Outlook Adds Easy Import Tool to Switch Away from Gmail
Of course, even if you are frustrated with your current provider, the thought of switching to a new service can seem daunting. So we’ve introduced new functionality right into Outlook.com that does the heavy lifting for you. All you need to do is follow a few simple steps to connect your Gmail account (using OAuth) to your Outlook.com account (if you don’t already have one, it’s easy to get). This will import your Gmail emails into your Outlook.com inbox and, because you’ve connected both accounts, your Google contacts will automatically appear in Outlook.com. The structure of your inbox, including read/unread status of your emails, will be preserved. The new tool will even set up your Gmail address as a “send-only” account so you can continue to send email from your @gmail.com address, right from Outlook.com, if you still want to.
I’ve seen some growing discontent when it comes to Gmail these days. A little over a month ago, I successfully moved away from Google Mail (Google Apps for preshit.net) over to FastMail. It’s a ridiculously good service and has been great for me. I’ll write about the move soon, but if you’ve been eyeing Outlook.com, here’s your chance.