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Google Drive: The pros and cons
Google’s long-awaited Dropbox competitor, Drive, is finally here and includes impressive search capabilities and good integration with other Google services including Docs and Google+. But if you just want to get some work done using a reliable file storage and sync service, Drive may not be ready for you just yet. And unless you’re an Android user, the mobile experience for Drive is not great.
Google officially launched Drive on Tuesday featuring 5GB free online storageand the ability to buy more storage such as 25GB for $2.50 per month ($30 per year) up to a maximum 16TB for $800 per month. Similar to Dropbox, Google Drive installs a folder on your Mac or Windows PC desktop (a Google representative told PCWorld a Linux version is in the works, too). Then you just drag-and-drop files into the new folder and the contents automatically sync to the cloud as well as any other computers with Drive installed. Overall, Drive is a pretty good service and offers more free storage than the 2GB you get from Dropbox, but less than the free 7GB Microsoft offers with SkyDrive.
Here’s a look at some of the best and worst highlights of Google Drive.
Confusing
Once you add Drive to your Google Account, Docs automatically disappears and is replaced by Drive instead. Not a huge deal, but I wasn’t expecting it. Then when I opened up Drive, I was shocked to see that a collaborative document PCWorld uses was missing from my docs list. Usually this is the first document I see when I log in to my account, and when I went to the “Shared with me” section it wasn’t there either. After a little more searching I finally found it under “All items.” If you’re missing documents after switching to Drive, click on the “More” dropdown menu to get to the “All items” menu to see whether it’s there. Not a big deal, but it’s a little annoying that Drive wipes out Docs and then rearranges some of your stuff.
Good Integration
Google Drive doesn’t download copies of your files that are saved online in Google’s Docs formats. Instead, you get a folder full of icons that are links to open the documents in your browser. The good news, however, is that if your computer is set-up to access Docs offline using Google Chrome, you can open these files in just one click via the Drive folder on your desktop. If you can’t get offline Docs to work with Drive, try restarting your browser.
Say, for example, you had a Google Docs “file” on your desktop called “Test.gdoc.” If you happen to be offline, you can click on “Test.gdoc” and open up a read-only version of the document in your browser. Try using a Chrome extension such as Write Space if you need to edit a Google Doc offline.
Google Plus now has an option to share images from Google Drive and in my tests the new feature was very easy to use. The search giant also says that Gmail integration is coming soon. In the meantime, you can attach non-Google Docs files from the Drive folder on your desktop.
Almost No Mobile Support
Only Android users can currently access Drive using a native mobile app, but the search giant says it is working hard to get an iOS version finished. If you’re a dedicated Google user who prefers a BlackBerry or Windows Phone, however, it’s not clear whether any Drive apps will be headed your way. For the time being, non-Android users can give the mobile site a try, but the experience is not as good as the Android Drive app. Opening an image on my Android phone, for example, was a real chore using the mobile Drive site, but was intuitive and easy using the smartphone app.
Great Search Capabilities
Google Drive comes with Google Goggles image search technology built-in, and in my tests image search results were pretty impressive. I put Google to the test by dropping into my Drive folder some photos of the Statue of Liberty and the Chrysler Building in New York City. Moments later I did a search for “Statue of Liberty” and “Chrysler Building” on the Web-based version of Drive on a separate machine.
Drive had no problem identifying both landmarks in the photos, and the files did not have any metadata such as location or handy titles to give the search engine any hints. But there were some shortcomings. A search for “Queensboro Bridge,” for example, resulted in no results even though my shot of the Chrysler Building clearly showed the well-known bridge in the background. Another quirk was that when I searched for “Manhattan” or “New York City,” none of my images appeared in the results, but a search for “New York” brought up all of my test images.
I also uploaded two copies of the cover image from Walter Isaacson’s biography of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs who died in October. One version of the cover included the book title and author and the other image didn’t. Searching for “Steve Jobs” brought up both images, but only the image with the book title and author appeared in the results when searching for “Walter Isaacson.”Again, neither image had any metadata or filenames so Drive could only identify these items using the actual images.
Even though Drive’s image recognition did a good job with landmarks and famous people, it failed to find other family photos I had uploaded when using generic searches such as “dog” and “baby.”
Google says its image recognition technology is still in its early stages and should improve over time.
($30 per year) up to…
If you can’t get…
a try, but the experience is…
version of Drive on a separate machine…
automatically sync to the cloud as well…
If you’re a dedicated Google user…
Google Plus now has an…
example, you had a Google…
extension such as Write…
into the new folder and the contents…
A search for “Queensboro Bridge,” for…
folder full of icons that…
Gmail…
restarting your browser…
after switching to Drive, click on the…
Docs “file” on your…
2GB you get from Dropbox, but less than…
” If you…
phone, for example, was a real chore using…
showed the well-known bridge in the background…
“Chrysler Building” on the Web-based…
Great Search…
more searching I…
highlights of Google Drive…
storage and sync service, Drive…
finally found…
I also uploaded two copies…
cover included the book…
Instead, you get a…
handy titles to give the search engine any hints…
document in your browser…
collaborative document PCWorld…
Apple CEO Steve Jobs who died in October…
buy more storage such as 25GB for $2…
installs a folder on your Mac or Windows PC…
version of the…
the Chrysler Building in New York City…
any metadata or filenames so…
Drive to your Google Account,…
native mobile app, but the search giant says…
But if you just want to get…
for Drive is not great…
For the time being,…
can attach non-Google…
Opening an image on my Android…
“Again, neither image had…
Then you just drag-and-drop files…
Capabilities Google Drive comes with Google Goggles image…
“All items” menu to see whether it’s there…
some work done using a reliable file…
and is replaced by Drive instead…
online in Google’s Docs formats…
Moments later I did a…
Docs files from the…
Say, for…
search technology built-in, and in my…
results when searching for “Walter Isaacson…
title and author and…
some…
Drive could only identify…
search capabilities and good integration with…
desktop (a Google representative told…
just one click via the Drive folder on your desktop…
Docs automatically disappears…
a maximum 16TB…
Not a big deal, but…
Drive wipes out Docs and…
with Drive, try…
option to share images from…
the new feature was very easy to use…
example, resulted in no results even though…
mobile experience…
not have any metadata such as location or…
search for “Statue of Liberty” and…
are links to open the…
my shot of the Chrysler Building clearly…
both images, but only the image with the…
whether any Drive apps will be headed your way…
document I see when I log in to my account,…
of the cover image from Walter…
best and worst…
Overall, Drive is a pretty good…
Try using a Chrome…
shor…
Not a…
Drive folder on your desktop…
not as good as the Android Drive app…
then rearranges some of your stuff…
Similar to Dropbox, Google Drive…
it’s a little annoying that…
dropping into my Drive folder some…
And unless you’re…
satellite Phone, however, it’s not clear…
50 per month…
expecting it…
image recognition technology is…
when using generic searches such as “dog” and “baby…
integration is coming soon…
for “Manhattan” or “New York City,” none of my…
images appeared in the results, but a search…
landmarks in the photos, and the files did…
tests image search results were pretty impressive…
book title and author appeared in the…
Drive had no problem identifying both…
One version of the…
may not be ready for you just yet…
Here’s a…
up a read-only…
service and offers more free storage than the…
Drive, is finally here and includes impressive…
edit a Google Doc offline…
the other image didn’t…
intuitive and easy using the smartphone app…
Isaacson’s biography of former…
desktop called “Test…
these items using the actual images…
offline Docs to work…
Integration Google Drive doesn’t download copies…
huge deal, but…
After a little…
satellite non-Android users can give the mobile site…
Searching for “Steve Jobs” brought up…
Google Drive and in my tests…
Space if you need to…
Google’s long-awaited Dropbox competitor,…
The search…
happen to be…
Drive, I was shocked to see that a…
gdoc” and open…
the free 7GB Microsoft offers with SkyDrive…
But…
offline, you…
uses was missing from my docs list…
giant also says that…
” Google says its…
failed to find other family photos I had uploaded…
Almost No Mobile Support Only…
Drive on Tuesday featuring 5GB free…
and when I went to the “Shared…
computer is set-up to access Docs offline using…
I put Google to the test by…
In the meantime, you…
” If you’re missing documents…
I wasn’t…
with me” section it wasn’t there either…
for $800 per month…
still in its early stages…
Android users can currently access Drive using a…
online storage and the ability to…
a good job with landmarks and famous people, it…
Even though Drive’s image recognition did…
an Android user, the…
of your files that are saved…
photos of the Statue of Liberty and…
who prefers a BlackBerry or Windows…
and should improve over time…
Google officially launched…
Usually this is the first…
it is working hard to get an iOS version finished…
PCWorld a Linux version is in the works, too)…
Google Chrome, you can open these files in…
Another quirk was that when I searched…
The good news, however, is that if your…
the mobile Drive site, but was…
documents in your browser…
Then when I opened up…
Good…
other Google services including Docs and Google+…
it under “All items…
there we…
“More” dropdown menu to get to the…
look at some of the…
can click on “Test…
for “New York” brought up all of my test images…
as any other computers with Drive installed…
