Windows 8 Comes with Deep SkyDrive Integration

SkyDrive will come to the upcoming Windows 8 client with increased integration across the platform, Microsoft has officially confirmed. 

The Redmond-based software giant already confirmed that there would be a Metro style SkyDrive application included in the upcoming operating system, but there’s more to it. 

The company also plans integrating the service across other applications, through the use of charms and contracts.

Basically, SkyDrive will become available as a file picker, which means that users will be able to open and saves files on SkyDrive regardless the application they are into. 

Moreover, applications will be able to offer the option to save files straight on SkyDrive, though this will depend on what developers will integrate in their applications. When using apps like document editors, the option to save back to SkyDrive in any folder will also be available. 

This functionality will enable users to easily open files on SkyDrive and save them back to the cloud service as if they were on the local hard disk. 

“This will work with any app that supports open and save for documents and photos, and will be the first time anything like this has been possible without any setup or configuration,” Mike Torres and Omar Shahine, group program managers for SkyDrive, explain in a recent blog post. 

“All you need to do is register your email address on a PC that’s running Windows 8 and then, whenever you save files on SkyDrive, every Windows 8 device you use will provide seamless access to those files.”

Applications that offer support for opening and saving documents and photos will be able to offer this functionality for SkyDrive documents as well, without any additional work.

Moreover, Microsoft will make SkyDrive available via the Share charm, which means that users will be able to easily send docs or photos via the Mail app on Windows 8.

“With one tap, you will be able to choose to share files through SkyDrive instead of sending them as attachments, which means you won’t have multiple copies of your files, each with their own set of changes,” the said blog post continues. 

“And of course, you won’t be limited to the small number of attachments and total file size of most email services since the files are stored in your SkyDrive.”

The best part of this functionality is that all Metro style applications that have been designed to open and save files will have this SkyDrive integration included for free, Mike Torres and Omar Shahine conclude.

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