<p>Microsoft announced this week that the Microsoft Outlook e-mail program will be part of a free Windows RT 8.1 upgrade coming this year.</p><p>Tami Reller, chief marketing officer and chief financial officer for Windows, made the announcement during a Computex keynote talk, and it was also announced here. She said that "with the Windows RT 8.1 update, Microsoft Outlook will be in-box." Microsoft Outlook is part of the Microsoft Office suite of applications, although its inclusion in the suite depends on the edition purchased.</p><p>Microsoft's forthcoming 8.1 operating system upgrade for Windows RT and Windows 8 (formerly code-named "Windows Blue") will arrive as a public preview test release on June 26. The finalized product is expected sometime this year, but Microsoft hasn't publicized a date as yet. The 8.1 update will be offered as a free download from the Microsoft Store.</p><p>The Windows RT 8.1 update will apply to Microsoft Surface for Windows RT machines, as well as to other ARM-based tablets and devices running the Windows RT OS that are offered by Microsoft's original equipment manufacturing partners. The Microsoft Surface for Windows RT machines already include a free copy of Office Home and Student RT 2013, but that suite currently lacks the Outlook mail program. Microsoft's Office Home and Student 2013 suite for x86 machines also presently lacks Outlook, which is available with other x86 editions, such as Office Home and Business 2013 and Office 365 Home Premium.</p><p><a href="http://mcpmag.com/articles/2013/06/07/outlook-app-win-rt.aspx">Keep reading...</a></p>