Google Drive is here!

pokeplayer984 · **on:** April 25, 2012, 10:43:21 AM

Well, Google's new storage system known as Drive is finally here. I have yet to try it, but you can get a basic idea of what it's like at the review below.

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/fable...her_dropbox.php

In order for you to get it, you have to first go to the following site and request it.

https://drive.google.com/start

Once it's ready, they will notify you. How long will it take? Who knows?

When I get it, I'll run it through several tests and give you all my results.

Mr Wonk · **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2012, 11:32:35 AM

Quote

This is INSANE! I can't believe we're burning yet more daylight on this topic. Folks, there is an industry term for "Google Drive". It's called 'Vaporware'. It doesn't exist. It's a digital smoke-screen that's designed to fool us into believing that Google has been lying in wait for 3 years just waiting for the stars to align so they can destroy the cloud storage industry with their free option they've carefully hidden away for a rainy day.

Everyone has little more than 7GB of storage in your Gmail account. Wanna know how long it took Google to build that? That's right, 6 years. So you think that in 3 years (the time period people have speculated about Google Drive), they're going to be able to hand out massive amounts of space to everyone for free? PLEASE. Pull the ring out of your nose which the media is leading you around by. There's crap-o options out there for "cloud storage" for the average citizen and freebie's that fix it aren't coming anytime soon.

To John Mitchell. Shame on you. Being a rumor-Pavarotti -- chasing around the trash bins in Silicon Valley -- hoping to find what someone wrote on the back of a napkin once, isn't going to get you anywhere. Stop lying to these good people. Google Drive isn't coming anytime soon and stop talking about it as if it is.

This post from the website puts me off for Google Drive. But if you're results show good things then I give it a try as well. When it comes out.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2012, 09:18:46 AM

Okay, so I finally got it. The process is rather simple. You receive an e-mail from Google with the download of the Drive.exe link you can access. Once you get the .exe file, you can install it. The program is installed right into your computer for easy access. You have to Login to your Google Account to access Drive. From there, you can add folders and files as needed. I shall be testing this in several areas. Which include, but not limited to...

-Size of files allowed.

-Types of files allowed.

-Time it takes to have access to a file.

-Copyright Protection Status.

-Porn Protection Status.

So, without further ado, let us begin the test, shall we?

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2012, 12:46:56 PM

So, what have the tests confirmed? Some interesting results, I will admit.

Before I begin, note that in order for you to share said file, you must first access the file uploaded. From there, you need to click on the "Share" link and change the settings as needed. You can set it to either having certain individuals view it, have only those with the link view it or have ANYONE view it. Set it as you feel it to be appropriate.

-Types of files allowed.

-Image Results: All types of image files are allowed to be uploaded. Upon upload being finished, you get a preview of the image at hand. JPEG, PNG and GIF all passed the preview test. (GIF has a few image quality problems, but it's nothing that can't be fixed.) However, Bitmap Images have problems. With Bitmap, you won't get a preview of it. You can only download without knowing what the file looks like. Furthermore, images cannot be properly posted onto a forum. You have to post the link in order for others to see the picture. This is a problem that needs to be fixed.

-Music Results: All types of files used for this test are allowed to be shared. The fact is that you can upload any music file at hand, but no preview will be available. People you share it with will only be allowed to download and nothing more. They will not know what it contains until they are finished downloading it.

-Video Results: All types of files used for this test are allowed to be shared. When you upload a video, it is converted into a player that is similar to that of YouTube's Player. WMV, FLV, MP4 and AVI all passed the test with flying colors. However, there is no embedding allowed without a third-party application of sorts.

-Documents Results: All document related files are allowed and all are available to be shared as you see fit. Every type passed with flying colors.

-Install Files Results: The final type represents .exe and .msi files. All of these files are Shareware related. The results have shown that you can upload all types of Install Files, but they will be for download only. No previewing allowed.

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-Size of Files

Result: So long as you have the space, the file is allowed. It can be as big or as small as needed.

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-Speed

Result: The time applicable to being allowed to see the file at hand is very satisfying. Upload and conversion speed is some of the highest ever.

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-Copyright Test

For this part of the test, a special folder was made for this purpose only. All applications were used for testing purposes only and were deleted from said folder once finished. As such, this part of the test is protected under Fair Use Law and is completely legal.

The files at hand have been previously blocked by YouTube. This test is to see how synced the Drive Player is with YouTube in matters of Copyright.

Result: As expected, this has yet to have certain applications installed. As of now, you can upload any copyrighted file and share it. However, I do expect changes in this area to be made as lobbyists see fit. For now, I'm sure pirates will abuse it to no end.

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Considering I have nothing on hand that is porn related, I shall not be testing that part of this application.

So with that, my test is done. My conclusion is as follows.

For the amount of space you are given it does quite well as a store and share unit. There is no doubt that I see great things in this. There are improvements to be made, but I'm sure Google will make them as they see fit.

For now, it does what it needs to for the small amount of space it provides.

Mr Wonk · **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2012, 02:38:02 PM

I'm amazed about the Copyright Test. I thought there would of done something about that before there let it out in the public. Still sounds good know.

Kor · **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2012, 10:18:18 PM

I can see it as useful for folks who don't want to carry flash cards around or if they want to share with someone else, like vacation images, or family stuff. As well as non legitimate uses too of course.