Gmail users will now be able to save their files to SkyDrive, courtesy Microsoft's announced partnership with Attachments.me.Upon installing the Chrome or Firefox extension, users can send and access SkyDrive files directly in Gmail.
Additionally, users can also create rules to automatically save certain attachments to SkyDrive (Microsoft's e.g. "whenever John Doe sends me an attachment, save it to my "Files from John" folder in SkyDrive).
Announcing via the Windows Blog, Microsoft urges users who prefer Gmail over Microsoft's recently overhauled Hotmail but would like to use Microsoft's Office Web Apps over Google Docs, to definitely give the extension a try.
Once the extension is in place, users will be prompted to link their SkyDrive account with Gmail. After granting a series of permissions, users will receive a sample mail with an attachment from the team at Attachmnets.me. They can choose to take a quick tour to see how the feature works. Users can send their attachments to Dropbox, Google Drive or Box.
Users can access the 'paper clip' icon on the top right of the screen to search for attachments and set automatic filing rules.
Since the launch of the redesigned SkyDrive, the software giant is leaving no stone unturned to get more developers to use the SkyDrive API. This past weekend saw many teams make use of the service's API for their projects at the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon.
In its blog, the company highlighted Aniden's David Chien, who integrated SkyDrive into his Windows 8 app, Cliphoarder. It uses Windows 8′s snap feature to let users "clip text and images out of any website and save them to your SkyDrive automatically." The app will is expected to arrive in the Windows Store before the official launch of Windows 8.
Other companies that recently integrated the SkyDrive API include GoodReader, Bookviser, Podio and RightSignature. The blog has some tips for developers for using SkyDrive to upload and backup photos of practically any size. It also provides info on the service's file picker for websites, which allows easy addition of SkyDrive functionality to apps.