LinkedIn integrates with Outlook

In a dream last night I got up as usual to write my morning blog and found that the toaster had integrated with Twitter and my favourite coffee mug was streaming LinkedIn status updates. Rubbing my eyes I pulled a cereal bowl out of the cupboard and an Outlook message flashed up at the bottom of it saying 1 Reminder – you need to get out more.

OK, my dreams are not that interesting but it does seem social media is infiltrating everywhere at the moment, building influence through strategic alliances – LinkedIn and Twitter, Xbox and Facebook and now, potentially the real game changer for businesses, LinkedIn and Outlook.

Microsoft announced Social Media Connector yesterday, integrating LinkedIn to your email inbox in Outlook 2010. As you can now send your Tweets to LinkedIn and LinkedIn to Outlook 2010,  Outlook’s future suddenly looks a lot more interesting.

Here’s what it will look like: