MS gives SkyDrive facelift

Microsoft is updating its SkyDrive cloud-based storage service, saying it will provide a faster experience using HTML5 technology as well as hardware acceleration, reports Cnet.

The software giant boasts that common tasks, such as clicking on folders and navigating photo albums, will take 100 to 300 milliseconds, down from as long as nine seconds in the earlier version.

And by powering the site with HTML5, Microsoft says it is able to include HTML5 Video, CSS3, and client rendered experiences.

For nearly four years, Microsoft has offered a free cloud storage service called SkyDrive, which anyone can use to store up to 25GB of free data of any kind, according to PC Mag.

Microsoft senior product manager Anand Babu told PCMag.com: “When people think about SkyDrive today, they think of it as online or cloud storage.

“Our focus with these updates is making SkyDrive the best way to share and access personal content like docs and photos across all devices and the Web.”

Seattle PI states videos in SkyDrive now can take advantage of the HTML5 video tag so users don't have to download special players or plug-ins.

Microsoft plans to drive its presence in cloud storage, especially as Apple pushes cloud synchronisation in its upcoming mobile operating system, iOS 5.