Are direct competitors Google Drive. In this article, it will be difficult to resist making comparisons between these cloud storage services. Go. Google Drive was introduced on April 24, 2012 and has now replaced Google Docs. What this service is, how to work with it + comparison with competitors, read all this in the article below. I also recommend watching the video in conclusion and then you will 100% use Google Drive)

Google Drive provides free up to 15 GB free space to store any of your data. If this is not enough for you, you can expand the space for a small fee. An increase to 25 GB will cost $2.5 per month, up to 100 GB - $5 per month, and up to 1 TB - $50 per month. It’s hard for me to imagine who might not have enough 100 GB on the Internet, and 1 TB is already quite enough. Perhaps for storing family photos and videos, which have long exceeded 100 GB.

Key features of Google Drive are presented in the figure below

Regarding control over files. Here the functionality was borrowed from the Dropbox service. For me personally, this function is the most important. Quite often you have to give access to a file. How can I do this if only those registered in the account can gain access? this service People. (example - ). It is much more convenient to be able to give access to anyone, even an unregistered user. There is another advantage here. Even if the user has an account in this service, he does not have to log in. This is important if the user is not at his computer, but for example in an Internet cafe. So this is a big +. We'll figure out how this is done a little later.

Files of any formats. According to the developers, you can open more than 30 types of files directly from the browser. Here is an excerpt from reference information about google drive As you can see, up to 30 file types is still a long way off, but 16 types is already excellent.

Very interesting support(.ZIP and .RAR) which will need to be checked in the second paragraph of this article. In addition, support for viewing documents is announced Adobe Photoshop(.PSD) and other interesting formats even if you do not have the appropriate programs installed. In this, Google.Disk outperforms its competitors for what is also a huge +. The only minor drawback is the inability to open documents in the .DJVU format. Let's hope this is temporary.

Regarding the restoration. Within 30 days from the date of editing the files, it will be available. That is, you can undo a change to a document made 29 days ago. The Dropbox service has a similar function, but there you can restore any file within 30 days after it was deleted. Not sure about the count. This function will also need to be checked a little later.

In addition to the functions presented above, Google Drive has additional interesting features. Thanks to the integration or combination of Google Drive and Google Docs, you can create documents and collaborate with other users in real time. For example, create a document like Microsoft Word Give other users access to it and work together. There is one limitation here. Operation is only possible when connected to the Internet. Offline this function not available. Let's hope that over time google drive will master this thing too.

Google Drive has a built-in advanced search function that allows you to search even scanned documents. That is, if you have ever uploaded a photo of a book or other printed information, you can search by text information in an image. Evernote has a similar function, but I haven’t used it yet. Everything has always been like this.

It is also necessary to clarify that you can view files up to 25 MB in size.

Installing and working with Google Drive

To use the Google Drive service, you must first create an account in Google+. If you have one, then immediately follow the link

and click the huge “Try” button

You can also start using Google Drive from your Google account+ going to the Disk tab

A page will open in a new tab where you need to click “”

Another tab will open in which you will see a pop-up window. It is recommended to check the optional checkbox to help improve google drive. Check the box and click “Accept terms and install”

You need to wait a little while the installer completes the process. At the end you will be thanked for your installation. Close this window

After installation, a window with a proposal will appear Login or log in Google program Disk. Click Login

In the next window, enter your address Email and password to log into Google Drive. In order to avoid entering your data ten times, check the “Remain logged in” checkbox. Click on the “Login” button

If you have double authorization enabled, you must also enter the code sent to your mobile phone. Double authentication greatly increases the security of your account, so it is recommended to enable it. To do this, you need to delve into the settings. If there are any difficulties, write in the comments. I'll make a separate article

In the next window, select “Advanced settings” to specify the folder from which synchronization with Google Drive on the Internet will take place

By default, the Google Drive folder is located on system disk. We don't need this. Therefore, go to drive D or E and create a new folder. for example Google Drive. In the window below, click on the “Change…” button and indicate the created folder. Then click the “Synchronize” button

After synchronization is complete, your Google Drive folder will open.

Now you can fully use this service. The Google Drive icon appears in the notification area

To call the context menu on this icon, you need to right-click on it. Using this menu, you can pause synchronization, open the Google Drive folder on your computer, open Google Drive on the web, expand storage space, go to settings, close Google Drive and other functions

Copy your files to the Google Drive folder and they will be available to you anywhere there is Internet access.

For creating a document in Google Drive or any other object, you must click on the “Create” button on the left. Select the required file type from the drop-down menu. Let's choose Document for example

Will open in a new tab new document, which you can name as you need and type the text. There are many text formatting options available. This is practically a full-fledged Microsoft Word. The document itself is saved. You don’t need to do anything additional, just close the tab and that’s it

If you need to download a document in a specific format, for example, for offline editing, then this can be done through the “File> Save As” menu and select the desired format

In a few minutes, the file will be saved on your computer in the selected format.

Setting up access to a file or folder in Google Drive

To set up sharing, click on the blue Access Settings button at the top right. A window will open where you can configure access levels. Let's say you need to give access to someone who is not registered in Google network+ person. For example, give parents access to photos. Click on the inscription “Change...”

Select "Publicly available on the Internet". In the Access line you can set the rights to the file. You can give permission to edit the document, leave comments, or simply read-only access. Then click the “Save” button

Then click on the “Done” button.

Edit a document in real time in Google Drive

The user who receives a link to your created file will be able to edit it. You will be able to observe this. Moreover, you can send him a message. To do this, click on the field below the Access Settings button

A field will open on the right at the bottom where you can write and send a message. You can see all correspondence just above the message entry field

If you click again below the Access Settings button, you can close the chat window.

We've sorted out the documents. Let's consider . We save the archive to the Google Drive folder and view it through the web interface

We sorted out the archives in the video queue. Everything is visible, but not immediately. when uploading to google drive, the video is most likely downloaded and processed by the service Youtube, since the control panel is the same. In a few minutes the video will be available for viewing via the web interface

Watching the video is quite comfortable.

Uploading files when installed program Google Drive is done by simply copying files and folders to the Google directory. Files are automatically uploaded to the service. You can download files through the web interface by clicking on the download icon to the right of the “Create” button. This will open a drop-down menu consisting of two items: Files... and Folder.... Choose what you want to download. For example, we need to download an entire folder

The Browse window opens in which you select a folder and click OK. A pop-up window appears at the bottom right showing the download process.

Once completed, the folder will appear in your Google Drive.

Delete files from Google Drive

When you delete files from the Google Drive folder, these files are moved to the trash on your computer and to the trash in the service’s web interface. You can delete files from your computer's Recycle Bin immediately. They can be easily restored from the recycle bin in the web interface. To do this, go to the web interface. On the left, expand the “More” menu and select “Cart”. You will have all your deleted documents. Select the one you need (by clicking on the upper left corner) and click the “Restore” button that appears. This way you can recover deleted documents in Google Drive

If you deleted files from the recycle bin of the web interface, the file cannot be restored. However, you can try to restore it to your computer using . If you haven't written anything to the drive where the Google Drive folder is located, then the chances are high. If an active recording was made, then the probability is quite low. But! It's worth a try.

Conclusion

In this article, we looked at the Google Drive storage service. We made a small comparison with the equally popular services Dropbox and . Summarize.

Pros of Google Drive:

• Support for 16 file types (if we take into account that one file type includes several extensions, then in total there will be about 30 different extensions)
• Ability to create and collaborate on documents
• Ability to give access to a document to a user who does not have a Google+ account

Negative points of the Google Drive service:

• Impossibility from the trash (I really like the Dropbox service)

For me the leader among services Google Drive, and Dropbox, is the latter. Up to 18 GB free + option to restore deleted file within 30 days they leave competitors far behind.

Video where I will show the main features and functions of the Google Drive service

Update from 06/15/2013

Friends, I have great news.

Google Drive now offers up to 15 GB for free

Here is the second confirmation)

Keep files that are important to you in a safe place! Using the Google Drive service and the application of the same name, this is easy. In addition, this application is available for most operating systems, including mobile ones.

Modern technologies are developing very rapidly and gradually everything we do happens on the Internet. There are companies that provide access to software or to data storage via the Internet, they are also called cloud. And so Google decided to create its own cloud storage service. Google Drive has become a competitor to something that has long been familiar to everyone. But, unlike dropbox, the search giant's service has a lot of advantages.

Where to download Disk

You can download Google Drive for free. Installation this application It will only take a couple of seconds to your computer. Then you will need to set up access to your cloud storage, it only takes a few steps. The program itself does not have an interface as such. It has only three tabs: synchronization to the cloud, logging in/out of your account, and connection settings. The thing is that the program is integrated into file system OS. That is, after installation, in the folder with your documents you will see a new folder called Google Drive. This is the Google cloud storage folder. You just need to place the files there and wait for synchronization.

One of the advantages of Google Drive is that you can view and edit files not only on your computer, but also in a browser using the web interface. All this thanks to integration with other services from Google, such as Google Docs and others. This allows you to even open files like Adobe Illustrator in the web interface.

Another huge advantage is that Google Drive can be installed on most modern popular operating systems - Windows, Android and iOS. That is, you can access your files stored in the cloud from anywhere and from any device at any time. Also, compared to competing services, Google Drive has faster synchronization and file download times.

As for the reliability of using Google Drive, everything here is also excellent. Google said that all the data you store in the cloud has three more backups. That is, it is impossible to lose anything in the cloud.

The search giant develops all its services very well and Google Drive is no exception. So feel free to store your files in the cloud and don't worry about anything.

Hello, my regular readers and blog guests. Ekaterina Kalmykova is with you. Have you ever wondered how much information is around us that we use willy-nilly? IN modern world Billions of terabytes of information are consumed. Just think about this value - billions, or even more.

The size is growing every year random access memory in new computers, but it’s still not enough for users. The emergence of external storage media, such as flash cards or removable hard drives it seemed to make the situation easier. But even among high-quality storage media, many products appeared that broke a month after use and blocked access to the necessary data.

The latest trend in the world of information storage is cloud storage. One of the most popular virtual disks is Google Drive. The emergence of cloud storage in the famous search engine made the issue of lack of storage space less pressing.

What kind of beast is this, Google Drive? How to use it? Let's figure it out together, friends!

We will find out how to use Google Drive a little later. First, you need to figure out why you need a virtual disk to store information.

Google Drive lets computer users save money cash on flash cards and external hard drives by storing personal files on the Internet, save time and simplify work with information data.

Do you have any idea how Excel Google works? It allows you to create tables online and store them in the cloud. If you wish, you can give access to the table to certain users, or you can hide it from everyone. Google Drive works on the same principle.

At the same time, the information on the disk is synchronized with other devices, including tablets and smartphones. The synchronization function eliminates the need to take removable media with you on the road, because all documents are on the computer, but do not take up space on it.

So, what can you store on Google Drive:

• documents in doc format, pdf, ODF, etc.;
• Excel tables;
• photos;
• video;
• audio.

Google cloud storage can replace you HDD and get rid of the problem of eternal loss and breakdown of flash drives. Use this method storing information is also possible for those who suffer from a constant lack of memory on their computer, those who like to download movies in high quality, music lovers who download hundreds of songs every month.

Google Drive has undeniable advantages and minor disadvantages, like everything else in the world. Among the advantages is that cloud storage impossible to lose, forget, break. It's a stable place to store information that very little can happen to. The virtual disk does not need to be carried with you; it is located in your computer or tablet, even in your phone.

In my opinion, it has only one drawback: the amount of free space for storing files is limited. You can only take up 15 GB of space for free. But the surcharge for additional quantities is small.

If you think about it, one minus is not worth a lot of pluses. You agree with me?

What you need to know about using Google Drive

How to use cloud storage so that it brings joy? First you need to decide on what device you plan to create the disk. There is an option to work with the disk through the browser you are using, and there is another option - download Google Drive to your tablet or smartphone. Let's look at both options.

Creating a disk on a computer

Please note: to create cloud storage with Google, you must register on the Google website and have Mailbox in this system.

Typically it ends at gmail.com.

Owners of Google-based mail should log into their account, click on the square next to their avatar and you will see the “Disk” icon.

When you click on the icon called “Disk”, a page will open in a new tab or window, where in the lower left corner it will be written that the disk can be downloaded to your computer.

After this, a window will open where you will need to click the icon that says “Forward”, then the storage will open on your computer and you can transfer the necessary files there. Once the installation is complete, the Google Drive icon will appear in the taskbar and on your desktop. To open the drive, you will need to click on any of these icons.

As you can see, the process of creating a disk on cloud storage is very simple and does not take much time. Even a novice in computer matters, let alone professionals, can cope with this. Benefits of using cloud storage instead removable media you will feel the information in the first hours of use.

Creating a disk on your phone

Want to create a drive on your phone? Please, this can be done on both iOS and Android operating systems.

As I wrote above, you can log into cloud storage via a computer, phone or tablet. To enter the storage via your phone or tablet, you should download Google app Disk. You can download it either from Play Market, or from the Google site itself.

To open the My Page or My Drive tab, click on the application icon. You will see a login form where you will need to write your Gmail username and password. After logging in, your page with files will open.

Please note that all files can be changed in real time. Synchronization with other devices occurs instantly. Using the drive on your tablet or smartphone makes your work much easier.

The only condition for changing documents in real time and synchronizing them with other devices is a working Internet.

If you do not have a mobile device running Android OS, then you can use mobile version of this resource. Working in the program on a phone or on a computer is no different.

Overall, using the drive on your smartphone or tablet is safe and effective, and you can now leave your heavy laptop at home.

Basic functions of Google Drive

After we open Drive, the first thing we can see is the search bar.

In order to find the document you need, simply enter its name into the search bar and the service will quickly find it for you.

Select the function you need and get to work.

The screenshot shows that we have the opportunity to work with different files, documents, tables, presentations.

Let me briefly tell you about all the tabs of the main menu of the service:

• Available to me - here are those files that are available to you by other users;
• Recent - shows the documents you worked with most recently;
• Google Photos - contains all photos and pictures;
• Marked - files that you marked while working;
• Recycle Bin – stores all deleted data.

In general, all the tools for efficient work available to us.

Please note that on the right, directly below the avatar, there is an icon with settings. You might find them useful, so I advise you to take a look at them.

On my own behalf, I can say that the service interface is quite simple and, as it is fashionable to say now, “intuitive” :)

How to create a folder on Google Drive

Let me show you how to use Google Drive using the example of creating a folder, and you will see for yourself that everything is quite easy.

So, to create a folder, you need to click on the “Create” button you already know and select “Folder” in the window that opens.

After that, enter the name of the folder and click on “Create”.

As we can see, our “Test Folder” has already appeared in the work area. If necessary, you can add different files, documents, etc. to it during the work process.

It is worth noting that simultaneously with the appearance of the new folder, a new panel with tools also appeared.

Friends, let me briefly explain each of them.

1. by clicking on it you can show the link to anyone you want;
2. Using this button we can provide access to whomever we deem necessary, with different rights (reading, editing);
3. the well-known basket;
4. another submenu with some functionality, which I won’t dwell on now. If you are interested, take a look when working on your own :)

How to upload a file to Google Drive

Probably the most popular operation when working with Disk is downloading any files. Now I will show you how this can be done.

That's all - our file is uploaded to work area. That’s how you can say it, with one movement of the hand :)

One thing I can say for sure: don’t be afraid to try to master Google Drive and, I’m sure, it will become your indispensable assistant.

How safe is it to use Google Drive?

When we are about to download any program, the question arises: “Is it safe?” It is so important that confidential information remains hidden from prying eyes.

How often do we hear about hackers breaking into celebrities' cloud storages and posting private photos for everyone to see? Yes, all the time. How can you not worry about your own files?

Fortunately, cloud storage Google Drive is absolutely safe.

There are practically no cases when virtual disks of this system were hacked. You can safely upload any photos, videos and documents there without fear that your account will be hacked. Of course, to prevent hacking, we recommend creating as many complex password so that hackers don't have a single chance.

Only you have access to your documents. If necessary, Google system Drive has a function available that allows you to provide access to a certain number of users. If you wish, you can open access to at least the entire Internet. This can be done, for example, if you are a photographer and want your photos to become public.

The same applies to other documents, tables, and videos. For example, I have access to information from my partner on a joint project. Let me tell you - it is very convenient to use and significantly saves time when interacting with a partner.

Since using Google Drive is absolutely safe, you can create any documents, presentations, or drawings on it. Many large organizations are replacing email and other information exchange methods with disk.

Google Drive currently includes full package programs similar Microsoft Office. Cool, isn't it?

Plus, you can use it to conduct surveys, create charts, and more. For example, in the article I conducted a survey of readers in exactly this way.

If you want to expand the range of Drive capabilities, visit the online store Google Chrome. There are a sufficient number of paid and free applications, which will make its possibilities almost limitless.

Friends, in order to appreciate all the benefits of working with Google cloud storage, you just need to try it!

So, friends, let me summarize.

In order to use Google Drive you need to do three simple steps:

You can and should use Google Drive. This frees us from nerves about losing removable media, from possible worries due to lack of space, etc. virtual disk All our files are at hand, wherever we are, and for this it is absolutely not necessary to carry a laptop with us everywhere. Don't forget that you can use the drive on your tablet or smartphone, in addition to your laptop and PC.

Agree that this is very convenient.

In fact, I have come across a lot of courses on a similar topic, but this particular one is distinguished by the author’s professionalism and accessibility of presentation. All the features of working at a computer are presented by the author in a simple form, so applying the information in practice will not be difficult. After studying the material, “both old and young” will be able to use a PC, as they say, “on familiar terms.”

Our dear reader, we are very interested to know your opinion about virtual disks. Write, do you use cloud storage at work? If so, which one exactly?

Stay up to date with all the news, and we have the latest!

Hi all! Google Drive is a free cloud storage plus package office applications. How can you benefit from access to these features and how to use Google Drive?

Among many similar products, Google Drive cloud storage has a significant advantage, namely its close integration with Google services.

What does this mean? operating system Android is owned by Google and more than 80% of all mobile devices run on this platform. The Google Chrome browser today has achieved undisputed leadership among the best Internet browsers. Google Corporation is a de facto global monopolist of Internet search, possessing colossal resources for advanced development - Google's innovative developments appear earlier than those of competing organizations.

To make it easier and more convenient to understand Google Drive, how to use it , It makes sense to start at the beginning and go through all the basic steps.

Getting started with Google Drive

If you don't have it installed on your computer yet Google browser Chrome, then you need to make up for the omission, since it is with the help of this browser that it is most convenient to master the Google Drive cloud storage and get the most direct access to all the endless possibilities Google services.

At the next stage, you will be asked to download and install Google Drive on your computer.

A little warning is needed here. If you don't have much powerful computer, it is better to use Google Drive using the web interface in the browser, since the Google Drive application consumes quite a lot of hardware resources and the system will slow down during the synchronization process.

Since Google Drive cloud storage allows you to use all files stored on the server from any device, at the same time do not forget to install Google Drive on all your smartphones, tablets, laptops and all-in-one PCs.

Don't worry, Google Drive apps are designed for all platforms, both mobile and desktop.

Features of using Google Drive

• To work on text documents, tables and presentations, slide shows from any computer.
• Collaborate on documents remotely. To do this, you need to find Access in Settings and specify who and to what extent is allowed to read, edit or comment on documents.
• You can publish any file on the Internet for free access to all users. This can be useful, for example, when you don't want to waste internet traffic sending large video files to other users. Google Disk allows you to simply email a link to download a file - and let the recipient pay for the Internet.

It should be mentioned that after the modernization, the two services Google Drive and Google Docs were merged and now it makes no difference which application you run - the capabilities will be the same. You can instantly switch from any application to any other.

Features of Google Drive synchronization

After connecting and installing Google Drive on desktop computer There will be some changes in the system.

• IN Windows Explorer The Drive folder will appear. Any files you place there will automatically sync with your cloud storage. Using the context menu, you can send any file from other folders on your hard drive to the cloud.
• New shortcuts to office applications included in the Google Docs package and a shortcut to the Application Launcher will appear on the Desktop. Using these shortcuts you can launch directly from the Desktop text editor or other programs and start working immediately.

A Google Drive icon will appear in the system tray; clicking on it will give you access to the Settings Menu. In particular, from there you can configure the synchronization order. Specify which files should be synchronized and which should not be synchronized. Set the number of simultaneously downloaded files and upload speed.

In general, there is absolutely no need to worry about how to sync Google Drive with your computer. , after all, all these processes are automated and come by default. As an option, if you have a slow computer, so as not to wait a long time for synchronizing files from the Disk folder, you can upload documents, videos, and photos through a browser.

If you are going to use Google Drive as network drive on a smartphone or tablet, you need to install mobile app and sign in using your Google account. If you want to work with texts, then you need to download and install the Google Docs mobile application. The difference with desktops here is that each application for working with texts, tables, and presentations on tablets must be installed separately. This is done to save local memory, which is limited on mobile devices.

You can connect Google Drive in the mobile File Manager and to upload to the cloud, you just need to copy the selected files to the Google Drive folder.

Another question is how to access Google Drive from someone else’s computer? To do this, enter the address in your browser drive.google.com and log in using your address Gmail mail and password. On mobile device You won’t be able to access Drive online; you will be redirected to the application download page every time. You will have to install mobile Google Drive or one of the office applications.

That's all for me. See you soon!

Best regards, Evgeniy Kuzmenko.

Hello dear visitors! If you have come to this page, then most likely you are interested in the question of storing files in the cloud. I’ll write now and, as is already customary on this site, I’ll show you in pictures, how to install and configure Google Drive. But I think it wouldn’t hurt to write a few words about what cloud storage is, why they are needed, and tell a little about Google Drive, also known as Google Drive.

In simple words, cloud storage is a service that provides you with a specific place on the Internet to store your files. One of such services is. He appeared on the market almost simultaneously and began providing his services. There are many more similar services, among which Dropbox is worth highlighting; perhaps there will be a separate article about it.

Why am I writing today about Google Drive? As you probably already guessed, I myself am using it now, and just yesterday I reinstalled the systems and I need to install this program on my computer again, I’ll just take screenshots :).

The convenience of such services, in particular Google Drive, is that you get a “flash drive” on the Internet on which you can store information, and most importantly, have access to it from anywhere where there is Internet and the ability to access service website. All you need is to know your username and password to access. Of course, Google has created applications for computers, tablets and smartphones on different platforms. All this is for the convenience of using the Google Drive service.

Immediately after registration, you will be given 5 GB of file storage for free. For 2.5 dollars you can increase it to 25 GB, and this is not a limit.

I think this useless theory is enough :), let's get down to business.

To use Google Drive, you need to create a Google account.

Of course, you need to register with Google in order to receive a username and password. You can read about how to create an account on Google in the article. Or if you already use at least one of Google's services, for example Gmail, then you can use the login and password that you already have to log into Google Drive.

To register with Google Drive, or to learn more about its capabilities, go to https:// drive.google.com/start. Click the button on the right “Go to Google Drive”.

After registration, log into the site using your details.

How to install Google Drive on your computer?

Now we have come to the most important part of this article; now we will install a program that will allow you to conveniently work with Google Drive.

Select the version for computers and click “Download”.

A window will appear in which you simply click “Accept the terms and install”.

A message will immediately appear that Google Drive is loading. Then the installation will begin.

When installation is complete, click “Close”.

That's it, the installation is complete. The program will launch itself, click the “Login” button. Enter your email address and password, and click “Login” again.

A window will appear in which we click “Forward”.

In the next window, the program will inform you that all files that are already on Google Drive will be synchronized with a specially created folder on your computer. For additional settings click "Advanced settings", but you won’t see anything interesting there, you can change the location of this very folder, and indicate whether Google Drive can be launched when you turn on the computer, and that’s essentially all. Click the button "Synchronize".

That's all.

How to use Google Drive on a computer?

A Google Drive folder will appear on your desktop, and it will also appear in Explorer. Once you move your files to this folder, they will automatically be uploaded to the cloud and you can access them from any device. Or, when adding files from another device, say a tablet, they will automatically appear in this folder.

For example, when I need to transfer photos from my phone to my computer, I simply upload them to Google Drive, then on my computer I go to the Google Drive folder and copy them from there. It's even faster than connecting your phone via cable.

Also, a program icon will appear on the taskbar (in the tray), by right-clicking on it, you can see how much free memory you still have on Google Drive, and you can also go to the program settings.

That's all, we have installed and configured a program that allows you to comfortably work with Google cloud storage. Such programs are also available for mobile platforms, in app stores such as Google Play, App Store etc. You can install them without any problems. Well, that seems to be it. Good luck!