Archive for SkyDrive

SkyDrive coming to Android in a few weeks

081412 1905 SkyDrivecom1 SkyDrive coming to Android in a few weeks

Microsoft has announced that Android will, at long last, be getting an official SkyDrive app in “just a few weeks.” Windows Phone has had built-in SkyDrive integration since launch, and SkyDrive apps were released on Windows Phone and iOS in December 2011. Android users, however, were left without an official way to access the files they had stored on Microsoft’s cloud storage service from their tablet or smartphone. There are a few unofficial third-party apps, but they’re no replacement for the real thing. Thankfully, this problem will be rectified in the near future.

SkyDrive for Android will support all of the features you’d expect, including file uploads, downloads, and sharing via the “send a link” feature. The free app isn’t available yet, but Microsoft expects to make it available on Google Play in the coming weeks. At this point, there’s no word on whether the app will be released on the Amazon Appstore for Android.

The Android app isn’t the only SkyDrive improvement. Microsoft has also completely overhauled the website’s interface and added new features for developers and customers who use the SkyDrive application on Windows and OS X. For the full run-down on what’s new, head on over to our sister site Pocketables.

[Inside SkyDrive]

Which cloud storage service should you choose for your smartphone?

Cloud Storage Services1 Which cloud storage service should you choose for your smartphone?

The past week was a big one for cloud storage services. Microsoft released a major update to SkyDrive, adding support for desktop sync and premium storage tiers, Dropbox updated its service, and Google finally took the wraps off of Google Drive. The three platforms share many similarities, so which one should you choose?

There are numerous factors that go into choosing a cloud storage service, including compatibility, integration with existing services, pricing (when applicable), maximum available storage, and–most important for smartphone users–platform availability. Plus, each service, particularly SkyDrive and Google Drive, offers additional benefits for its parent company’s platform of choice. Let’s take a closer look.

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SkyDrive, HealthVault apps hit Windows Phone

SkyDrive and HealthVault SkyDrive, HealthVault apps hit Windows Phone

Did you–like us–think that the stream of high-profile apps might have run dry? How many more could we possibly get? Well, add two more apps to the list: SkyDrive and HealthVault.

SkyDrive, released Tuesday morning on Windows Phone and the-platform-which-shall-not-be-mentioned, allows you to manage your cloud storage from your smartphone. The Windows Phone Office Hub already integrates with SkyDrive, pulling in Office documents and providing access to miscellaneous files, but the dedicated SkyDrive app adds a few crucial features not found on the phone.

Sure, you can browse the files and folders stored on SkyDrive, but the real draw is the ability to add, delete, and share folders and files from directly within the app. Until now, these options were only available on the SkyDrive website, which also recently received a major upgrade. Selecting an Office or text document will open it in the appropriate Office Mobile app, while PDF documents will launch the Adobe Reader app or prompt the user to download it. Photos can also be saved to SkyDrive via the app’s built-in uploader.

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