Google Drive: the road to a long-awaited cloud storage service – The Verge

Google Drive comes to Chrome OS development channel builds

2012-04-28T00:21:04-04:00

Chromebook Aura

We knew that Google planned to bring the newly-released Google Drive to Chrome OS, and it hasn't wasted any time. A new build of the operating system has rolled out on the Chrome OS development channel that integrates the storage service directly into the operating system's file manager. Version 20.0.1116.0 is meant for the Acer AC700, Samsung Series 5 machines, and the original CR-48, and also adds a series of security improvements and feature tweaks. Development channel releases are some of the earliest ones to make it out to the public so there may be issues with stability or performance, but If you want to get it on the ground floor, you …

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Chrome OS to fully integrate Google Drive

2012-04-25T21:49:04-04:00

google chrome os aura

One of the requirements for any cloud storage solution is that it feel integrated with as many operating systems as possible. Google Drive is no exception, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Google's own operating system, Chrome OS, can look forward to deep Google Drive integration. In an interview with Wired, Google's Scott Johnson said that with version 20 of Chrome OS, the company will "effectively integrate Drive into the native file system of Chrome OS. […] All of the core OS functionality will use Drive as a place to store data - if that's what you opt into."

Google has actually been giving Chrome OS more attention of late, havin …

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Is Google Drive worse for privacy than iCloud, Skydrive, and Dropbox?

2012-04-25T11:09:11-04:00

Google Drive, iCloud,Dropbox, Skydrive logos

The Google Drive cloud storage service launched yesterday to much fanfare, but as with any new Google product, there are important questions about how the company will actually use personal data uploaded to the system. Google sells ads against your data, after all, and the more data you give the company, the more opportunity it has to screw up. That means the Google Drive terms of service and privacy policy are critically important, and there's been a lot of selective interpretation floating around the web in the past 24 hours - and a lot of comparisons to the privacy policies of competitive services like Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive.

T …

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Google Drive: hands-on with the new cloud storage service

2012-04-24T17:25:32-04:00

Google Drive logo Laptop (watermark)

It wasn't the most secretive launch, but no matter, Google Drive has officially launched today with 5GB of free storage space for all users and paid options going up to a whopping 16TB. The cloud storage service is a replacement for Google Docs - if you've ever used the popular document-syncing service you'll be right at home with Google Drive. Just like Docs, the majority of the service is based in the web browser: you'll primarily be managing your account and viewing your files from the web app. There are, however, native apps available for PC, Mac, and Android, and an iOS app is currently in the works. We've just spent some time with the …

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Google Drive iOS app is ’98 percent done’

2012-04-24T16:59:04-04:00

google drive usb

Google Drive launched today with apps for PC, Mac, and Android, while an iPhone and iPad app was listed as coming soon - but thankfully it won't be long before the cloud storage service comes to iOS. While we don't have an exact date just yet, Google's Senior VP of Chrome and Apps Sundar Pichai told All Things D that development on the app is almost complete. "It works today," he explained. "iOS is 98 percent done, and it will be here soon." If you're still unsure about Drive, be sure to check out our massive round-up comparing it with competitors like Dropbox and SkyDrive to see whether it's the right cloud storage service for you.

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Google Drive vs. Dropbox, SkyDrive, SugarSync, and others: a cloud sync storage face-off

2012-04-24T15:50:03-04:00

google drive SYNC APP COMPARISON MAIN

Google's very own "Loch Ness monster," also known as Google Drive, has finally launched. It's the new face of Google Documents, and it's also Google's oft-rumored Dropbox-killer. It enters a scene crowded with competitors besides Dropbox that let you sync multiple folders, collaborate with friends, and stream data to your mobile device - so how does Drive fare?

We'll take a look at the top apps that let you sync files between all of your devices automatically, share files using password protection, pick which folders you want to sync, and do anything else you might want to do with a syncing app. While our evaluations of each app aren't full …

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Google Docs now redirects to Google Drive

2012-04-24T15:42:17-04:00

Gallery Photo: Google Drive

Today Google finally launched its cloud-storage service Google Drive, and for those who have signed up you'll now find yourself redirected to Drive when you attempt to access Google Docs. This only happens if you're signed up for the new service, and you'll still be able to access all of your documents as before - it's just done through Drive now. The change even removes the "documents" option from Google's navigation bar, which suggests that Google might be rebranding its popular app as part of the new storage service. Of course, it also might cause some confusion for people looking for Google Docs who are unaware of the change. Google is n …

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Google raises storage prices with launch of Drive

2012-04-24T13:36:57-04:00

Google Drive

The advent of cloud services - Google included - has generally pushed storage pricing lower and lower over the years to the point where practical amounts of it for personal use have bordered on free. With the launch of Drive today, though, Google's bucking that trend across the board: apart from the free 5GB tier and the Gmail bump to 10GB, storage is now more than twice as expensive at comparable tiers. 200GB, for instance, broke down to $4.17 per month before ($50 per year); that same level will now run you $9.99 per month, or $119.88 per year.

Notably, the price increase also changes the way Gmail storage works: before, it was completely …

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Google Drive officially launches with 5GB free storage, Google Docs integration

2012-04-24T12:30:48-04:00

Google Drive logo

Google has just made Google Drive official. As expected, the service will offer 5GB of storage space for documents, videos, photos, PDFs and other files, and Google Docs is built-in to the service. Users will be able to upgrade to 25GB of space for $2.49 a month, 100GB for $4.99 a month, or 1TB for $49.99 a month, and upgrading to a paid account will expand your Gmail storage to 25GB.

Google Docs functionality within Google Drive will allow users to work with others in real-time (as you can currently do in Google Docs), and includes the ability to share content with others, add and reply to comments, and receive notifications for new commen …

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Google Drive details revealed in Google France blog post

2012-04-24T11:51:39-04:00

Google Drive

Google Drive, the search giant's new cloud storage service, is hardly a secret anymore, but now we've got a handful of new details. The new information comes courtesy of an accidentally-published post on the Official Google France Enterprise Blog. While the post has since been deleted, Google+ user François Bacconnet saved a copy of the text, and the translated document spills all of the details on Google Drive. As expected, the service will offer users 5GB of free storage space, a quota that doesn't count against the 1GB of space included with Google Docs. According to the translation, Google Apps for Business users will also be able to get …

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