WebProNews

Tag: SkyDrive

  • Bing, OneDrive Team Up For Bing Rewards Promotion

    Can two segments of the same company team up? Aren’t they already a team? These are the questions we must ask ourselves as Bing teams up with OneDrive for a new promotion.

    Bing announced today that Bing Rewards members can use 100 credits to snag 100GB of free OneDrive storage for a year. That much storage usually costs $50 per year, but OneDrive is confident you’ll use Bing for at least a few days to rack up those credits to get free storage.

    For those unaware, OneDrive is the cloud hosting service formerly known as SkyDrive. Microsoft announced the name change back in January after it had decided to change the name instead of fighting over a trademark claim by UK network provider SkyBB. This is actually the second time Microsoft has had to change a product name with the Windows 8 Metro UI name being changed to the far less interesting “Windows 8 UI” after a trademark claim was filed by Metro – a German retail outlet.

    So, how good is OneDrive’s offer of 100GB of storage compare to other services? First things first, you might want to go with the offer if you already have 100 Bing Rewards credits. There’s nothing else of value to get unless you just want to donate a lot of money to charity. If you don’t have Bing Rewards or don’t want to save, there are some alternatives.

    First, Google Drive now offers 15GB of free storage. That storage is shared across both Drive and Gmail so you’re good if you don’t use email all that much. Another popular alternative is Dropbox which offers up to 18GB of free space, but there’s a catch. You get 500MB of storage for every friend referred so you’ll have to find and sign up 32 friends. The company also hosts a number of promotions around the year that can net you additional free space.

    In short, the Bing Rewards offer is probably the best way to get a lot of free storage. It just requires to build up Bing Rewards credits which can be earned through searching the Web via Bing. You’ll get 20 free credits for opening an account so might as well start now if you really want 100GB of online storage.

    Image via OneDrive/YouTube

  • Microsoft’s ‘OneDrive’ SkyDrive Rebranding Is Now Live

    Last month, Microsoft announced the rebranding of cloud storage product SkyDrive to OneDrive. Today, the company rolled it out.

    The change follows a trademark dispute Microsoft found itself in with European telecom Sky.

    Microsoft’s Chris Jones writes on the OneDrive blog, “When we announced the new name OneDrive, we noted how it is much more aligned with our vision for the future. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to get all of your favorite stuff in one place—one place that is accessible via all of the devices you use every day, at home and at work. Because let’s face it, until now, cloud storage services have been pretty hard to use, and the vast majority of us still have our stuff spread out everywhere. In fact, according to a recent poll*, at least 77% of people who are familiar with the cloud still have content stored on a device that is not backed up elsewhere.”

    “We want to change that,” he adds. “As part of that goal, we’re doing more than just changing the name with today’s release: We’re rolling out several new capabilities, including automatic camera backup for Android and the ability to share and view videos just as easily as photos. We’ve also added new ways for you to earn more storage—on top of the 7 GB we already give you for free. Customers who refer friends can now receive up to 5 GB (in 500 MB increments) for each friend who accepts an invitation to OneDrive, and we’ll even give you 3 GB just for using the camera backup feature, since we want to help make sure you never lose another photo. There’s even a new monthly payment plan, if you’d like a little more flexibility in how you use your storage.”

    Existing SkyDrive customers don’t have to do anything. Microsoft says all files are now in the new OneDrive experience. You can find them at OneDrive.com.

    Image via YouTube

  • Microsoft Renames SkyDrive To OneDrive

    Microsoft Renames SkyDrive To OneDrive

    Microsoft’s cloud storage platform – SkyDrive – got into a trademark dispute last year with European telecom Sky. Instead of fighting for its right to use the SkyDrive name, Microsoft opted to change it.

    Microsoft announced this morning that SkyDrive will now be known as OneDrive going forward. Much like how the Xbox One’s name indicated that it would be the one place for all your entertainment needs, OneDrive’s name indicates that it’s your one place for all your storage needs.

    Here’s the official explanation behind the name:

    Why OneDrive? We know that increasingly you will have many devices in your life, but you really want only one place for your most important stuff. One place for all of your photos and videos. One place for all of your documents. One place that is seamlessly connected across all the devices you use. You want OneDrive for everything in your life.

    As is the norm these days, Microsoft put together a little video to announce the name change:

    So, will current SkyDrive users have to do anything when the service transitions to the new name? Not at all says Microsoft as current subscribers will find everything will remain the same, except the name. It should be noted that the change won’t come overnight as Microsoft is still in the process of transitioning everything over to the new name. If you want to be one of the first to get OneDrive, you can sign up here.

    Image via skydrivevideos/YouTube

  • Xbox One to Have Skydrive App at Launch

    Xbox One to Have Skydrive App at Launch

    Microsoft today announced that its upcoming Xbox One console will have SkyDrive capabilities when it launches on November 22. Customers will be able to view photos and videos that they add to their SkyDrive using their Microsoft Account on the console.

    The SkyDrive app on the Xbox One has been specifically created by Microsoft’s SkyDrive team to take advantage of the console’s unique features.

    The app will, of course, take advantage of the new Kinect, which is bundled in with every Xbox One. Users will be able to navigate SkyDrive on the console by flailing their arms around and using voice commands such as “Xbox – go to SkyDrive.” For larger photos the app will have the ability to zoom in and out, though it seems users will have to use the Xbox One controller to do this.

    Users will also be able to share their photos and videos using the Xbox One.

    It was not made clear in Microsoft’s announcement whether Xbox One owners would be able to add screenshots or videos taken of video games to their Skydrive using the console.

    With Microsoft positioning the Xbox One as an all-in-one living room entertainment hub rather than just a video game console, it’s not surprising that many of Microsoft’s services will end up on the Xbox One. In addition to Skydrive, Skype has been heavily integrated into the console, allowing Xbox One owners to answer Skype calls on-the-fly and snap the call alongside other console tasks.

  • Microsoft To Change SkyDrive Name To Something A Little Less Infringing

    Microsoft has big plans for SkyDrive. The company’s cloud service was named as one of the central pillars to its strategy during the announcement of its big restructuring. Too bad Microsoft won’t be able to use the name anymore.

    The Verge reports that Microsoft has agreed to change the name of its SkyDrive to something else after losing a trademark lawsuit brought by the Sky Broadcasting Group. At the time, it was thought that Microsoft would settle with Sky to continue using the name. It seemed unlikely Microsoft would just abandon the brand it had been using since 2008.

    Microsoft may be relinquishing the SkyDrive name, but it does’t have to do so immediately. The two companies jointly announced that Microsoft would be able to use the SkyDrive name for a ” reasonable period of time to allow for an orderly transition to a new brand.” It’s unknown how long Microsoft has to change the name, but we’ll probably see a new name by the end of the quarter.

    Later this year, Microsoft will be launching Windows 8.1 and Xbox One. Both will feature SkyDrive in various capacities, and using a brand that will change only two months into launch isn’t a smart move. Microsoft has to prepare a new name by the launch of its two flagship products so as to mitigate any potential consumer confusion.

    Of course, all of this may seem incredibly familiar to you. That’s because Microsoft was caught up in a similar trademark dispute last year over its Metro branding. German company Metro AG said Microsoft’s Metro branding infringed upon its trademark. The legal tussle forced Microsoft to change the name of its new interface from Metro to “Windows 8 Style UI.”

    If Microsoft follows Metro’s example, Xbox One users may soon be uploading gameplay sessions to something boring sounding like Microsoft Cloud Services.

  • Microsoft Brings SkyDrive To Xbox 360

    Microsoft Brings SkyDrive To Xbox 360

    The Xbox 360 is quickly turning into a bastion of Microsoft products and services. The gaming console already has Internet Explorer and Bing, but now it’s getting Microsoft’s cloud service – SkyDrive.

    Microsoft announced this morning that SkyDrive will be available on Xbox 360 later today. Much like the SkyDrive app for Windows 8, the Xbox 360 app puts the focus on photos and videos. It’s for the rare creature that wants to share their photos on their large HDTV for the whole family to see. It’s a modern rendition of going to your aunt’s house to see her vacation slides, but now you can play some Halo 4 deathmatch with her after the slideshow is over.

    Microsoft lists three key features that it feels make SkyDrive for Xbox 360 a perfect fit for the living room:

    Shared photos & videos. Share a meaningful event with your friends or family by viewing photos & videos on your TV, or view photos & videos others have shared with you through SkyDrive. Imagine being able to view cherished photos and videos shared by friends and family —like a musical performance, a kid’s birthday, or baby’s first steps—on your TV.

    Snap and see. For Windows Phone users, snap a picture and see it appear almost immediately in your camera roll on the big screen. This feels like magic! For example, you could take a quick snapshot of your child making a funny face, fire up the SkyDrive app on your Xbox, and view it right away on your 50” screen. Just make sure you’re using the same Microsoft account sign-in for both Xbox LIVE and your Windows Phone.

    Party slide show. Plan a great slide show to play in the background of a dinner party. For example, you could start a slide show of a recent trip for friends, or have holiday-themed photos and videos playing during a holiday party.

    The “Snap and see” feature is only available on Windows Phone at the moment, but it’s likely that Microsoft will patch in support for Android and iOS at a later date. It ported SmartGlass to the other two mobile operating systems shortly after it hit Windows Phone so the wait shouldn’t be that long.

    There’s been a strong push lately to turn the Xbox 360 into more of an entertainment machine. Microsoft wants to take over the living room and have its console be the only device that you’ll ever need. Not everybody will use SkyDrive, but it’s just one more step towards having a fully functional PC in the living room that just so happens to only use Microsoft products and services.

  • Microsoft Updates All Of Its Office Web Apps

    The Web is quickly becoming the new platform of choice for many tech companies. Google and Microsoft have been the two largest proponents of the Web over the last few years with both companies investing heavily in cloud computing and big data. Now Microsoft has finally updated one of its first forays into the Web-based collaboration software.

    Microsoft announced today that all of its Office Web apps have been updated to take advantage of new platforms like SkyDrive. The first Office Web apps were made available in 2010 and let users collaborate on documents in real time via any Web browser. It was similar to Google Docs, but now Microsoft is moving to be the Web platform of choice for those working in Word and other office documents.

    First up, the Word Web app was updated to improve its visuals on high definition monitors. There’s also new support for viewing and adding comments to a Word document. Many of the same features present in the desktop version of Word are available in the Word Web app.

    The Excel Web app features all of the essential features that you’ve come to expect. Users can now visualize data with high fidelity charts, even in 3D. The app now supports the ability to print from the browser as well.

    The PowerPoint Web app has received more updates than most due to its highly visual nature. Slides are now presented in high definition, just like on the desktop version. Audio and video playback is now supported on mobile devices as well. Students or office workers who are still working on a presentation at the last minute can also add new slides via a Web browser.

    On a final note, the OneNote Web app also received a few updates including the ability to search on a page or within a section. Like before, users can type anywhere on a page to add notes, pictures or tags. Those notes, however, can now be shared as URL that can be viewed on across PCs, phones and tablets.

    All the new updated Office Web apps have been optimized for IE10, Windows 8 and iOS 6. You can access them via SkyDrive and Outlook.

  • New Windows: Microsoft’s Latest OS Arrives This October

    New Windows — that’s Microsoft Windows 8 for those who enjoy putting a finer point on things — will be arrive on retail shelves at the end of October, according to the AFP. The announcement came as part of the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto on Monday, although a specific date has yet to be determined as of this writing. Communications manager Brandon LeBlanc says that the software is currently on-track to meet the company’s autumn deadline, with manufacturing scheduled to begin this August.

    Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer stated that Windows 8 “is simply the biggest deal for this company in at least 17 years.” It’s kind of hard to believe it’s been that long since Windows 95 took the world by storm. Regarding the landscape-changing OS, Ballmer added, “It’s the glue, it’s the foundation of everything Microsoft is built on.”

    When the latest version of Windows hits retail shelves, consumers can expect a wide variety of new functions, including the “SkyDrive” cloud-based storage system, which will allow users to store and share a wealth of information across a number of different devices. Ballmer stated that, when the software arrives, it will be available in 109 languages across 231 different markets.

    In addition to powering your personal computer, Windows 8 will also fuel smartphones, tablet PCs, and touch and stylus-based devices. This, according to experts, will help the company move forward through the world of mobile gadgets, a market that is currently dominated by Google and Apple. Although Microsoft is banking on the OS to help them get a foothold, only time will tell if Windows 8 is the answer to their digital prayers.

  • Microsoft Beats Out Google in Cloud Deal

    In a deal indicative of Microsoft’s lock on the cloud-based productivity software suite market, the company just won a bid to provide 250,000 college students in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) with software, edging out Google in the process. Microsoft will afford students its Live@edu online suite, which allows educational users access to hosted versions of Exchange and Outlook, SkyDrive cloud storage, and the Office Web productivity suite, which includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

    It took the LACCD three years to evaluate Microsofts and Google offerings to make a platform decision, and CIO Jorge Mata states, “We wanted to find a standard way for everyone on campus to communicate – We wanted to make sure the experience was the same, as much as possible – If I’m a faculty member and I’m teaching a class, and then go to my office to conduct some business, and then to a lab to help a student, if all those are using the same kinds of themes and interface then that was something important to us.” Mata added that if LACCD “was completely Google, then that would have been a major point [in Google’s favor].”

    The platform also had to work across iOS and Android devices, which also helped Microsoft with the bid. Live@edu supports mobile management and synchronization through ActiveSync on Mac OS, iOS, and Android, as well as on Windows and Windows Phone – and Mata points out that the vast majority of students at least have a smartphone, making Live@edu’s cross-compatibility integral. Since both platforms are free, cost wasn’t relevant to the selection.

    In related news, Google recently launched its Drive cloud storage environment, a competitor of Microsoft’s SkyDrive.

  • Microsoft Kills Windows Live Branding

    With Windows 8 just around the corner, Microsoft is re-thinking where its cloud services will fit into the mix. As a result, Microsoft has decided to kill the “live” branding it places around those services. In its place will be the new, simply named, Microsoft Account.

    Yesterday on the Microsoft Deveveloper Network “Building Windows 8” blog, Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft’s Windows and Windows Live division, published a post authored by Chris Jones, a vice president of Microsoft’s Window’s Live group, that provided some of the reasoning behind this decision. Jones states that although Windows Live services are successful, their branding doesn’t fit into Microsoft’s vision for a fully connected, cloud-centered Windows 8 experience. From the post:

    Windows Live services and apps were built on versions of Windows that were simply not designed to be connected to a cloud service for anything other than updates, and as a result, they felt “bolted on” to the experience. This created some amount of customer confusion, which is noted in several reviews and editorials. The names we used to describe our products added to that complexity: we used “Windows Live” to refer to software for your PC (Windows Live Essentials), a suite of web-based services (Hotmail, SkyDrive, and Messenger), your account relationship with Microsoft (Windows Live ID), and a host of other offers.

    Since Microsoft now thinks there is an expectation that a platform will come with communication and sharing apps, Windows Live accounts will now be called Microsoft accounts, and will be used across all Microsoft cloud services in much the same way that Google uses Google Accounts. Users can log into a Windows 8 device using their Microsoft Account, and will then be automatically connected to the services that were previously “Live” branded such as Hotmail, Skydrive, and Messenger. Microsoft Accounts will also combine billing from services such as the Zune store, Xbox LIVE, and the Windows 8 app store. A Microsoft Account can be connected to social networking platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn as well.

    As for when the switch to Microsoft Accounts will take place, Jones said, “We’ll be rolling out the change in nomenclature from Windows Live ID to Microsoft Account over the next several months across our product line. There are still some areas we continue to work on such as migrating your account (credit cards and purchase history) from one market (currency) to another if you’ve connected your account to services such as Xbox LIVE.” Microsoft has also prepared a video about the pending changes, narrated by Jones, which you can watch below.

    As a whole, I think this is a good change for Microsoft, and one that has been a long time coming. I know I’ve always been confused as to what my Windows Live account is connected to other than my Xbox billing. What do you think? Will this consolidation help Windows users, or will it turn out to be even more of a confusion when users switch to Windows 8? Leave a comment below and let me know.

    (MSDN blog via Business Insider)

  • Microsoft Warns of Conficker Worm Threat

    The latest Microsoft Security Intelligence Report (SIR) has complied new data taken from over 600 million systems worldwide, and has found that iterations of the Conficker worm have appeared on roughly 220 million computers over the past 2.5 years. This makes Conficker one of the most substantial ongoing, broad-based threats to enterprises.

    According to Wikipedia –

    Conficker, also known as Downup, Downadup and Kido, is a computer worm that surfaced in October 2008 and targets the Microsoft Windows operating system. The worm exploits a previously patched vulnerability in the Windows Server service used by Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 Beta, and Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta. The worm has been unusually difficult for network operators and law enforcement to counter because of its combined use of advanced malware techniques.

    Conficker was set to launch on April Fool’s Day in 2009, but nothing really happened – though not to say the malicious code didn’t get around, and still broadly exists. Data from Microsoft’s SIRv12 shows detections of Conficker have gone up 225% since early 2009, and was traced to 1.7 million systems in Q4 2011. Research also shows that 92% of Conficker infections are instances of compromised passwords, and the other 8% are due to systems lacking the latest security updates. Commenting on a a lack of Windows security, Tim Rains, Director of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing, states, “Conficker is one of the biggest security problems we face, yet it is well within our power to defend against – It is critically important that organizations focus on the security fundamentals to help protect against the most common threats.”

    Microsoft recommends users take the following measures to promote better system security:

    Use strong passwords and educate employees on their importance
    Keep systems up to date by regularly applying available updates for all products
    Use antivirus software from a trusted source
    Invest in newer products with a higher quality of software protection
    Consider the cloud as a business resource

    Again, the two primary measures to be taken are to use and protect solid passwords and to frequently access Windows Update. Also, Microsoft plans to launch an updated version of its SkyDrive cloud system in tandem with the introduction of Windows 8, which is rumored to be sometime in October. It’s noted that the cloud can also improve security for businesses.

  • Microsoft Drives Cloud Computing in Tourism

    Yesterday in Madrid, Microsoft announced that it became a strategic partner with the UN World Tourism Organization, in hopes to drive the implementation of new technologies, primarily cloud computing, in tourism. The new partnership would be beneficial to the 155 UNWTO member countries, and over 400 affiliate members from the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities – by helping them to establish cloud technology.

    According to Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International, “the tourism sector has undergone a drastic transformation over the past years and has been evolving towards Tourism 3.0, where users connect to travel websites and interact by sharing their experiences, thus directly influencing the perceptions and decisions of other users and potential travellers. Because of this, it is more and more important for tourism sector enterprises to develop their online businesses by looking to the most advanced technology. In this regard, the adoption of cloud computing is key, as it provides access to a solid web platform that will make it possible to offer more productive, efficient and competitive services.”

    The UNWTO will recognize Microsoft as the go-to source for its new, cloud-based workflow, including productivity tools, instant messaging, e-mail, video conferencing, distance-training solutions, customer relationship management and application development tools. Currently, roughly 1 in 12 people worldwide work in the tourism industry, which generates about 5% of the global GDP. The UNWTO hopes to improve their competitiveness and productivity with Microsoft’s assistance.

    In a statement Microsoft asserts that it “puts a great deal of importance on this type of public-private partnership at the national, regional and international levels. We feel these ties are critical to promoting economic growth and competitiveness.”

  • Google Drive To Support Third Party Apps

    Google’s upcoming cloud device, called Drive, might support applications developed by third parties. Drive might add support for third party apps and will also include a software development kit. Users would be able to open files stored in Google Drive using non-Google apps. The below shot of the Google Docs source code, grabbed by Alex Chitu, mentions “SDK” in connection with Google Drive and the “open with” feature:

    This suggests that Google Drive will integrate even more with Gmail – The blog Google Operating System speculates users might “say goodbye [to] email attachments and hello to real time collaboration. Drag anything shared with you to My Drive for easy access.” This would make Google Drive an important upgrade to Google Docs, detaching its present online storage service, and making it more useful by adding space, syncing apps and third party integration.

    The Wall Street Journal recently mentioned that Google Drive “is expected to launch in the coming weeks or months and will be free for most consumers and businesses. Google will charge a fee to those who want to store a large amount of files.”

    Drive will be in competition with Dropbox, Microsoft’s Skydrive and Apple’s iCloud, and will replace its existing Google Cloud Storage.

    Interestingly, SafeGov has recently questioned the general security of Google’s cloud device.

  • Microsoft Updates SkyDrive

    On Monday, Microsoft announced it’s updated version of SkyDrive, to correlate with the upcoming release of Windows 8. This could coincide with the launch of Google Drive, which has been rumored to be ready within the next few weeks, and would compete directly with it and other cloud storage services

    Microsoft says that Skydrive will be tightly integrated with Windows 8, and plans to insert the app into every desktop via Windows Explorer. The updated drive will include improved file management and synchronization, across multiple devices, secure authentication for remote access to files not yet uploaded to Skydrive, and support for file uploads of up to 2 GB. Mike Torres and Omar Shahine, group program managers for SkyDrive, have commented, “we think what people want in personal cloud storage is a single drive that’s available across all of their devices. To bring this to billions of people, our approach is to seamlessly connect the files (and behaviors) that people have today on the PC with the app and device experiences that they will use in the future.”

    Below is the pricing structure for Skydrive’s storage, as compared to the 10 GB, 20 GB, or 50 GB of additional iCloud storage, for $20, $40, or $100/year.

    Microsoft has been hinting at an October release date for Windows 8.

  • Microsoft Rolls Out SkyDrive App for Windows Phone, iPhone

    Microsoft debuted their SkyDrive app yesterday for iPhone and Windows Phone. For those not yet familiar with it, SkyDrive is Microsoft’s cloud service you can use to access your documents, notes, photos, etc. from any computer. SkyDrive is already integrated into the Windows Phone OS but this app simplifies the process of uploading and sharing documents for people who rely pretty heavily on the service. As with most cloud services, SkyDrive is a great way to avoid using up your phone’s hard drive space with superfluous files. It’s an easy service to use when you need to share files with someone and now Microsoft has improved the accessibility of SkyDrive for many smartphone users.

    Aside from the general UI difference inherent to the phones, the app works very similarly on iPhones and Windows Phones. As of right now, the SkyDrive app is available everywhere that Microsoft offers the Windows Phone though they hope to make it available in more regions. No word yet if Android devices will be getting any SkyDrive app love, but that remains to be seen.

    The SkyDrive team have provided some walk-through tutorial videos for both of the Windows Phone and iPhone.

    At first glance, the SkyDrive app appears to be a suitable and competitive alternative to Apple’s iCloud as well as with third party apps like Evernote. Among the many file sharing cloud services out there, how many of you already do or are planning to make use of Microsoft’s SkyDrive app?