How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
Summary: Microsoft is working to turn SkyDrive into a true cloud storage service with a new Windows 8 SkyDrive app and integration.
On the heels of some big leaks over the past weekend about alleged features coming to the next version of Microsoft's cloud storage service, the Windows Live team has gone public with early information as to what's happening.
As some Microsoft watchers expected after seeing some alleged new Skydrive screen shots posted on February 18 by Gemind.com.br, Microsoft is moving toward combining its Skydrive and Live Mesh services with the next release of Skydrive. (Live Mesh is Microsoft's Dropbox-like sync service that the company first announced in 2008.)
Up until now, SkyDrive has been little more than a Web site where users can save, share and access files and data. The SkyDrive team plans to turn it into more of a real service that will supplement Windows 8, according to a February 20 post on the Building Windows 8 blog.
As weekend leaks indicated, Microsoft is building a SkyDrive Metro-style app for Windows 8. SkyDrive files also will be integrated with the Windows Explorer on the desktop (as LiveSide noted in a post over the weekend), and the ability to fetch remote files via SkyDrive.com is coming, as well, according to today's Building Windows 8 post from Mike Torres and Omar Shahine, Group Program Managers for SkyDrive.
Microsoft plans to make the SkyDrive app for Windows 8 available simultaneously with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, which is due out by February 29. The ability to do desktop sync and fetching remote files will come "soon afterwards" for Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8, company officials said.
There's no mention in today's post about the alleged Mac client for the new SkyDrive service, which the Brazillian site Gemind.com.br featured over the weekend. There's also no mention of the long-expected paid supplemental SkyDrive options beyond the current free 25 GB plan, or of the OpenDoc file suport; new URL shortening service, or BitLocker-encrypted recovery key storage that also are alleged to be part of the coming SkyDrive release.
Update: Thanks to eagle-eyed reader @TheRackow, there is a mention of coming higher-storage plans, though no details in today's post. The post says:
"SkyDrive for the desktop will also provide the ability to sync up to your available quota of storage (and the ability to unlock more), along with unmatched performance on your PC. Oh, and we will also have support for uploading large files (up to 2GB) through Explorer, another big request from SkyDrive.com users over the years."
The Gemind.com.br site mentioned alleged new +20, +50 and +100 GB add-on plans in its post this past weekend. Microsoft officials declined to comment on that report.
There also is nothing in today's Building Windows 8 blog post about how Microsoft will beef up Windows Phone synchronization -- beyond the current Camera Roll support -- with the coming SkyDrive update. Microsoft originally planned to sync not just PCs, but also phones, with Live Mesh, but ending up curtailing that planned support with the initial consumer release of the service.
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Talkback
amazing
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
that's vaporware! M$ does not have the scale to allow Sky drive for more than a few hundred users. You should use Google+ instead.
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
Is news a bit short on the Linux pages? No new announcements there? You must be bored.
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
That's more users than desktop Linux.
so?
do you think I care what you think?
and why should I use google+? does it have something compared with SkyDrive, if it does, i dont need it anyway. and since all i know google+ its a social network, the only i use its facebook and because, its easy to contact a friend there. but its not like i care about it or need something like google+ none i know use. and of course also i don't want a company like google in my life. if you like it, ok, its your problem.
but i use what i want and im good with hotmail, skydrive, windows phone, and specially with Windows, i work on it and i game on it. and skydrive is a plus where i can share files with my friends without opening other silly accounts like google or dropbox, etc.
i know you are only trolling but if you say "you should use Google+" i can say "you should get a life"
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
Take pity on him. His favorite hobbyist OS is still below 1% usage and he prefers an advertising company to a software development one. With every new feature and advantage MS brings out, his cognitive dissonance gets worse.
Don't worry LG, Linux will always be there, just like the abacus. Perhaps you could contact the unlamented Paul Murphy and suggest takling over his Linux museum.
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
The Linux Geek learned how to install Ubuntu on an old computer now he know everything!
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
It's great to see a Windows 8 Metro app BUT also Vista/Win7 support too. Explorer integration in Windows 7/Windows 8 will be so useful. I currently use the decent SDExplorer to copy/move files/folders in Explorer but something official would be nice.
It's also great to see a feature of Windows Live Sync 2009 (replaced by Live Mesh 2011) whereby you could access your hard disk remotely is returning. I don't always want to "sync" everything. Incidentally a Microsoft support rep told me it was removed because it wasn't secure enough. I guess they've fixed that.
All this really gives OS X Mountain Lion's iCloud integration a run for it's money, especially when that offers no general cloud storage at all (compared with 25Gb for SkyDrive).
What about Android though? There are unofficial third party apps but come on, release an app to accompany your iPhone/Windows Phone apps.
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
It is super easy to map SkyDrive as a regular drive letter and use it like just any other drive in Windows 7.
Can someone explain to me why ...
Windows XP is out of mainstream support
New features aren't coming for it, so stop waiting for them to.
So, success in the sync market ...
Sorry, but no
....and neither is supporting tech luddites.
Whats honestly gave you the idea that Microsoft is somehow giving up on cloud storage anyway? That a technology company won't support a 12-year old operating system with new features? Do you ever read what you write sometimes?
I'm not saying that MS should ...
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8
Actively supporting an 11 year old OS is far more foolhardy. Microsoft is working on it's THIRD post XP release! Get off your high horse and get with the times!
RE: How Microsoft SkyDrive will morph from a Web site to cloud service with Windows 8