Xobni, the popular plug-in for Microsoft Outlook, has announced the launch of the Xobni Gadget Platform and Store that will offer direct access to a range of productivity services within the email inbox.

Users will be able to access as many as twenty free and paid gadget apps from vendors like Dropbox, Evernote, Cisco, Google, Microsoft, WebEx, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Salesforce. com.

Installation of these gadgets will enable people to access content and capabilities from those services from within Outlook.

All gadget apps are built around the OpenSocial format. Vendors can offer their apps for free or for a $9.99 per month subscription.

Speaking on Xobni’s new service, Gartner analyst Matt Cain said, "Most business users are e-mail-centric and feel most comfortable working in the inbox. Xobni enables the user to continue working productively in the inbox and still access a wide range of social services from the e-mail client.”

Earlier, San Francisco-based Xobni had custom-coded integration with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but the new platform allows any partner/customer to develop Xobni gadgets.

Xobni has raised more than $31 million in funding from companies like First Round Capital, Cisco Systems, BlackBerry Partners Fund, and Baseline Ventures.