Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage service has finally made the change over to the new OneDrive name. OneDrive is more than just a cosmetic name change and brings several new features. These include camera uploading on Android, improved document sharing, and better video streaming.
The name change comes after Microsoft lost a court battle in the UK over the “Sky” branding to Sky Broadcasting. While the company agreed to stop using the name back in July 2013, is has only now brought the new version to consumers. It could be that Microsoft wanted a larger offering to the people instead of simply changing the name.
One of the new features is instant uploading of pictures to OneDrive on Android devices. This feature already exists for Windows Phone and iOS, so it is not exactly new. However, users who activate the option will receive an extra 3GB storage free. The Skydrive app on iOS, Android and Windows Phone has also been updated with the new OneDrive name, while OneDrive on Windows should see the new app update soon.
Those who want extra storage can also receive it by referring friends to OneDrive. Like Dropbox, each referral gives 500MB and you can get up to 5GB of extra space by this referral program.
Finally, Microsoft is celebrating the launch of the new OneDrive by giving 100,000 people 100GB of free storage for one year. To participate, keep an eye on @OneDrive for details.
[Source: OneDrive Blog]
