Roundup: Google Launches Google Drive Cloud-Based Storage/Syncing Service + What Others Offer

After MANY years of speculation and rumor Google has finally launched their Google Drive cloud-based storage/syncing service. What follows is a roundup of some of the of coverage and comment.

But first, a few notes:

• Dropbox released a new feature yesterday that makes sharing and viewing shared documents super easy. Here’s our post. Dropbox also offers plenty of free storage space (up to 16 GB) by referring others to the service.

• Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage service has been around for years. Yesterday, they announced several new tools and if you already have an account you might be eligible to upgrade to 25GB of FREE storage. If you don’t have an account, they’re free and you’ll get 7 GB of storage. Upgrades available for a fee.

• Google Operating System notes that Gmail has increased the amount of storage users get for free. Gmail users now get 10 GB, up from 7.56 GB.

• Be on the lookout for more free space offers from Microsoft, Dropbox, and others (SugarSync, Box, etc.).

Now, without further adieu, here’s the Google Drive News Roundup:

“Introducing Google Drive…Yes Really” (via Official Google Blog)

You can get started with 5GB of storage for free—that’s enough to store the high-res photos of your trip to the Mt. Everest, scanned copies of your grandparents’ love letters or a career’s worth of business proposals, and still have space for the novel you’re working on. You can choose to upgrade to 25GB for $2.49/month, 100GB for $4.99/month or even 1TB for $49.99/month. When you upgrade to a paid account, your Gmail account storage will also expand to 25GB.

The “Storage Wars” Begin As Google Drive Finally Arrives (by Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land)
Includes useful analysis of the online storage space.

What’s So Special About Google Drive? (via Business Insider)

Our snap reaction? It’s almost identical to Dropbox, right down to the way you install the app on your Mac. So far, we haven’t found a killer feature that makes us want to ditch Dropbox.

Video Review of Google Drive by Walt Mossberg
Mossberg calls Google Drive, “an evolution of Google Docs.”

Official Google Drive Introductory Video

How Google Drive Compares With Other Storage Services (via WSJ)
Update: SkyDrive DOES offer upgrades to the basic service.