Fly the Cloud with Google Drive!

Source: The Australia April 25, 2012 7.40am

I'm excited to see that Google has confirmed the launch of the much rumoured Google Drive.  Google are replacing Google Documents morphing this service into a more comprehensive cloud based storage and syncing service not dissimilar to rivals Sugarsync and DropBox.

What does set it apart is the the access and ability to use applications that run in the Google Drive browser.  Users can access their Documents and edit them live.  Google search capabilities have also arrived at a whole new level.  Within Google Drive, there's no need for tagging photographs, Google will automatically match faces to discoverable to Google's knowledge of that face.  

Google is making their Drive easily accessible across smart devices,  launching it's own android app and is currently waiting iTunes approval for an iPhone and iPad app.

They are offering 5 gigabytes of storage free with various options up to 16 terabytes.  Read more Google launches Drive storage and syncing by Chris Griffith, The Australian April 25, 2012.

I don't agree with News.com.au staff writers that Google's Drive has marked the beginning of the end of hard drives.   I believe that ship has sailed with other cloud storage applications including DropBox. Google certainly hasn't started the move, but they have jumped onto an innovation that is trending as hard drives fast disappear from retail shelves and our appetite for data on demand grows daily.  

Sources:  Say goodbye to hard drives: Google Drive offers free online storage for videos and photos, by Staff Writers, New.com.au, April 25, 2012 6.38am: Google launches Drive storage and syncing by Chris Griffith, The Australian, April 25, 2012 7.40am: Go Google: Google Drive by Google (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKJ9KzGQq0w&feature=player_embedded)