reviewing the all-new SkyDrive after they redesigned themselves and launched a dedicated desktop application, I mentioned that the mobile application support was currently available only for Windows and iOS devices. Even after around two weeks, Microsoft has not yet released any application for Android users (well, I am an Android aficionado as most of our regular readers know, so am usually concerned with Android). I don’t know why, but I feel that the missing application support for Android may prove fatal for Microsoft (or SkyDrive) now that Google has launched Google Drive recently. Yes, there’s their mobile site but an app is usually a far better option for smartphone users, no? Well, for the time being, here are two apps for Android which help you access your SkyDrive account on your Android phone. Though these are not official apps, they provide enough features. Lets check them out.
Android SkyDrive Explorer
Android SkyDrive Explorer is a freeware, ad-free app for Android that allows you to explore your SkyDrive account right on your Android device. The first time you install and run the app, you will be asked to authenticate your Windows Live account and grant your account access permission to the app. Once you do that, the app will communicate with your SkyDrive account and display all the files and directories saved on your account. You can now download and view all the files on your Android device (supported application for the file should be installed). You may also create directories and upload files to your SkyDrive account from within the app. The app was recently introduced in the market and the current version(1.0) has shortcomings like:
One needs to download the file to your Mobile to view them. You cannot preview the file online.The download complete notification does not open the downloaded file but opens the app instead. You can however, see all your downloaded files in the SkyDrive folder.One cannot cut, copy, delete or rename a file.
The developer has promised to address these limitations in the next update, but if you can’t wait, you can give browser for SkyDrive a shot.
Browser for SkyDrive
Browser for SkyDrive is another free SkyDrive app for Android but unlike the former, it’s ad supported. After you install the app you will have to follow the same drill of Windows Live account authentication. The interface of Browser for SkyDrive will open in forced landscape mode and resembles an FTP client. The right side of the screen will display all the files that are there on your SD card, and the left-hand side is reserved for your SkyDrive files. You can perform almost any file operation on SkyDrive files using this app. The app displays thumbnails for supported files, and you can preview them on the clouds before downloading them. You may also share a fire directly from the app.
Conclusion
So go ahead and use one of the above two apps to to efficiently use SkyDrive on your Android phone. I am sure these apps will provide you with enough help until Microsoft comes out with an official app of their own.
