If you spend a lot of time in front of your computer, and also spend a lot of time sending SMS messages, you might want to check this out.

The SMS add-in for Outlook allows you to send messages directly from Outlook. Utilising your address book, keyboard and mouse is much quicker than using your handset to type and send messages.

The SMS add-in uses your phone to send the message, so that will need to be connected via USB, Bluetooth or infra-red. It uses a mobile phones’ modem to send the messages, which most phones will have in one form or another. Ideally, it will be offered as a Bluetooth service, so you can set and forget. As you are using your phone, the cost is the same as if you were sending the message directly from your phone.

Your messages can be drafted, grouped or forwarded just like a regular email message, though you can’t receive messages using this add-in. The add-in is only designed to send messages.

This worked successfully for me using a Nokia N70 via Bluetooth with Outlook 2003. Microsoft claims that it works in Outlook 2007, but I had no luck with this. The add-in didn’t show itself without some registry tweaks. This may be a Vista issue rather than an Outlook 2007 issue. Microsoft doesn’t offer any support for this add-in.

Configuration of this is a little bit of a hassle, so for it to be worthwhile to you, you would want to be sending a lot of messages. Once it is setup though, it works like a dream, saving you a bundle of time.

It is far from perfect, but if you try it and it doesn’t work for you, the uninstall is fairly basic. I am going to continue using it, and I will look forward to updates. I am surprised that this is not a built-in, supported feature for all modern operating systems and email packages. It is yet another tool which will help you keep your phone in your pocket.

Available for free from Microsoft.