30th could continue to use this option. "Your email, calendar, and contacts will continue to sync properly," reads a Windows support page. We've reached out to Microsoft to clarify how it plans to support the Gmail calendar within Windows 8 in future and we'll update you accordingly.

The updates are all available from the Windows Store. If you're not seeing them straight away, then go into the Store settings, App Updates, and select check for updates.