Microsoft Releases Email Prioritizer

Microsoft has released a new plug-in for Outlook 2007 that prioritizes mail and also allows users to use a Do Not Disturb button.

It’s still just a prototype, but Microsoft has high hopes for its Email Prioritizer plug-in, which is available for download from Office Labs.

For now, Email Prioritizer only works with the PC version of Outlook 2007, and doesn’t enjoy any support yet. But its features are likely to appeal to busy business people. You can set a Do Not Disturb for up to four hours, which pauses mail while you’re in meetings, and the tool prioritizes mail, rating it from 0-3 stars, depending on the sender and how many recipients – although users can adjust priority ratings, Microsoft claims.