Is Google's Gdrive the Next Big Thing?
PrintTodd Jackson, Google's Product Manager for Gmail, told CNet in a recent interview "We know people's file sizes are getting bigger. They want to share their files, keep them in the cloud, and not worry about which computer they're on. Google wants to be solving these problems." And while Jackson didn't specifically mention the oft rumored Google Drive, Mac users point out that Google's recently released Picasa for Mac gives users the option to move an image collection to 'Google Web Drive.' Not convinced? Consider that a WHOIS check of googlewebdrive.com reveals Google's name servers, suggesting such a service is a matter of when, not if.
TGDaily believes "the service has the potential to eclipse even Gmail, Google's second best-known product after their google.com search engine." But would it? Cloud-based storage isn't a new concept, and several services already exist offering to host your files online. But Google has the advantage of owning, by last estimate, an infinite number of servers (we rounded up), paving the way for the search giant to offer much more space at no cost, and perhaps wrapped up in a sleek user interface. Throw in some useful features like malware scanning, image backups, auto-syncing, and whatever else Google might be working on, and TGDaily might just be right. But this all assumes you're ready to store your data in the cloud.
Hit the jump and tell us whether or not you could see yourself replacing your storage drive with Gdrive.
Image Credit: TGDaily
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Digihotaru
February 03, 2009 at 7:09pm
I live in Japan and am on 100Mb syncronous fiber to the internet. If Google saw fit to give us enough space, I'd love to be able to back up irreplacable data offsite. As a previous poster mentioned, a single login makes Google attractive.
Filip
January 21, 2009 at 12:24am
Hi Paul. Full disclosure here: I work for www.nomadesk.com, which offers easy and secure file sharing, wherever you are. I read your post on Google's GDrive with great interest and just wanted to add NomaDesk to the mix.In fact, NomaDesk has similar features and is geared towards the need of the "digital nomad". NomaDesk includes an encrypted virtual drive that keeps your files available off-line, and remote file shredding and IP-tracking with TheftGuard. Of course, we impose no limits on storage and bandwidth.The current NomaDesk release 2.6 displays file states and indicate whether files are already in use by someone else. You are also able to add and review notes (i.e. meta-data). The Mac version is on its way. I would appreciate your review. F.
macumber
January 20, 2009 at 12:50pm
I am not a Microsoft person (at all), but at least it was always pretty clear to me that M$ was in it for M$. They have never been very subtle. With google on the other hand, I see this entity that portends to speak for all web citizens, for the future of information, the future of computing - yet they too are simply another corporation and really just in it for the money. Between the privacy concerns of having a dominant player in search and webmail, to g00gle's convenient moral abridgements in the face of unjust governments (not just China's government either) - I can't think of a single reason I would want them to become the dominant player in cloud storage. I loathe the idea of my data being indexed by google on my desktop or google in the cloud.
Simply put, I don't trust them to do the right thing in the face of an ethical or moral dilemna. I base that on their actions thus far to insure their market position and profitability.
ProtoJMB
January 20, 2009 at 10:12am
Yeah it's about time Google does something like this. For a couple years now, we have been able to to use our GMAIL inbox as a web drive via software extension. I am surprised it took this long for Google to catch up with something similar.
ghot
January 20, 2009 at 10:03am
...is the day I should just get rid of my computer. Goggle can't seem to keep the info they already have about users, to themselves......what makes anyone assume they will suddenly do so with your data?
Joseph1059
January 24, 2009 at 9:06pm
Hmm, I'll have to look into this Goggle you speak of. Sounds very interesting.
neo1piv14
January 20, 2009 at 8:12am
I think this WebDrive would actually be pretty useful. I know there's a lot of services out there that can do roughly the same thing, but I like having one username and password be linked to almost every cloud service I use. Besides, there are plenty of times (especially in highschool/college) where it'd be nice to have all my notes, presentations, homework, and programs kept in just one more safe place.
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