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-- Google set to launch 'online hard drive'
Google set to launch 'online hard drive'
Googleset to launch 'online hard drive'
Web giant thought to be readying 'GDrive' � an online home for consumer's digital data
Rhys Blakely
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Google is set to extend its online storage services in a bid to become a central repository for the public�s digital data. The web giant is understood to be readying a new data storage service � thought to be dubbed �GDrive� � that would allow users to store digital files such as music tracks on the internet and access them via a web browser. A spokesman for Google refused to comment directly on speculation that the company will launch the service in a matter of weeks, but said: �Storage is an important component of making web [applications] fit easily into consumers' and business users' lives.� Last year Google inadvertently leaked a presentation memo that outlined its plans in data storage � moves apparently designed to make the hard drives installed on personal computers all but defunct. �With infinite storage, we can house all user files, including: emails, web history, pictures, bookmarks, etc and make it accessible from anywhere (any device, any platform, etc)," it said. Plans to extend Google�s reach over the public�s data is likely to spark renewed concerns from privacy activists who claim the company is already party to vast amounts of personal information. Concerns over data security escalated sharply last week when it emerged that the Government lost details of 25 million Britons in the post. Executives at Microsoft are also likely to be wary of Google's plans. Analysts have argued that the long-anticipated GDrive could make it easier for consumers to abandon Windows, Microsoft�s dominant operating system. Henry Blodget, the technology blogger, said: �The critical element here will be seamlessness: If Google forces users to go through an inconvenient "uploading" process, the product will be just another easy-for-Microsoft-to-duplicate [tool] But Google has already invested billions of dollars in a fleet of vast server farms � the group of data centres or �cloud� that it uses to store information including the e-mails that pass through its Gmail service and documents created using its online word processing applications. The company has made it clear that it believes the future of computing will involve consumers accessing software tools through the web, rather than using applications that are hosted on a computer�s hard drive. This �software as a service� model marks a sharp departure from Microsoft�s dominant licence-based business. The Google spokesman said: "Cloud computing is going mainstream. The applications people use every day, such as e-mail, photo sharing, and word processing, are moving to the web because it's easier to share and access your data from anywhere when it's online, in one place.� Google already offers paid-for data storage services across applications including Picasa Web Albums and G-mail. The spokesman added: �We're always listening to our users and looking for ways to update and improve our web applications, including storage options, but we don't have anything new to announce right now.� In February Google launched Google Apps Premier Edition, a bundle of web-based applications including e-mail, a word processor and a spreadsheet that competes with Microsoft's Office, which includes the software stalwarts Word and Excel. At the time, industry insiders said that Google had been quietly preparing for months to tap Microsoft's cash-cow. Keen to supplement its lucrative search business, Google has built massive data-storage plants, thought to be years ahead of those so far developed by Microsoft and IBM. |
short version?
google giving free gigs of data storage?
what's the tradeoff?
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| Originally posted by eRRaTiK short version? google giving free gigs of data storage? what's the tradeoff? |
This is relatively known (old?) news. It's even been released to a small group of beta testers (as a part of Google Apps).
One issue facing Google is that Google's main engineer on the project left Google (to go to Facebook, which seems to be a trend with top-level Googlers as of late).
Microsoft Live Skydrive is already up and running - as are other services such as Xdrive, Omnidrive, etc.
Oh, and don't expect the world for free with Gdrive - they will have pay versions.
I dunno, I think these free online hard drives had their heyday back in 99/2000 when HD space was costly and consumer broadband wasn't commonplace. Now, just as then, I don't see it being much more than a haven for copyright material... Perhaps it'd be better to launch it as an online backup for your important data (Pictures/documents) -- then again, security would be an issue for most.
On this topic - at one point the domain 'myspace.com' was a redirect for FreeDiskSpace.com... those guys had a retarded business model and didn't last long offering affiliates $1.25US per free signup - lol
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| Originally posted by Swamper On this topic - at one point the domain 'myspace.com' was a redirect for FreeDiskSpace.com... those guys had a retarded business model and didn't last long offering affiliates $1.25US per free signup - lol |
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| Originally posted by Swamper Perhaps it'd be better to launch it as an online backup for your important data (Pictures/documents) -- then again, security would be an issue for most. |
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| Originally posted by rabbitjoker The caveat is however - that the files you put in there are open for Google to track and then correlate advertising back to you based on the data they gather. |
theres always a catch
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| Originally posted by rabbitjoker The caveat is however - that the files you put in there are open for Google to track and then correlate advertising back to you based on the data they gather. |
how much fuckin space do they have?!?!?
5.3 gb for each user on gmail + a cockload of extra to account for new accounts and then backup
then their web database + backups.
and now this.
that is a lot.
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| Originally posted by r5a how much fuckin space do they have?!?!? 5.3 gb for each user on gmail + a cockload of extra to account for new accounts and then backup then their web database + backups. and now this. that is a lot. |
Finally! A place to stash all my kiddy porn so that teh FIBI won't find it.
I dunno how well this is going to work for backups. Typically, you're not backing up 1GB of data. Let's say I want to back up 40 gigs of music. I don't see very many people willing to maxout their upload stream for LOOOONG periods of time, when a normal HD backup is so much faster.
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| Originally posted by r5a how much fuckin space do they have?!?!? 5.3 gb for each user on gmail + a cockload of extra to account for new accounts and then backup then their web database + backups. and now this. that is a lot. |
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| Originally posted by Cosmic Fur Finally! A place to stash all my kiddy porn so that teh FIBI won't find it. I dunno how well this is going to work for backups. Typically, you're not backing up 1GB of data. Let's say I want to back up 40 gigs of music. I don't see very many people willing to maxout their upload stream for LOOOONG periods of time, when a normal HD backup is so much faster. |
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