Showing posts with label Google drive download. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google drive download. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Create your own private Google Drive
Cloud storage solutions like Dropbox of Google Drive are ideal for start up and small businesses. They're flexible, you can share files across the web on any device, you only pay for what you use and they grow with your business. However many businesses are afraid to move to the cloud - or because of legislation aren't allowed to - because of fears over security, but a new solution has finally killed the security worry.
Until now the only way to get the benefits of cloud without the security worries, was to create a private-cloud. However this was an option only really open to big businesses, with deep pockets. Pogoplug Team allows any business to create a private-cloud that would be the envy of any big business in just a few minutes.
Pogoplug Team, is a new cloud storage solution that's optimised for small to medium-sized businesses and turns any office computer, mobile phone, server or Pogoplug device into a private, multi-user cloud storage solution —with no additional hardware required.
Essentially Pogoplug uses your own computers' drives and your broadband connection to create your own personalised cloud storage, so your data remains on your own computers and on your own network.
Other features of Pogoplug Team are:
Until now the only way to get the benefits of cloud without the security worries, was to create a private-cloud. However this was an option only really open to big businesses, with deep pockets. Pogoplug Team allows any business to create a private-cloud that would be the envy of any big business in just a few minutes.
Pogoplug Team, is a new cloud storage solution that's optimised for small to medium-sized businesses and turns any office computer, mobile phone, server or Pogoplug device into a private, multi-user cloud storage solution —with no additional hardware required.
Essentially Pogoplug uses your own computers' drives and your broadband connection to create your own personalised cloud storage, so your data remains on your own computers and on your own network.
Other features of Pogoplug Team are:
- Create multiple users and set permissions by folder
- Use your existing storage and grow as you go; your storage remains safely in your office
- Automatically back up files stored on computers and mobile devices, even when users are outside of the office
- Customise the Pogoplug Web interface, emails and share URLs to match your brand
- Share large files (password-protection optional) with clients with no size restrictions, and allow clients to upload to selected folders
Pixorial leads with Google Drive: will developers follow?
When Pixorial updated its video-sharing iOS app last month, the company added a feature its competitors couldn't yet match: Integration with the new Google Drive cloud storage service.
"One of our main goals is to eventually allow people to have their videos anywhere, anytime, on any device," said John Martyniak, Pixorial's senior vice president of products and services, later adding: "A lot of people use Dropbox, or they're starting to use Google Drive. For us to be able to add our service to that, it's a no-brainer."
Pixorial was first out of the gate because Google designated it a "launch partner" for the service. But will other iOS app developers follow? And with cloud-based storage services proliferating--Google Drive is joined by Apple's iCloud and Microsoft's SkyDrive in chasing a market that has been dominated until now by services like Dropbox and Box--how will developers choose?
Among app developers surveyed by Macworld in recent days, there is wariness.
"I don't think I will be adding any additional cloud services to the app just yet," said Samer Abousalbi, co-founder of Capparsa, developer of the Dropbox-integrated Compositions writing app. "I mostly don't want to chase new drive services every time they come out, because it complicates supporting the app."
Chad Sellers of Useful Fruit Software, which makes the Dropbox-integrated Pear Note note-taking app, agreed: "As a small dev shop, I don't have the time to support lots of services. I understand the excitement around other services, but I can't justify the time it takes to support them at this time."
But Justin Brock, a marketer for Notability app developer Ginger Labs, said his company is considering adding Google Drive integration. Convenience must be weighed against clutter, he said.
"On one hand, users often want more choices; each person has his or her preferred service and want to provide for that user," Brock said. "But, on the other hand, all users want a clear interface without choices cluttering the screen or interfering with functionality. So, we work to balance these forces when we select what features and services to add."
Other developers said that two things must happen for Google Drive to earn their support: Grow an audience and show commitment. App creators remember all too well failed services like Google Wave and Google Buzz.
"We'd love to know how many people are actively using Google Drive a few months after launch," said Zulfiqar Shah of Zaal, the developer behind the Contacts Journal application. "If it eclipses Dropbox as the premier choice for file storage for many people, then it would be interesting to look at as a way of reaching out to new users.
"If it's going to be another Google Buzz," she added, "then we'll pass."
Abousalbi agreed. "When it comes to Google products, I can't help but worry that they will pull the plug on it at any time like other services," he said. "Dropbox is much more focused--they only do storage and they do it real well.
Other developers don't see the big deal, however. Readdle already includes Google Docs integration in its ReaddleDocs and PDF Expert apps, company spokeswoman Irene Chernyavska pointed out. That service can sync with Google Drive for customers who want to use it.
And, she added, it is app customers who will determine whether developers ultimately flock to Google Drive. "We measure the market, we try to understand and analyze what people use," Chernyavska said. "We add (services), according to the requests from our users."
Back at Pixorial, Martyniak says he expects his company's app to eventually add integration with other cloud-based services. But he's happy with Google Drive, saying it offers "pretty solid" integration with Pixorial.
"We want the connection to be a seamless as possible," he said. Google Drive, he said, "is a very straightforward and simple way to do that."
Google Drive Picking Up Millions of Users in Short Time
Google Drive, the company's new cloud storage system that launched on April 24, has picked up a lot of users in a short window of time.
A research note from Trip Chowdhry, managing director of Equity Research at Global Equities Research, reported May 12 that Google Drive signups are off to a "very strong start, with probably about 35 million to 40 million signups in 15 days."
That's a lot of people interested in backing up their files and a lot of storage capacity. It certainly helps to have an established brand such as Google holding your files.
Google provides free storage for up to 5GB in Google Drive. Extra storage is priced as follows: 25GB: $2.49/month; 100GB: $4.99/month; 200GB: $9.99/month; 1TB: $49.99/month; 16TB:$799.99/month. Other increments below 16TB are available.
"Google got Google Drive right in the very first attempt," Chowdhry said. "Syncing is about 20 percent to 30 percent faster than DropBox."
Google Drive isn't perfect, however. Its application programming interfaces apparently need some work, Chowdhry said.
"On a scale of 10, developers (Chowdhry talked to 14 of them) give 6 to Google Drive APIs," Chowdhry said. "Developers are optimistic that Google may fix the Drive API's shortcomings by Google I/O event, which is happening in the last week of June."
Chowdhry estimated that Google Drive thus far may have generated at least $4 million in revenues (5% x 35 million x $2.49 = ~$4 million per month, he calculated).
"However, at this time Global Equities Research does not have insights into the pricing," he wrote. "We think we will get a better sense when we attend Google I/O."
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Data-Storage/Google-Drive-Picking-Up-Millions-of-Users-in-Short-Time-234900/
A research note from Trip Chowdhry, managing director of Equity Research at Global Equities Research, reported May 12 that Google Drive signups are off to a "very strong start, with probably about 35 million to 40 million signups in 15 days."
That's a lot of people interested in backing up their files and a lot of storage capacity. It certainly helps to have an established brand such as Google holding your files.
Google provides free storage for up to 5GB in Google Drive. Extra storage is priced as follows: 25GB: $2.49/month; 100GB: $4.99/month; 200GB: $9.99/month; 1TB: $49.99/month; 16TB:$799.99/month. Other increments below 16TB are available.
"Google got Google Drive right in the very first attempt," Chowdhry said. "Syncing is about 20 percent to 30 percent faster than DropBox."
Google Drive isn't perfect, however. Its application programming interfaces apparently need some work, Chowdhry said.
"On a scale of 10, developers (Chowdhry talked to 14 of them) give 6 to Google Drive APIs," Chowdhry said. "Developers are optimistic that Google may fix the Drive API's shortcomings by Google I/O event, which is happening in the last week of June."
Chowdhry estimated that Google Drive thus far may have generated at least $4 million in revenues (5% x 35 million x $2.49 = ~$4 million per month, he calculated).
"However, at this time Global Equities Research does not have insights into the pricing," he wrote. "We think we will get a better sense when we attend Google I/O."
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Data-Storage/Google-Drive-Picking-Up-Millions-of-Users-in-Short-Time-234900/
2012 GDocsDrive 2.0 Download
DocsDrive 2.0
GDocsDrive supports Windows XP(32 & 64 bit), Window Vista (32 & 64 bit) and Windows 7(32 & 64 bit)- Modify online files with local apps
- Convert files to other formats
- Never email yourself a file again
- Easily backup your files online
- Share files easily with others
- Convert files to other formats
- Upload folders with a drag and drop
- Hide, rename, delete, and star files or folders
Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft SkyDrive compared - Which one is for you?
Moving digital files between your work and home computers can be a pain. Add smartphones and tablet computers to the mix, and you've got yourself a giant headache.
Google Inc. unveiled its solution to the problem last week, while two other companies, Dropbox Inc. and Microsoft Corp., improved their existing offerings. The idea is to leave your files on their computers, so that you can access them from any Internet-connected device, wherever you are.
That means you can stop emailing big files to yourself, and you can stop carrying those USB thumb drives that fill up quickly, especially when transferring photos and video. These services also make it easier to share documents with others.
The three services I tried are free, though you'll have to pay if you need more than your allotted storage.
Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive share many core features.
You can store just about any type of file - photos, videos, songs, spreadsheets and more - on distant servers operated by those companies. All you need is a Web browser and an Internet connection. To upload a file to the online storage service, you simply move the file's icon to the browser window. The original file remains on your computer.
To access a file from another computer, you simply go to the service's website and log in. You can make changes on that computer and move the file back online. You can create Web links to entire folders or specific files for sharing.
You can install free software to simplify these transfers. The software creates a special folder on your computer for that particular service. Anything you add to it will automatically get transferred to your online storage. If you or colleagues make changes from another computer, the original version gets automatically updated.
A subset of features is also available through apps for mobile devices. You can pull up photos and other documents on the go, though it's not designed for making too many changes.
One drawback with all three services: You can lose metadata associated with these files. Attributes such as the file's creation date can change in transfer. The contents aren't affected, with one major exception I'll discuss as I compare the individual services.
Storage
The services give you plenty of free space for word processing, spreadsheets and other basics, but not enough for extensive storage of photos and video.
You get 2 gigabytes for free on Dropbox, 5 GB on Google Drive and 7 GB on SkyDrive. Those who used SkyDrive before April 23 can claim 25 GB of free space, though others might be eligible too. Dropbox lets you earn additional free space by recruiting friends or performing such tasks as installing Dropbox's software.
Signing up for additional free accounts gets cumbersome, so count on paying if you need more. An extra 100 GB will cost $50 a year on SkyDrive and $59.88 on Google Drive, while 100 GB including the free space will cost $199 on Dropbox. Cheaper plans with less storage are available.
Winner: SkyDrive, with the most free storage and cheapest upgrade plans.
Sharing
All three let you share content by creating links.
On Dropbox, friends with that link can view the content, though you'll have to go through extra steps to create a "shared folder" for others to edit documents.
With SkyDrive, you can give people editing capabilities with that link. In fact, you can give some people a view-only link and others a link with editing privileges. You can share via email and decide whether recipients can edit documents. You can also post content to Facebook, Twitter and other social networks directly from SkyDrive.
Google Drive also lets you choose whether links come with editing capabilities. But unlike SkyDrive, you can't create view-only links for some and editing links for others. It's one or the other for particular files and folders. You can also email items as attachments or as a link to your Google Drive account.
Dropbox and SkyDrive can automatically turn the photos you share into galleries, so that friends can view them through an interface that resembles what you'd get on Facebook or a photo-sharing site.
Winner: SkyDrive, with the most options for sharing.
Search
Not surprisingly, the best search options come from Google, the Internet search leader.
Searching on Google Drive is fast and versatile. You can search not just by file name, but also the contents of documents in a variety of popular formats. It uses an optical-character reader to pull out text from newspaper clippings and brochures you scanned. I was impressed that it found multiple references to "cockatoo" embedded in some scanned brochures.
Dropbox searches based on file names only. SkyDrive searches contents of documents in Microsoft formats - Word, PowerPoint and Excel - but it won't even index the file names for other types, including photos.
Winner: Google Drive
Software
Dropbox has the most software options.
For desktops, there's a Linux version besides ones for Windows and Mac computers. Microsoft and Google support Windows and Macs only. Microsoft's software won't work on Windows XP, an older, but still widely used system. It also won't work on earlier versions of XP's successor, Vista. So many SkyDrive users will be stuck with the Web-based interface.
Dropbox also is the only service to offer phone apps for both Apple and Android devices. It's also the only one to support BlackBerrys. Google doesn't have a version for iPhones or iPads yet; its app only works on Google's Android system. Microsoft doesn't make one for Android, though it has one for its own Windows Phone system besides the Apple devices.
Winner: Dropbox
And the rest ...
Dropbox has a handy feature for restoring files you accidentally deleted or overwrote. That means you can go back to an earlier draft of a document if you change your mind - up to 30 days, or forever if you have a paid account. For truly sensitive files, a few extra steps are needed to permanently erase them.
SkyDrive will automatically shrink larger photos to save space if you use its Web interface, unless you notice and uncheck a small box. Some people may like that, as it'll speed up file transfers. But if I had deleted my originals before noticing that, I could have lost them forever. I didn't get any warnings ahead of time. That's enough for me to lose confidence in the service.
Google Drive offers to convert files to Google's online documents format. That makes it easier for multiple people to collaborate. When you make changes to a spreadsheet from your computer or phone, it will pop up seconds later on all the other screens where it's open. Collaborating through Dropbox and SkyDrive gets clunky. As a bonus, files in Google formats don't count toward the storage quota.
One annoying thing about Google: Under standard settings, if you upload the same file three times, it will get stored as three separate files on Google Drive - all with the same name. It ought to just replace the file - after asking, of course - and perhaps keep an older version hidden away as Dropbox does.
SkyDrive wins on storage and sharing, but it ought to be more forthcoming about shrinking originals.
Google's nifty search features make it the best choice overall. After all, storage does little good if you can't find what you need.
At the same time, I'm uneasy about relying on Google for even more of my online life. Google Drive doesn't currently run any ads, and the company says it has no plans to use your documents - such as your private diaries - to target ads elsewhere. But Google's recently revised privacy policy allows the company to do so if it ever changes its mind.
If you aren't bothered by that, Google Drive is the service you'll want. Otherwise, Dropbox is a fine alternative, especially if you expect to use it a lot on a variety of phones or an iPad.
Whatever you choose, I recommend that you keep your original files somewhere, even if you have to buy an external storage drive. These services are good for backups and sharing, but what SkyDrive did to my photos made me realize they are all too new to fully trust.
Google Inc. unveiled its solution to the problem last week, while two other companies, Dropbox Inc. and Microsoft Corp., improved their existing offerings. The idea is to leave your files on their computers, so that you can access them from any Internet-connected device, wherever you are.
That means you can stop emailing big files to yourself, and you can stop carrying those USB thumb drives that fill up quickly, especially when transferring photos and video. These services also make it easier to share documents with others.
The three services I tried are free, though you'll have to pay if you need more than your allotted storage.
Google Drive, Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive share many core features.
You can store just about any type of file - photos, videos, songs, spreadsheets and more - on distant servers operated by those companies. All you need is a Web browser and an Internet connection. To upload a file to the online storage service, you simply move the file's icon to the browser window. The original file remains on your computer.
To access a file from another computer, you simply go to the service's website and log in. You can make changes on that computer and move the file back online. You can create Web links to entire folders or specific files for sharing.
You can install free software to simplify these transfers. The software creates a special folder on your computer for that particular service. Anything you add to it will automatically get transferred to your online storage. If you or colleagues make changes from another computer, the original version gets automatically updated.
A subset of features is also available through apps for mobile devices. You can pull up photos and other documents on the go, though it's not designed for making too many changes.
One drawback with all three services: You can lose metadata associated with these files. Attributes such as the file's creation date can change in transfer. The contents aren't affected, with one major exception I'll discuss as I compare the individual services.
Storage
The services give you plenty of free space for word processing, spreadsheets and other basics, but not enough for extensive storage of photos and video.
You get 2 gigabytes for free on Dropbox, 5 GB on Google Drive and 7 GB on SkyDrive. Those who used SkyDrive before April 23 can claim 25 GB of free space, though others might be eligible too. Dropbox lets you earn additional free space by recruiting friends or performing such tasks as installing Dropbox's software.
Signing up for additional free accounts gets cumbersome, so count on paying if you need more. An extra 100 GB will cost $50 a year on SkyDrive and $59.88 on Google Drive, while 100 GB including the free space will cost $199 on Dropbox. Cheaper plans with less storage are available.
Winner: SkyDrive, with the most free storage and cheapest upgrade plans.
Sharing
All three let you share content by creating links.
On Dropbox, friends with that link can view the content, though you'll have to go through extra steps to create a "shared folder" for others to edit documents.
With SkyDrive, you can give people editing capabilities with that link. In fact, you can give some people a view-only link and others a link with editing privileges. You can share via email and decide whether recipients can edit documents. You can also post content to Facebook, Twitter and other social networks directly from SkyDrive.
Google Drive also lets you choose whether links come with editing capabilities. But unlike SkyDrive, you can't create view-only links for some and editing links for others. It's one or the other for particular files and folders. You can also email items as attachments or as a link to your Google Drive account.
Dropbox and SkyDrive can automatically turn the photos you share into galleries, so that friends can view them through an interface that resembles what you'd get on Facebook or a photo-sharing site.
Winner: SkyDrive, with the most options for sharing.
Search
Not surprisingly, the best search options come from Google, the Internet search leader.
Searching on Google Drive is fast and versatile. You can search not just by file name, but also the contents of documents in a variety of popular formats. It uses an optical-character reader to pull out text from newspaper clippings and brochures you scanned. I was impressed that it found multiple references to "cockatoo" embedded in some scanned brochures.
Dropbox searches based on file names only. SkyDrive searches contents of documents in Microsoft formats - Word, PowerPoint and Excel - but it won't even index the file names for other types, including photos.
Winner: Google Drive
Software
Dropbox has the most software options.
For desktops, there's a Linux version besides ones for Windows and Mac computers. Microsoft and Google support Windows and Macs only. Microsoft's software won't work on Windows XP, an older, but still widely used system. It also won't work on earlier versions of XP's successor, Vista. So many SkyDrive users will be stuck with the Web-based interface.
Dropbox also is the only service to offer phone apps for both Apple and Android devices. It's also the only one to support BlackBerrys. Google doesn't have a version for iPhones or iPads yet; its app only works on Google's Android system. Microsoft doesn't make one for Android, though it has one for its own Windows Phone system besides the Apple devices.
Winner: Dropbox
And the rest ...
Dropbox has a handy feature for restoring files you accidentally deleted or overwrote. That means you can go back to an earlier draft of a document if you change your mind - up to 30 days, or forever if you have a paid account. For truly sensitive files, a few extra steps are needed to permanently erase them.
SkyDrive will automatically shrink larger photos to save space if you use its Web interface, unless you notice and uncheck a small box. Some people may like that, as it'll speed up file transfers. But if I had deleted my originals before noticing that, I could have lost them forever. I didn't get any warnings ahead of time. That's enough for me to lose confidence in the service.
Google Drive offers to convert files to Google's online documents format. That makes it easier for multiple people to collaborate. When you make changes to a spreadsheet from your computer or phone, it will pop up seconds later on all the other screens where it's open. Collaborating through Dropbox and SkyDrive gets clunky. As a bonus, files in Google formats don't count toward the storage quota.
One annoying thing about Google: Under standard settings, if you upload the same file three times, it will get stored as three separate files on Google Drive - all with the same name. It ought to just replace the file - after asking, of course - and perhaps keep an older version hidden away as Dropbox does.
SkyDrive wins on storage and sharing, but it ought to be more forthcoming about shrinking originals.
Google's nifty search features make it the best choice overall. After all, storage does little good if you can't find what you need.
At the same time, I'm uneasy about relying on Google for even more of my online life. Google Drive doesn't currently run any ads, and the company says it has no plans to use your documents - such as your private diaries - to target ads elsewhere. But Google's recently revised privacy policy allows the company to do so if it ever changes its mind.
If you aren't bothered by that, Google Drive is the service you'll want. Otherwise, Dropbox is a fine alternative, especially if you expect to use it a lot on a variety of phones or an iPad.
Whatever you choose, I recommend that you keep your original files somewhere, even if you have to buy an external storage drive. These services are good for backups and sharing, but what SkyDrive did to my photos made me realize they are all too new to fully trust.
Google Drive brings everything under one big 'cloud'
Ending months of speculation about Google launching an online drive, the Google Drive was unveiled last week.
"Just like the Loch Ness Monster, you may have heard rumours about Google Drive. It turns out, one of the two actually exists," Sundar Pichai, senior vice-president, Chrome & Apps, posted on an official Google blog recently.
For starters, users will get 5GB of storage free to back up anything - photos, videos, music, documents, PDFs. Possibly, as Wired put it, Google plans to replace the pendrive with Drive.
Google supports the Drive on both PC and Mac as well as on Android devices, and an app for the iOS is promised. Those who use Google Docs will feel at home using the Drive, which has Docs built in.
The blog post goes on to say that Drive supports keyword searching and has OCR software built in. How does that help?
"Let's say you upload a scanned image of an old newspaper clipping. You can search for a word from the text of the actual article. We also use image recognition so that if you drag and drop photos from your Grand Canyon trip into Drive, you can later search for [grand canyon] and photos of its gorges should pop up," Pichai says.
Google says the Drive uses same infrastructure as other Google Apps services, promising "security and reliability".
It also has centralised management tools for administrators, encryption on emails exchanged between Drive and the desktop and replication of data "so that in the unlikely event that one data centre is unavailable, your files will still be safe and accessible" Google says, guaranteeing a 99.9 per cent uptime and 24/ 7 support.
Incidentally, the Drive has an Indian connect.
Turns out that all the centralised tools we talked about in the last paragraph were "conceptualised and built" by Google's engineering teams in Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Maybe one more reason for the patriotic ones to use Drive. A Wired article online raised a couple of interesting points. One, if one already used cloud services, did one need yet another service? The answer, as Wired put it, is that Drive is for all those who already love using Google services.
Another interesting point Wired raised was if Drive was a harbinger of things to come - meaning an online OS. "Will Google Drive integrated with Chrome OS usher in the next generation of cloud-based personal computing?" Wired asked.
"With Chromebooks, [Google Drive] is even more powerful," says Pichai, "because it just starts working naturally. Your local drive is also Google Drive".
Basically, Drive can then work as the local file system and say a document one saves on a Chromebook is saved directly on the cloud. Gartner has already said the personal cloud will replace the personal computer by 2014. Is this a step in that direction?
"Just like the Loch Ness Monster, you may have heard rumours about Google Drive. It turns out, one of the two actually exists," Sundar Pichai, senior vice-president, Chrome & Apps, posted on an official Google blog recently.
For starters, users will get 5GB of storage free to back up anything - photos, videos, music, documents, PDFs. Possibly, as Wired put it, Google plans to replace the pendrive with Drive.
Google supports the Drive on both PC and Mac as well as on Android devices, and an app for the iOS is promised. Those who use Google Docs will feel at home using the Drive, which has Docs built in.
The blog post goes on to say that Drive supports keyword searching and has OCR software built in. How does that help?
"Let's say you upload a scanned image of an old newspaper clipping. You can search for a word from the text of the actual article. We also use image recognition so that if you drag and drop photos from your Grand Canyon trip into Drive, you can later search for [grand canyon] and photos of its gorges should pop up," Pichai says.
Google says the Drive uses same infrastructure as other Google Apps services, promising "security and reliability".
It also has centralised management tools for administrators, encryption on emails exchanged between Drive and the desktop and replication of data "so that in the unlikely event that one data centre is unavailable, your files will still be safe and accessible" Google says, guaranteeing a 99.9 per cent uptime and 24/ 7 support.
Incidentally, the Drive has an Indian connect.
Turns out that all the centralised tools we talked about in the last paragraph were "conceptualised and built" by Google's engineering teams in Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Maybe one more reason for the patriotic ones to use Drive. A Wired article online raised a couple of interesting points. One, if one already used cloud services, did one need yet another service? The answer, as Wired put it, is that Drive is for all those who already love using Google services.
Another interesting point Wired raised was if Drive was a harbinger of things to come - meaning an online OS. "Will Google Drive integrated with Chrome OS usher in the next generation of cloud-based personal computing?" Wired asked.
"With Chromebooks, [Google Drive] is even more powerful," says Pichai, "because it just starts working naturally. Your local drive is also Google Drive".
Basically, Drive can then work as the local file system and say a document one saves on a Chromebook is saved directly on the cloud. Gartner has already said the personal cloud will replace the personal computer by 2014. Is this a step in that direction?
Google Drive info : How using it can be 'dangerous'
WASHINGTON: Search giant Google's new consumer service that allows users to store photos, videos, and other digital files in the Internet 'cloud', could allow US law enforcement agencies to access your data, without your knowledge and without the need for a warrant, an expert has claimed
David Asprey, the inventor of one of the first cloud computing services TrendMicro cloud evangelist, said that the terms of use of Google Drive "destroys any expectation of privacy because you license your data to a third party"."You give Google full right to do whatever they want to do with your data and of course one of those things is to give your information to law enforcement without a subpoena," news.com.au quoted Asprey, as saying.
"By signing up to Google Drive, users give the tech giant a global license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify or create derivative works and to publish, publicly perform and distribute that content," he added.
Asprey said the new terms of service extended the reach and power of the Patriot Act - which was passed shortly after September 11, 2001, giving the US Government permission to look at people's documents without their knowledge or permission.
Meanwhile, Google said they comply with US laws and legal processes 'just like any law-abiding company'.
"We have a track record of advocating on behalf of user privacy in the face of law enforcement requests (including but not limited to US Dept of Justice subpoenas)," Google said in a statement.
"We look at each request to be sure they adhere to both the letter and the spirit of the law before complying. We do our best to notify the subject named in any such requests in order to give them the opportunity to object," it added.
David Asprey, the inventor of one of the first cloud computing services TrendMicro cloud evangelist, said that the terms of use of Google Drive "destroys any expectation of privacy because you license your data to a third party"."You give Google full right to do whatever they want to do with your data and of course one of those things is to give your information to law enforcement without a subpoena," news.com.au quoted Asprey, as saying.
"By signing up to Google Drive, users give the tech giant a global license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify or create derivative works and to publish, publicly perform and distribute that content," he added.
Asprey said the new terms of service extended the reach and power of the Patriot Act - which was passed shortly after September 11, 2001, giving the US Government permission to look at people's documents without their knowledge or permission.
Meanwhile, Google said they comply with US laws and legal processes 'just like any law-abiding company'.
"We have a track record of advocating on behalf of user privacy in the face of law enforcement requests (including but not limited to US Dept of Justice subpoenas)," Google said in a statement.
"We look at each request to be sure they adhere to both the letter and the spirit of the law before complying. We do our best to notify the subject named in any such requests in order to give them the opportunity to object," it added.
Google docs adds 450 fonts, 60 templates
ust days after adding new features to Gmail, Google has updated Google Docs with 450 new fonts, 60 brand new templates and many other features. With quirky font names such as Crushed, Cherry Cream Soda and Unkempt, Google is offering users a great variety to make their dreary docs more
related stories presentable and fun.
"To use these new fonts, click on the font menu and select "Add fonts" at the very bottom, which will take you to a menu of all the Google Web Fonts available. Once you've selected new fonts, you'll be able to select them from the font menu", explains the post on Google Docs official blog.
And if that isn't cool enough, Google has added a host of new features such as improvement in Apps Scripts, Google Drive, over 60 new templates, better accessibility and a lot more.
With these new updates, Google is leaving no stone unturned to woo Microsoft Word loyalists to Google Docs.
related stories presentable and fun.
"To use these new fonts, click on the font menu and select "Add fonts" at the very bottom, which will take you to a menu of all the Google Web Fonts available. Once you've selected new fonts, you'll be able to select them from the font menu", explains the post on Google Docs official blog.
And if that isn't cool enough, Google has added a host of new features such as improvement in Apps Scripts, Google Drive, over 60 new templates, better accessibility and a lot more.
With these new updates, Google is leaving no stone unturned to woo Microsoft Word loyalists to Google Docs.
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