Microsoft does not always make things easy for the home computer user and the latest update, of this otherwise very useful cloud computing tool, is now made Windows 8 ready in time for the upcoming releases of Windows 8, the new Outlook.com, and the new Office.
For those of you who are already SkyDrive users may find
your first look at the new update a little strange with its numerous boxes or tiles representing the document folders and files instead of plain text, but you can still change that back by clicking on the little icons in the right hand top corner. Not quite the same but near enough. Of course the change is in line with the upcoming W8 layout which Microsoft is aiming at making identical for phone, tablet and PC.
In the top left hand corner is a search box that allows you to search among what you have stored on your SkyDrive account, and above that is the ‘Create’ and the ‘Upload’ buttons and they will be joined by a ‘share folder’ and a ‘Folder actions’ pull down menu when you open your files.
As you go into your store of photos there is a rafter of things you can do apart from rearranging, changing view size as well as drag and drop files and folders. If you are using a Windows phone already you have easy access to SkyDrive and now more ways of arranging your photos.
Microsoft says that SkyDrive is now faster and more efficient to use, photos uploaded 1.7 times faster than in the old version
and they are working on a solution to selecting which folders to sync to your PC rather than all. This may be applicable where folders have been uploaded from say a phone or tablet to your SkyDrive account and you wish to be selective about transferring to your PC.
The SkyDrive app for Android based phones should become available in just a few weeks and is expected to be like the mobile apps for iOS and Windows phones.
So have a go with the updated version, it’ll give you some idea of what the coming Windows 8 for the PC, tablets and Windows phones look like with the tiled screen when first powered up.
As always here at Kapiti, SeniorNet can help you come to grips with such things, so if in doubt check out upcoming Workshops or pop-in to a Q&A session at the Learning Centre with your questions.
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