Google launches storage service for personal files

[COMPUABLE]

Google launches storage service for personal files

Google Inc. announced the long-rumored service Tuesday. Called Google Drive, the service is offering the first five gigabytes of storage per account for free

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Good Luck! -- COMP

[DavidGP]

Hi

Do you have it and have you tested it out as I would like to hear your opinion on it say vs SkyDrive (which has had a major re-vamp in the past week, the desktop version is superb)?

I do have it and will give an opinion later on.

[COMPUABLE]

>> Do you have it and have you tested it out as I would like to hear your opinion on it say vs SkyDrive (which has had a major re-vamp in the past week, the desktop version is superb)? <<

Yes, I have the Google Drive the service and so far so good. I downloaded a few things to test it out and then just last night I uploaded my entire Windows 7 'documents' folder (where I keep just about everything). The only somewhat 'negative' thing I can think of; is that it took a really LONG time to upload all the .docs - but there were a lot of them so no complaints, really. Also, another minor issue is that much easier to access it for uploading from the Chrome Browser (as opposed to others that I like to use) but no biggie.

I have also tested and used SkyDrive (but not Office 365; at least not yet, anyway) which I really like a lot, as well. And I especially liked it when I checked the site today; right after your post here, btw - thx! and was offered a "free user" upgrade from 7GB to 25GB supposedly "for loyal users" in the "Manage storage" section of the SkyDrive site.

Side Note: Excellent; if somewhat negative 'Tinfoil Hat Wearers' article was posted just today April 27, 2012 on CNet about GoogleDrive entitled: How Google's Drive helps kill Microsoft's Office (by Rafe Needleman)

[gman863]

Originally Posted by DavidGP

Hi

Do you have it and have you tested it out as I would like to hear your opinion on it say vs SkyDrive (which has had a major re-vamp in the past week, the desktop version is superb)?

I do have it and will give an opinion later on.

David,

What's your take on the security of Google and SkyDive versus a fully encrypted service such as Carbonite?

Although it would be no big deal if someone got into my music or basic documents, I'm still wary of storing stuff such as tax returns (Social Security #, etc.) on a free service due to what I perceive is a higher chance the account could be hacked.

Any thoughts?

[COMPUABLE]

>> Although it would be no big deal if someone got into my music or basic documents, I'm still wary of storing stuff such as tax returns (Social Security #, etc.) on a free service due to what I perceive is a higher chance the account could be hacked. Any thoughts? <<

Carbonite is definitely the 'Great Gazoo' when it comes to play-to-pay online storage and retrieval products currently available. You’re correct about the security concerns with other cloud storage products like Google Docs, SkyDrive, Dropbox and Box; the so-called 'freebie' storage sites out there. Somebody somehow accesses the users account name and password and that’s about all she wrote, folks.

However, the fact is having ANY of Carbonite's plans (the $59 per year Home, $99 per year HomePlus, and $149 per year HomePremier) - will only cover a single PC! <sheesh!> And for reasons not really explained at all on their home site; the basic Home edition works with both Mac and Windows, while the two premium options will only work on Windows.

Additionally, Carbonite 5.0 account will not back up any network drives, with no hosted file sharing or syncing are huge negatives in my opinion. Also, in order to back up to a local 'external' disk drive and to utilize disk imaging users have no choice but to use one of their premium level options available ($$$). The worst thing is the "FREE 15-day trial period." For one thing, how can you possible evaluate such a service for only 15 days? And I also wonder how many people begrudgingly 'bought in' because they had not closed their account by day 16; as well as what exactly happens to the data if you don't buy in or cancel in when your time is up???

Good Luck! -- COMP

[COMPUABLE]

>> SkyDrive (which has had a major re-vamp in the past week, the desktop version is superb) DavidGP <<

David and Bgman863...

BTW, last night I forgot to mention this great tweak tip that I found in a pcworld.com article, to enable users to: Add Dropbox, Google Drive, or SkyDrive to Windows' Send-To Menu which also works with adding Gladinet Cloud Desktop and/or the Cloud Sync Folder for Windows Live SkyDrive to the "send to" menu too (I'm not sure about Carbonite, though it might work there as well).

Rather than having to constantly open up folders and 'drag and drop' files to Windows Explorer; that tweak makes it easier to simply right-click a file, then choose its destination from the Windows 'Send to' menu.

Good Luck -- COMP

[DavidGP]

Hi all

Yes Google Drive does add a new flavour to the mix of "cloud" storage and I agree with you Gman that Carbonite is bomb proof as to encryption of data, but then again if you are wanting such a high level of encryption past what SkyDrive and Google Drive offer then you should really be thinking of in-house secure server storage. However for the common man such as us Carbonite offers superb safe storage for personal data such as banking and tax files etc

I still would on the SkyDrive side as I know that more than Google Drive as to servers and storage mechanisms that SkyDrive is when you send files its HTTPS (Dropbox I know is AES-256), which is likely fine for home users as its just what your banking and shopping sites use.

Google Drive is kind neat as it like SkyDrive merges your online office docs to it, the desktop apps (explorer access) are superb as they add a direct local route to your files and you can sync your files between multiple PCs as well as view them online anywhere.

SkyDrive has an edge up to now IMHO as its mobile app is brilliant and the fact that SkyDrive is built into the forthcoming Windows 8 is a bonus. I also use Office Mobile 2010 on my phone so the merging of SkyDrive mobile to access my docs is just perfect.

a comparison of the various "cloud" storage solutions, its from Microsoft so swayed in their favour as some of the other offerings may have changed their functionality, but its a good quick referrence point http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/skydrive/compare


Sharepoint is good, I have it and as yet have not explored the full potential of it as yet, but for sharing docs and collaborating on projects its great, need to really get my head around the website aspect of Office365. I did install Sharepoint 2010 on a home server of mine, something went wrong on install so need to deal with that at some point as having Windows Home Server 2011 and access to it is just like your own secure cloud storage.

My Admins pages form Office365


I quite like the inclusion of MS Lync for communications, don't quite know how I will use this as when I was a a Microsoft presentation on Lync a few years back its more a great tool for businesses over home use.


To sum up SkyDrive just pips it for me as its in Windows, online, on my WP7 and in Windows 8, so I cover all my bases in one go easily and it works perfectly so far.

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

I am curious how SkyDrive will handle OpenOffice (LibreOffice or whatever it is now called)

7GB for free and 5 GB for free is a good thing!

Skydrive is installed and I have selected notification for Google Drive.

[COMPUABLE]

>> I am curious how SkyDrive will handle OpenOffice (LibreOffice or whatever it is now called) BoredOutOfMyMind <<

I'm actually not quite sure about whether or not SkyDrive will work with that program suite; however I'll most definitely research this question a bit and then get back to you on it...

Unfortunately, the last time I had tested out that OpenOffice suite software product was prior to Oracle 'booting out' the LibreOffice fork developers from OpenOffice (around May of last year, I think); evidently, the primarily reason for this was because Oracle no longer wanted to continue to 'invest' in OpenOffice anymore. For more about these developments - you can check out this one year-old zdnet.com blog article which is entitled: "What the heck is happening with OpenOffice?"

*Update* ~ According to this July 21, 2010 website article; you can utilize a free plug-in for OpenOffice called MultiCloud File Manager.

You'll evidently need to download the zip file, and then simply install this extension in order to integrate it within your OpenOffice suite. This will also install some additional icons to your OpenOffice. The next step would be to create a free account with a corresponding web application called SMEStorage; which comes from the same software team behind MultiCloud File Manager plugin (btw, you need to use the SMEStorage.com Cloud Gateway service to upload your 'OpenOffice documents' within the MultiCloud mgr.).

After installing plug-in, and creating free account, you can ALSO supposedly save the documents to a Google Docs account, as well. You can choose to convert documents to Google Docs compatible format while uploading documents, or leave them in the OpenOffice format. Apart from Google Docs, you can use this SMEStorage service to store OpenOffice docs to other online cloud services as well, such as, SkyDrive, Amazon S3, RackSpace Cloud Files, Box.Net, Gmail, Microsoft Live Mesh, and more. Click here to read the full post about these tips here: How to Integrate OpenOffice with Google Docs and SkyDrive.

Good Luck -- COMP

[Rose110]

With this "cloud" technology people are lining up to give away their privacy. Sharing confidential information without permission is the price for convenience that Google offers.

[BoredOutOfMyMind]

Originally Posted by Rose110

With this "cloud" technology people are lining up to give away their privacy. Sharing confidential information without permission is the price for convenience that Google offers.

Google already knows me as I had Gmail when it was first introducted, and I already use an Android with all the features. Trust me, they know where I am (or at least the last time Android correctly logged my location)

Privacy? Remember when hotmail cancelled 2 million user accounts?

Computable, those links need to be shared with Timmay so we can have them added to the front pages. I was a seven year 100% Linux user who migrated. I don't have $$$ for Office, and so LibreOffice was the best option as all my files are odt. I will toss some docs in the clouds and see if Office Online will translate as slickly as Google Docs.