Microsoft and partner Attachments.me are partnering to simplify the way Gmail users can use Microsoft's SkyDrive personal cloud-storage service.

On September 10, Microsoft announced details of the partnership -- via which Google Gmail users can access SkyDrive files directly from their inbox, save email attachments directly to SkyDrive and share files directly from their SkyDrive. The new capabilities are provided via Attachment.me's Chrome extension.

What's happening behind the scenes enabling this scenario is an update to the SkyDrive software development kit (SDK). The SDK includes a application-programming interface (API) that is similar to the file picker for Windows 8 apps that's already integrated with SkyDrive. The new API allows third-party sites/apps to integrate directly with the SkyDrive file picker. (The SDK update also removes all API restrictions related to photo resolution and content type.)

A September 10 post on the "Inside SkyDrive" blog details the new features in the SDK update. The updated SkyDrive SDK is available from the Microsoft Live Connect Developer Center.

Microsoft is continuing to encourage for developers to integrate SkyDrive directly with their apps. At the same time, Microsoft is also working to make SkyDrive a better multi-platform solution. Late last month, Microsoft delivered its SkyDrive for Android phone app .