Cloud computing has allowed many people to move the storage of their files online and, with the ability to share content easily and access it from any computer or device with an internet connection, it is clear to see why its popularity continues to grow. ZumoDrive is one of the latest services to join a growing number of cloud storage options, but it manages to stand out from the crowd by offering real time streaming of media files direct from the cloud.

ZumoDrive is compatible with a number of different platforms, including mobile devices running Android or Apple's iPhone, but most people will get their first experience of the software on their Windows PCs. When you have downloaded the software and finalised the installation you will be able to see a brand new drive listed in My Computer which is sensibly called 'zumodrive.' Within this drive you can create multiple folders which can then be filled with content as you see fit. There is a separate manager program which lets you monitor the various files and folders you have stored with ZumoDrive and it also gives you the ability to check on the upload and download speeds being achieved as you access or update your content, which is definitely convenient. There are no fiddly controls or overcomplicated menus to handle, just a plain, simple interface that will make sense as soon as you get started.

ZumoDrive provides you with 1GB of storage immediately, but it actually wants to double this by encouraging you to complete the tutorial program, which it calls the Dojo. Once you have followed the simple steps you will have your storage capacity upped to 2GB. Further expansions can be made free of charge if you refer friends, with up to a maximum of 5GB available if you get plenty of mates onboard with this software.

As with any cloud service, the speed with which you can upload or access your files will largely depend on your own internet connection. In most cases you will find that streaming media that is stored on your ZumoDrive account will feel fairly seamless, largely because a partition where streaming media is partially downloaded to your PC, will allow for any kinks in your connection speed to be remedied. When uploading or downloading your files, you will be able to manually alter the amount of bandwidth which is available to the software, which means if you have other connection-intensive tasks to be getting on with, then you will not find that ZumoDrive is sapping all of your line speed.

Managing your files using the software is largely uncomplicated because the developer has thought to annotate any of the more esoteric options, with explanatory notes which will help newcomers find their feet. A great deal of control over things like cache size and location mean the user should always feel able to keep on top of the way in which the service operates and, given the flexibility of ZumoDrive, it looks like it might make a significant mark on the cloud storage industry.