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Tag: skydrive

  • Cloud Storage Services Linked With Apps by Cloud Elements Hub

    A one-to-many document hub integration platform has been created by Cloud Elements that will offer a single API for developers to link cloud applications with the leading cloud storage and document services such as SkyDrive, Dropbox, Microsoft SharePoint, and Box.

    The company has also indicated that the new document hub will have support for Rackspace Files and Amazon S3 by early 2014.

    Cloud elements is extremely talented in creating ‘elements’ that are extensions of API’s whose main work is to speed up the integration of various cloud services. The company serves both SaaS developers as well as corporate IT teams that aim at integrating their applications with a variety of cloud services.

    In the past, such integration required the use of custom written integrations that always had to be updated.

    The CEO of SlideFish, Neil Smith indicated that the new elements from the company have taken a lot of pain from them. He indicated that the company will no longer have to worry about changes on the API from different cloud storage providers. This will enable such SaaS companies to integrate their services in a large scale at a faster and more reliable way than before.

  • Cloud Storage Supports Genealogists

    The benefits of Cloud Storage have been brought to bear in many different industries, from finance to real estate and certainly personal computing. But genealogists have been taking advantage of the off-site storage with more and more frequency, due to the safety and security it offers.

    Genealogists spend years researching their findings, and the specter of losing all of that effort can be terrifying. Cloud Storage completely removes those fears. If a genealogist experiences a malfunctioning hard drive, it could cost them dearly. With all of their data stored in the cloud, no type of physical storage issue, no matter how extreme, can cause the irrevocable loss of work.

    Another useful benefit of Cloud Storage is the fact that data can be accessed from several different devices, in a variety of locations. That means a genealogist can access the same file and continue his work, whether on a personal computer, an office workstation, or a mobile device in transit between the two.

    File-sharing is also made much easier thanks to Cloud Storage technology. Many genealogists must share their findings regularly with associates, and also want to deliver summations to clients and family. Many Cloud Storage services come with file-sharing built in. If both parties have a Dropbox, SkyDrive or Box account, they can access and download files from any of their devices, making the sharing of even the most complicated or lengthy genealogy report an instant endeavor.

    Cloud Storage probably won’t completely take the place of physical storage, at least not until several more years of consistent, worry-free service are accrued. But at some point, the physical hard drive might end up a relic of the past, much like the names genealogists pour over during their studies.

  • Microsoft Retools SkyDrive Cloud Storage

    Microsoft already offers a market-leading cloud storage service through their SkyDrive system. But the computing giant isn’t resting on its laurels, as evidenced by the recent announcement of some major upgrades to their offerings.

    According to the company’s debriefing, SkyDrive’s entire interface has been retooled, and will now match the tile-centric layout of all other Windows 8 devices. The new layout, deemed ‘Metro’ by Microsoft, will appear consistently on all the company’s new releases, include the upgraded Office release and new Windows operating system.

    In addition, Microsoft has added to SkyDrive’s search capabilities, expanded the sorting options, and improved the functioning of the drag-and-drop features. The SkyDrive desktop app has also received upgrades that should smooth performance on both Mac OS X and Windows 8 platforms, helping bulk uploads complete faster and with less glitches.

    Microsoft has also taken off all restrictions from the SkyDrive API, giving programmers the ability to adjust its functioning to their needs. This now allows third-party apps of all sorts to be uploaded to the Drive, making their cloud storage system welcoming for as many devices and users as possible.

    These significant upgrades shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to fans of Microsoft or industry experts. It’s been clear for well over a year now that Microsoft feels their SkyDrive will soon become one of the cornerstone products in their library. And since it will seamlessly integrate into all other Windows-powered desktop and mobile devices, they expect an increase in user retention across the board.

  • Microsoft Moves Office to the Cloud

    Computing giant Microsoft recently announced the pending release of their Office 2013 software, further cementing their status as a leader in the new world of cloud computing. The latest iteration of Office will directly tie into the Microsoft SkyDrive, their cloud storage offering, which will also come built-in on all computers that carry the latest Windows 8 operating system.

    While previewing Office 2013 for current customers, Kirk Koenigsbauer, the VP in charge of the software bundle, pushed most of the focus onto SkyDrive. Customers favorably compared it to Dropbox, a much smaller company that is still Microsoft’s primary competition in this market.

    Microsoft also recently announced that the upgrade to Windows 8 Pro will only cost $40 when purchased directly through Microsoft’s online portal. This is a huge sea change for the company, which now seems willing to significantly lower upgrade charges in favor of gaining customers for SkyDrive and earning that regular, monthly usage fee. That also means that consumers could find Office 2013 carrying a much lower pricetag than previous versions when it enters the marketplace.

    Microsoft also seems to be pushing the limits with how their products integrate, following Google’s approach to the cloud storage market. The new Office will work seamlessly on all Microsoft hardware, as well as link in effortlessly with Windows 8 and other key applications such as Bing and Skype. It may take a while to see if the strategy pays off with increased support of SkyDrive, but in the crowded world of data storage, even a company as large as Microsoft seems willing to take the risk.