Google Drive is Google's newly released online cloud storage service. Comparable to other similar services, Google Drive offers you 5 gigabytes of online storage for free. You can store videos, documents, pictures, and files. If you already use other Google products and services, Google Drive will be seamlessly integrated into those products. Currently you can attach photos from your Google Drive directly to emails in Gmail.
Features offered by Google Drive
Here is a list of the current features offered by Google Drive. First Google Docs will be built into the system. You can work with others in real time on documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. Through Gmail you will be notified whenever any changes are made. You can also share comments to add to the discussion of the projects you are working on.
If you work at home or work with others from other regions, this new system allows you to create a free system comparable to Microsoft's SharePoint server. Also if you have been looking for a Free Microsoft Office replacement, you may want to give Google Docs a try. Please realize that other online cloud storage providers charge much higher rates on any use of their system for online collaboration.
The next feature is the ability to access any file in Google Drive from anywhere. Currently Drive is available to use on Mac, PC, and Android. Google is working on an iPhone/iPad compatible version. No release date has been given on that application yet.
If you need quick and easy access to an important document, you will be allowed to access Drive your web browser as an additional option. This allows you to still get your files in the event you forgot your laptop or tablet device.
Google Drive integrate Google Search
Google Drive will integrate Google Search into your documents. Through your Drive will be able to search for keywords in PDFs, presentations, and documents. It will also recognize text in pictures (like a freeway sign) and allow that to be searchable. Google states that this technology is still improving so I would expect some growing pains with regards to this.
Lastly Google Drive offers 5 gigabytes of free storage, which is more than double of online cloud storage leader Dropbox. If you need more online space, Google Drive offers very reasonable plans. These plans are much cheaper than other online companies. 2.49 dollars a month will get you 25 gigabytes of storage.
If you purchase the 25 gigabyte (or any of the other plans) Google Drive storage plan, your Gmail account will also be increased to 25 gigabytes (Google Apps Company Plans are not included). 4.99 a month will get you 100 gigabytes of storage and 49.99 a month will buy you 1 terabyte of storage. This pricing structure is a little bit less than half the costs of other similar services.
Google Drive in the online cloud storage market
So right now Google Drive has entered in the online cloud storage market. Currently Dropbox is the online leader with an estimated 40 million users. The one advantage Google may have is the user based of their Gmail service.
With integration Google can immediately gain millions of customers over night. Then on the horizon is Microsoft online storage service. Windows 8 will be released later this year. Microsoft has integrated their online cloud service, SkyDrive, into this upcoming Windows release.
Built into Windows 8, the SkyDrive service offers 7 gigabytes of free storage for new users. Existing users who signed up for the SkyDrive service before April 22, 2012 will be given 25 gigabytes of storage. Even though SkyDrive has been around for a few years, limited features and a lack of a push from Microsoft has kept the service unknown to many.
Given that a majority of all computers are sold with Windows software, I would expect that this service will quickly become popular.
If you are looking for a free online storage service, then you have a good reason to try Google Drive. If you are already comfortable with using other Google services, then this is a no brainer. If you need more storage, right now Google Drive's pricing structure is one of the best available. 25 gigabytes of storage for 2.49 a month is ground breaking. Hopefully due to competition other online storage providers follow suit.