Comparing ‘Google Apps’ and ‘Microsoft’s SkyDrive Apps’

Before pitting Google apps and Microsoft’s SkyDrive apps against each other; let’s first take a look at them separately before adjudging the winner. Although both provide online storage along with web based app support, they come with distinct differences too.

What are Microsoft SkyDrive apps?

Microsoft’s SkyDrive apps is a web file hosting service which can be used to upload and sync all files to a single cloud based storage system and access these files using any browser or mobile device. This online service can be used to create private files, share them with contacts and also make these files completely public.

Microsoft’s SkyDrive comes with Office Web Apps, the ability to integrate with MS Office, Email integration, integrate with social networking sites and Bing, create photo slideshows and document embedding.

What are Google Apps?

Google Apps is a Google service that provides several Google products under a single name. Several web applications that are independently customizable such as Google Groups, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Talk and Google Calendar are included in Google Apps.

Google apps also offers cloud storage facility with its ability to access files from anywhere, ability to track and analyze data, create presentations and reports, and organize events.

Comparing Google Apps and Microsoft SkyDrive Apps

Let’s compare Google Apps and Microsoft’s SkyDrive Apps on various important aspects such as features, user interface, functionality and mobile support.

User Interface

While the features of Google Apps and SkyDrive are the determining factors of their functionality, we have to compare their user interface as well since this is the way users actually communicate with both the apps.  Both these apps give you a lot of space to work on your documents and presentations. SkyDrive divides formatting from media whereas Google Apps offers a single line of icons.

Google apps lean towards minimalistic design whereas SkyDrive looks a bit cluttered when compared with Google.

Functionality

Microsoft’s SkyDrive Apps’ integration with native desktop applications works better than Google. It seems that SkyDrive works seamlessly using the cloud when compared to Google Apps.

Mobile Support

These days, with the increase in the number of mobile devices, the ability to access everything from everywhere has become important. Being a web based application, the ability to login in from a computer and continuing working from another device without physically moving from one place to another is possible. Even though these are web based applications, compatibility is not the same across the board. Google is infamous for its incompatibility on a number of mobile devices. Whereas SkyDrive apps is more compatible compared with Google Apps.  And you can also get SkyDrive app on iPhones.

Managing Identity

You can access Google Docs using Google ID and Gmail account while SkyDrive is related with Windows Live ID and Hotmail account.

Compatibility

Microsoft’s SkyDrive provides support only for Office Web apps whereas Google Docs offers support for various formats like OpenOffice and Office 2003. For those using Office 2007-2010 for MS Office only, SkyDrive Apps will be a better bet when compared to Google Apps. If you are using applications other than for MS Office, Google Docs will serve your purpose.

Business Models

Both these apps look similar to one another when looking from a business perspective. But SkyDrive app is more advertisement supported where you are more likely to come across big banner ads. Google apps are less advertisement supported. Google docs offer less free space when compared with SkyDrive apps. Google docs comes with a paid upgrade while it is likely that SkyDrive apps will soon provide paid storage upgrade soon.

Final Say

While adjudging one as the winner is difficult, Microsoft SkyDrive app seems to edge out Google Apps on few aspects. Although Google Apps look clear and comes with a minimalistic design, SkyDrive boasts of better mobile and cloud integration. Ultimately Microsoft SkyDrive offers more possibilities and more functionality when compared with Google Apps.

Although choosing the right tool depends completely on your needs and requirements, the fact that using both SkyDrive and Google Apps is not going to hurt your business needs remains to be true.