Google about to launch cloud storage service through Google Docs

By Jeffrey Van Camp September 26, 2011

google-drive-leaked-image-9-2011 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Google has long given Google Docs users 1GB of online storage space, but it’s a pain to use and difficult to find. With Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft moving further into the cloud, it looks like Google is about to make a big move to be the online home to all your personal files. MG Siegler of TechCrunch reports that Google’s cloud drive service is real and it is coming. Using a screenshot taken by Johannes Wigand, a social media consultant, Siegler circled and pointed out some of the new features of this upcoming Google service.

Here’s what it’s going to have:

Google Drive will be a rebranding of Google Docs with storage at the forefront instead of a buried option
Users will have a “My Google Drive” area with personal folders, etc
There will be native syncing software that you put on your computer and/or phone, hopefully better than Google Music
You can upload through the Web as well
Drives will be at “drive.google.com”
The feature may launch with Android Ice Cream Sandwich in the next month or so

Cool news, but most of our big questions like “How much storage do you get?” and “How much will it cost?” still aren’t known. Still, Google jumping into the cloud storage space can only mean more storage for cheaper prices. Hopefully Google will actually allow you to download your files back from storage, unlike its Google Music beta service. We also pray that it will work better than Amazon’s cloud drive, which still has some issues.

Would you rely on Google for your cloud storage?

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