Blogs & RSS to become part of Microsoft’s Outlook?

Reading a recent Bill Gates interview with Michael Kanellos of CNET News.com it comes across loud and clear that blogs and its RSS is coming to Microsoft’s Outlook. Gates is a big proponent of blogs so this should probably come as no surprise.

Gates says as “…RSS (Really Simple Syndication) has gotten more sophisticated and value-added search capabilities have come along, this thing (blogs) is really maturing.” Speaking of MSN’s recent blog entry Spaces, Gates says “It’s a great phenomenon, and it’s sort of built on email, and so we need to integrate more blogging capability into the email world – and as we do the next generation of Outlook, you’ll see that.

Even more interesting are some of things Gates has to say about communication tools, especially blogs:

Well, the technology business provides tools of empowerment, tools to let people be creative, to communicate, and there’s no end in sight and certainly a decade’s worth of work to make the ease of use and the power of these tools better.
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We, with our Office franchise, are committed to making workers far, far more productive than they are today. And believe me, we’re not running out of ideas. The phone is inefficient today with phone tag and busy signals. Email is inefficient today with seeing stuff that’s less relevant and how you organize it – bringing in the blog-type capabilities is very important there.

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There’s plenty of room to do dramatic horizontal innovation that will drive productivity in every sector of the economy. Whether it’s scientific discovery, health care, engineering, marketing, sales – you name it – the tools around Windows and Office are not even half of what they will be.

I may be different than other folks, but I get excited reading what Bill Gates has to say. In case you missed it this guy has brought the masses, at least through his marketing skills, some of the greatest technological advances ever.

Blogs and their accompanying RSS are a big deal. But you haven’t seen nothing till Microsoft jumps in hook, line and sinker as would be the case with the integration of blogs and RSS in their Outlook program. I think you’ll see it in less than 18 months.