Google Launches Google Drive Cloud Storage Service

Been a Dropbox user since the beginning... works great across all my products... iDevices, Mac's and Windows

People used iDisk?

Dropbox still needs a "read only" share option

I use and like Dropbox: it's robust and works well, but ...

When I share an individual file by publishing it's URL (copy link) to someone, when they open a file, like a video, on Mac, it plays the video. If they don't have QT Pro, they can't download it. I often want to share videos (my own, nothing copyrighted by others), and Dropbox makes that more difficult. I supposed I could just ZIP the video first, as iDisk does, but that's yet another step. They should deal with this issue.

Second, if I share a folder, there are two issues:
1. When someone else attached to it, we BOTH pay for the storage used - Dropbox counts the same bits twice. So, if I share a folder, then one of my sharees decides to move a bunch of c**p into into it because he's not a computer nerd like me, I go above my quota and have to tell him to get that stuff away. There's no way to restrict access (see #2)

Maybe that's OK if we both have read/write/delete access to the files ... but ...

2. Often files just disappear from my shared folders. Why? Because the most common use of these shared files if for people to drag them onto their hard drives for whatever reasons. And on Mac, that's a "move" not a "copy." So the file vanishes from Dropbox.

So I spend time warning my users not to do that, etc. What Dropbox needs is folder access types: full sharing for collaboration, partial sharing (read/write/delete, but not ADD files); and read only sharing (users can copy the files if they want, but can't make any changes)

iDisk was slower, but I could accomplish those goals easily enough.

Do you want to give Google even more of your information? If you do this is great

edoates said:

I use and like Dropbox: it's robust and works well, but ...

When I share an individual file by publishing it's URL (copy link) to someone, when they open a file, like a video, on Mac, it plays the video. If they don't have QT Pro, they can't download it. I often want to share videos (my own, nothing copyrighted by others), and Dropbox makes that more difficult. I supposed I could just ZIP the video first, as iDisk does, but that's yet another step. They should deal with this issue.

Second, if I share a folder, there are two issues:
1. When someone else attached to it, we BOTH pay for the storage used - Dropbox counts the same bits twice. So, if I share a folder, then one of my sharees decides to move a bunch of c**p into into it because he's not a computer nerd like me, I go above my quota and have to tell him to get that stuff away. There's no way to restrict access (see #2)

Maybe that's OK if we both have read/write/delete access to the files ... but ...

2. Often files just disappear from my shared folders. Why? Because the most common use of these shared files if for people to drag them onto their hard drives for whatever reasons. And on Mac, that's a "move" not a "copy." So the file vanishes from Dropbox.

So I spend time warning my users not to do that, etc. What Dropbox needs is folder access types: full sharing for collaboration, partial sharing (read/write/delete, but not ADD files); and read only sharing (users can copy the files if they want, but can't make any changes)

iDisk was slower, but I could accomplish those goals easily enough.

Click to expand...

Personal experience with dropbox, have implemented on all pcs & macs in the office. Works like a charm & beats building a server for common files access.

One setback is two people having the same file open at once, but I guess that it is the same should it involve a server disk.

would like to add, that dragging a file out of dropbox on either mac or pc environment, it still moves the file, does not copy it (unless dropbox is set on a secondary disk)

Google also silently discontinued the old "Google Storage" plans. The $5 for 20GB/year plan is gone, it has been replaced by a 25GB option for $2.49 PER MONTH! Thats a ~6-fold increase in pricing

edoates said:

I use and like Dropbox: it's robust and works well, but ...

When I share an individual file by publishing it's URL (copy link) to someone, when they open a file, like a video, on Mac, it plays the video. If they don't have QT Pro, they can't download it. I often want to share videos (my own, nothing copyrighted by others), and Dropbox makes that more difficult. I supposed I could just ZIP the video first, as iDisk does, but that's yet another step. They should deal with this issue.

Second, if I share a folder, there are two issues:
1. When someone else attached to it, we BOTH pay for the storage used - Dropbox counts the same bits twice. So, if I share a folder, then one of my sharees decides to move a bunch of c**p into into it because he's not a computer nerd like me, I go above my quota and have to tell him to get that stuff away. There's no way to restrict access (see #2)

Maybe that's OK if we both have read/write/delete access to the files ... but ...

2. Often files just disappear from my shared folders. Why? Because the most common use of these shared files if for people to drag them onto their hard drives for whatever reasons. And on Mac, that's a "move" not a "copy." So the file vanishes from Dropbox.

So I spend time warning my users not to do that, etc. What Dropbox needs is folder access types: full sharing for collaboration, partial sharing (read/write/delete, but not ADD files); and read only sharing (users can copy the files if they want, but can't make any changes)

iDisk was slower, but I could accomplish those goals easily enough.

Click to expand...

I think you're in the wrong thread.

I use Dropbox and SkyDrive. Google knows enough about me, the last thing they'll ever get is my files although I do keep a copy of my music library with Match.

Does anyone know how to change the language? I have looked through every single setting I can find in Google and changed it all to English, but it still shows the bloody page in Dutch. I'm guessing it's because I'm in Brussels at the moment, but there must be a way to see the page in English, or at least in French?

And of course, iCloud will guide some of us to other services ...

With the demise if iDisk and iWeb, those of us who used those services need to find other Cloud storage for miscellaneous files and for personal web hosting.

Since it appears that Microsoft and Google sense a demand for these services, we get to at least explore Apple biggest rivals offerings - not a great move on Apple's part imho.

And once we start looking about the web hosting services (iWeb still works for small web project, like personal pages for non-techies, or even for techies who just want something simple and wysiwyg, we also explore other cloud offering from the likes of godaddy, networksolutions, etc.

One of Apple's great strengths was as a solution provider for many consumers: MobileMe was not perfect, but for many regular, non-geek folks, it had everything in one place for one price; iCloud wants to be that as well, but two significant services were removed. Photo sharing is not web hosting, and backup is not iDisk.

Oh well, since I don't run Apple, I guess I'll search around for other alternatives.

As soon as Google Drive went live I went to the site. It said my drive was not ready yet, giving me an invitation to be notified when it's available.

After watching the video I'm eager to use it.

Having used Dropbox since it went live & really enjoying it, I've tried all other free cloud services as they've been rolled out. As expected each of them has their Pro's & Cons.

So far I like Dropbox best, then Sky Drive, lastly iCloud.

Google Drive appears to have many features, but first I need to experience it first hand.

I have to admit, I kind of agree with Steve Jobs when he told Dropbox that their problem is that this is more of a feature than an actual standalone product. When big companies start to enter the game, now Microsoft and Google, they will be a major threat for Dropbox. Add to that Apple that probably will come back with a similar functionality for iCloud (and hoping it will work better than iDisk), Dropbox will have to reinvent itself.

However, I use Dropbox and I really love it. But if Google offer me same functionality and cheaper expansion possibility. (Dropbox doesn't offer anything below 10$ a month, 10$ for 50GB) Google offer 25GB for 2.50$ a month, or 100GB for 5$ a Month, I will really consider switching.

Why that bottom picture show 2 windows from a OS X and an Android tablet? That doesn`t match well.

Meh

No interest in the product itself, but if it compels Dropbox to lower their prices in the future, that can't hurt….

Box.com does all of this already, with none of the cons listed by the dropbox user. You can set permissions so that certain users can only view, download, edt, etc.... nobody will be deleting data from your shared folders unless you permit them to. Box.com for the win.

I have my Doc in DROPBOX, all pictures in SkyDrive 25GB, and now Google Drive 5GB...nothing left I can put into there. There are also BOX and more cloud storage in the market.

DROPBOX is pretty much dominating the cloud service of most users because their multiple platforms, PC, MAC, iPhone works so well and I have no complaint.

I really hope Apple comes out with a file system in the cloud. iCloud is not complete without this feature.

WebDAV

if this has WebDAV support then I'll use it. Otherwise I'll stick with my 10.5gb of free dropbox space.

I love the idea of being able to view my photoshop files without having PS on the computer!
I don't like the thought of reuploading my 40GB though... so I'll probably stick with DropBox. Hopefully this'll finally get them to lower their prices!

skoops said:

Google also silently discontinued the old "Google Storage" plans. The $5 for 20GB/year plan is gone, it has been replaced by a 25GB option for $2.49 PER MONTH! Thats a ~6-fold increase in pricing

Click to expand...

Google has learned from watching Apple, yet they'll be hard pressed to generate the massive profits Apple does. One of the best assests Apple has is it's cult like user group. They'll always choose Apple, in some cases without even thinking.

Steve Jobs greatest achievement was creating this unique following of rabid fans.

Why stop using the service I'm already using (whether it's Dropbox/SkyDrive/SugarSync/SpiderOak) and switch to this?

I use Box, Dropbox, and Skydrive. Not sure which two I am going to get rid of, but I may keep all three. I hate the interface of Dropbox on the iPad. The new Skydrive update from Microsoft is pretty nice on it.

It's disappointing that standard google apps accounts can't upgrade the amount of storage unless they also upgrade to a business account.

Apple is out of the cloud party with the half baked "storage" feature of icloud that doesn't work... After all this talk about data centers, and cloud, and this and that, they have delivered a very mediocre service, worse even than their own mm in terms of its power (no keychain sync, no idisk) albeit not as horribly buggy and dysfunctional. I guess when your product doesn't do much to begin with it can be that buggy.

sconnor99 said:

Do you want to give Google even more of your information? If you do this is great

Click to expand...

Very good point, but unfortunately apple is making it easy for them.

edoates said:

iDisk was slower, but I could accomplish those goals easily enough.

Click to expand...

iDisk was the single buggiest piece of **** product I have ever used, third party apps made it half work, but in the finder it was as frustrating a user experience as it can be. No wonder SJ joked you gonna trust us with icloud when we brought you mobileme?