Google Drive - A Test Drive

Google Drive (beta) in it's simplest form allows you to "access files on your computer from anywhere". Even though that's a pretty misleading statement, it's one they use to describe the service. But this isn't a technical article and simply a look at the product.

After you've signed up for an account @ drive.google.com , you must wait a while for them to activate your account... I wasn't in a rush, no biggie.

Upon logging in (after your account is activated), you are greeting with a nice friendly message to download Google Drive to your computer (currently only Windows and Mac are supported, Linux support is on the way).

Download it:

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Install it.
On a Mac simply open the dmg file and drag it to your applications folder, then run it.

You will be greeted with a log in screen, go ahead and enter your credentials.


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After successfully logging in, you are asked to set up Google Drive with a little welcome message:

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Then you are informed that your files will now be synced, unless of course you hit "Advanced"... There you can choose which folders should or should not be synced.


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After clicking OK, as if by some magic, your Google Docs files are synced to your computer! That's if you had any of course.

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That's it! Easy as *some cliche word here* !

Now you can drag a file into the Google Drive folder on your computer and it will be stored in Google's cloud, after which it can be accessed from anywhere there is an internet connection and a computer or mobile device with a capable browser.

Here's a snap of the running app, I'm assuming it runs out of Windows' task bar in much the same fashion.

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While Google Drive is free, you "only" get a 5GB storage allowance. If you need more space you can upgrade to 25GB of storage for only a few bucks.

I won't be using this service much, though it is convenient that my Docs files are seamlessly available on my computer now.

I have to say the install process was extremely simple, simple to the point that my parents could probably do it, and that's saying a lot.

Are you using Google Drive? Tell us about it in our computer discussion forum!