Outlook.com calendar finally gets a refreshed look and new features this week

Microsoft has long promised a calendar upgrade for its Outlook.com email service would be “coming soon,” but the company is finally detailing its plans today. Microsoft will begin rolling out an updated version of its calendar for Outlook.com this week, with some improved features. One click access to event creation will be available, along with improved sharing options.

The new look and feel aligns the calendar with Microsoft’s mail and contact options in Outlook.com, and looks familiar to the Windows Phone and Windows 8 versions. There are month, week, day, and agenda views, alongside access to tasks. Skype, LinkedIn, and Facebook can be integrated into the calendar along with birthday information, weather forecasts, and holidays. Microsoft is rolling out its Outlook.com calendar update now, and the company says it “will be available around the world this week” at http://calendar.live.com/.