Cloud Computing App Changing its Name: SkyDrive's New Name Will be OneDrive

It is challenging to write an update to an informatics book that discusses the latest trends in technology.  For example, I found out today that SkyDrive's name is changing to OneDrive.  The change is the result of a trademark dispute with British Sky Broadcasting. You can read more about the dispute at http://www.pcworld.com/article/2045634/microsoft-to-rename-skydrive-after-losing-trademark-suit.html

This is at the same time that Georgia College is rolling out Office 365 and SkyDrive to faculty, staff, and students.  I worry that the name change will be confusing to some.

You can view the promotion video for OneDrive below.Enjoy!

Syncing File Between Your Computer and the Cloud

I have been using Dropbox as a favorite cloud storage app for several years.  It is a fantastic backup and shared files solution.  My colleagues also use it to share and store committee files that are not subject to FERPA (student identification privacy) and HIPAA (health information privacy) protection.  I also use Google Drive and SkyDrive as backup solutions.  What I had overlooked is that SkyDrive is a downloadable app for personal computers and mobile devices that allows files to be synced, like Dropbox and Google Drive.

If you have files that you do not want to lose, consider discovering a backup solution that provides file syncing. 

Ten Creative Cloud Storage Solutions

Read a great article by Saiket Basu this morning about ways to use cloud storage sources at http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-ways-to-use-your-cloud-storage-that-you-may-not-have-thought-of/

The creative ways identified in the article are using cloud storage for:

1. Family history vault with family interviews
2. Saving gmail attachments to Google Drive
3. Keeping voice memos in Dropbox using DropVox
    (a $1.99 voice memo recording app)
4. Embedding video with Google Drive - includes a nice short tutorial
5. Using Google Drive as a file previewer
6. Using Dropbox as a wall paper repository with Desktoppr (repository of free high-quality wallpapers) that integrates with Dropbox
7. Designing video quizzes with Google Drive
8. Sharing quick Excel surveys with SkyDrive
9. Saving scanned digital copies of print resources 
10. Storing favorite infographics

Sharing Large Files with Others

TC Geeks has an article on sharing large files with others at http://www.tcgeeks.com/how-to-share-large-files-in-the-cloud/.

Two of the cloud resources mentioned were Dropbox and Evernote.  In the Georgia College School of Nursing, many of the committees use Dropbox for sharing information that has no references to students.  The advantage to Dropbox is that it works on all mobile devices as well as Macs and Windows computers.  Evernote is an excellent resource. I have written several blogs about the fantastic features available in Evernote. 

Two cloud resources that were not mentioned are SkyDrive and Google Drive.  One of my research partners and I use SkyDrive for a manuscript we are writing.  The reason is that we use EndNote citation software and we want to maintain all of the formatting.  SkyDrive allows users to view shared items using a URL; however, the user must sign into SkyDrive to make edits.  Google Drive also allows cloud sharing.  Like SkyDrive, users can set up preferences to allow others to view or make edits to shared files.

Microsoft SkyDrive Updates

I received an email this morning with Microsoft SkyDrive updates.  The first thing I noticed is that when you edit a document with another person, there is no sign-in required.  That feature is one that Google has had for some time.  Other SkyDrive features include:

• Chat
• Drag and drop
• Sharing using social networking apps such as Facebook and Twitter
• A desktop app (similar to Google Drive) that allow you to upload files up to 2 GB

If you are using SkyDrive as one or more of your cloud storage resources, consider exploring the new features.

New Microsoft SkyDrive Sync Feature

Microsoft has updated SkyDrive to allow users to sync files, but the feature is only available for PC users with Windows 7, 8, and Mac OSx.  According to the article below, the feature has some interesting features.  For example you must sync a folder or all loose files.  You cannot select which particular file to sync. I cannot replicate the feature yet, because today I am working on a laptop with Windows XP.  The sync feature would be helpful for those:

• Using a device with limited storage
• Needing to have an iCloud backup

You can read more at http://www.pcworld.com/article/2014283/microsoft-adds-selective-sync-to-skydrive-cloud-storage.html

Interesting, that although I had initially signed up the the (cannot remember - believe it was 25 GB) of storage and then told Microsoft that I wanted to maintain that storage, I am now limited to 7 GB.  When SkyDrive was first offered, it also provided Office web apps.  That feature is not available today on this computer. 

Microsoft SkyDrive File Size Storage Change

When Microsoft first offered SkyDrive, users were allowed to upgrade to 25 GB of file storage space.  Flor told me that she only had 7 GB of space.  I opened SkyDrive on the iPad - and sure enough - I was limited to 7 GB.  I did a little research from the PC and discovered the change.  Those of us who originally took advantage of the 25 GB have to tell Microsoft that we wanted to keep the 25 GB, otherwise the space would automatically be reduced to 7 GB.  There is now an additional fee for additional space.

SkyDrive for the iPad

Several months ago I wrote a blog about Microsoft OneNote for the iPad.  OneNote is the Microsoft version of Evernote.  It allows you to take notes with text or media and organize them into notebooks.  In addition to the CloudOn app, Microsoft has developed SkyDrive for the iPad.  In other words, I can access the 25 GB of Microsoft Office cloud storage.  Like the CloudOn app, you need to have the "purchased" Microsoft Office on a computer.  What SkyDrive does, it to provide cloud access to huge amounts of storage space.  It looks like more and more, we are gravitating to using the cloud for file access and storage.  For more information, go to http://lifehacker.com/5873076/windows-live-skydrive-available-for-ios-offering-25gb-of-cloud-storage-for-your-iphone?tag=downloads

Microsoft Web Apps and Co-Authoring

I can't tell you how many times I have worked in a group on the same document simulataneously.  Of course, we had to use Google docs because it allows co-authoring.  Just received an email announcement that Microsoft finally allows for co-authoring in their web app Skydrive.  You can read more about the feature on the Microsoft blog at  http://blogs.msdn.com/b/officewebapps/archive/2011/07/07/10184240.aspx

That feature may prompt me to use my Skydrive account more.  Until now, I have used it as a cloud computing backup for critical files (one of several backups :-).