Google cloud contacts. Google Cloud for Photos

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Greetings, friends! Cloud storage is very popular now. Their main purpose is to store and access information from any device at any time, as well as the ability to share this information (documents, photographs, and other files) with other people. In addition, popular cloud services provide a number of useful functions for users - creating and working with documents online, sharing, etc.

On my blog I have already posted instructions on two large cloud services - and. And I dedicate today’s article to one more thing – Google Drive. Until recently, I didn’t use it so actively - I mainly relied on Yandex.Disk. But, due to recent events, I started thinking about backup options.

I suggest you understand the interface and main functions of Google Drive. Let's talk about how to use it - upload and provide access to files and folders, perform other actions on files, work with documents and applications online.

If you prefer video format, then you can view my detailed tutorial below:

How to log into Google Drive?

The disk is linked to your Google account, and to get inside the cloud, you need to log in to your account - enter your login (gmail) and password.

You can access Drive from this page www.google.com/intl/ru/drive/

Or go from mail by clicking on the “Google Apps” icon at the top right.

How much disk space?

15 GB are provided for free. This space is divided into files on the disk itself, files and letters in Gmail, and Google Photos. By the way, the latter automatically includes images that you upload to posts on the Google Plus social network. You can remove them from Google Photos so that they don’t take up space, but they remain in your posts.

If you need more space, it can be purchased for money. There are several tariff plans with monthly or annual payment for up to 30 TB of memory.

You can also have several Google accounts and each will have its own disk with free space.

Cloud storage interface

Let's go over the main sections, buttons and settings of Google Drive.

Via the “Create” button in the upper left corner you can upload files and folders from your computer to your disk. And also create folders and documents directly in the cloud. You can create text documents, tables, presentations with slides, Google Forms (for surveys, questionnaires, recordings of Skype consultations), drawings, maps and websites.

Below this button is panel with the main Disk partitions.

In the "My Drive" section contains all files and folders uploaded to the cloud, as well as documents and folders that you created in the cloud.

By selecting a particular file/folder with the mouse, you can perform various actions on it; I’ll talk about this later. To select several files at once, hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click on the desired files.

The display of files on Disk can be sorted by name, by date of modification, by date of viewing.

In the "Available to me" section files from Google Drives of other users to which you have access are displayed - for example, you followed a link to this file, or you were sent an invitation with access. To open a file, double-click on it.

In the "Recent" section– files that you have recently worked with (opened, downloaded, edited, etc.) are displayed.

Google Photos section– This is where the images you've uploaded to the Google Photos app appear. Also, pictures uploaded to posts on Google Plus are automatically saved here. You can get into the application itself by clicking on the Google applications icon from disk, mail, or the start page of the Google Chrome browser.

In the application settings, you can check a useful box so that photos and videos do not take up unnecessary storage space.

To do this, go to Google Photos, click on the three vertical bars at the top left, go to settings.

And check the appropriate box:

"Tagged" section– files and folders that you mark as important to you go here. Marking is very simple - select the file, right-click, and select “Add mark” from the list that opens. To remove a file from “Marked”, right-click again and select “Unmark”.

Basket- it contains files that you delete from your Google Drive. The Recycle Bin can be emptied, then the files are permanently deleted. You can also restore any file from the Recycle Bin by selecting it with the mouse and clicking “Recover from Recycle Bin”.

There are several more useful icons in the upper right corner of Google Drive.

You can configure the display of files in the cloud as a list or grid. By clicking on the letter “i” in the circle, you can view the history of your actions on the disk, as well as the properties of any file by selecting it with the mouse. Clicking on the gear will open an additional list of tabs.

In the “Settings” tab:

You can change the interface language.
Enable offline access (saving Google documents to your computer to work with them without an Internet connection). On this issue, you can read the separate instructions.
Disable automatic downloading of photos from Google Photos to a folder on disk.
Choose an interface option – spacious, regular or compact.

There are also alert settings.

And the ability to connect different Google applications to your drive.

Clicking on the tab “Install disk on computer”, you can download the application for PC, as well as for smartphones on Android or iPhone. Here, keep in mind that the PC application is synchronized with the online cloud and all files end up on your computer, taking up space. Since this does not suit me, I prefer to use only the web interface. The only advantage of synchronization is the ability to quickly send a large file to the cloud or save all files from the cloud to your computer at once, and then disable synchronization.

Actions on files and folders in Google Drive

To upload files and folders from your computer to the cloud The "Create" button is used. You click on it and select the corresponding menu item - a window for selecting files on your computer will open. To select multiple files at once, hold down the Ctrl key.

When the file is selected, click on the “Open” button, and it will begin downloading to Disk. Information about the process will appear in the lower right corner.

An alternative download option is to minimize the Google Drive tab to a smaller window and drag files from your computer to the “My Drive” section with your mouse.

You can do a number of things with files, folders, and documents on the drive. To do this, select the desired file (or several) with the mouse and right-click. A list of available actions appears. The same actions are duplicated on the panel above.

The contents of the file can be viewed by clicking Preview. If you want to edit the document, then select "Open with". The drive will offer you an application through which you can open the file.

To open the contents of a folder– click on it 2 times. You can perform all the same actions on files and documents in a folder.

You can give access to any file, folder or document on the disk to another person. To set up sharing, click on the corresponding menu item.

In the window that opens, you need to enter the gmail email of the person to whom you want to give access. Click on the pencil icon to indicate the access type. This can be commenting, viewing and editing.

If you have granted commenting or viewing access, you can prevent the user from downloading, copying, or printing the file. Just tick the boxes you need. Don't forget to save your changes.

Then click "Submit". The user will receive a letter informing them that you have granted them access to the files. He will see this file on his disk in the “Available to me” section.

To block access, you again need to right-click on this file, select “Sharing”. In the window that opens, click on the user name.

Access is denied, the user will see this message:

You can also configure access settings. The default is view. Also, using the link, the user will be able to download the file or save it to his disk. You can also enable commenting or editing.

If you click “More”, you will see other settings. For example, you can enable access for absolutely any user on the Internet, that is, the file will be available through search. Or disable access via a link and send an invitation for shared access to a specific user via email (we discussed this process above).

The next point of action on files is "Move". It can be used to move files into folders. This is convenient if you have a lot of files and want to organize them. You can also move files by dragging them with the mouse.

Creating folders on disk is easy. Click on the “Create” – “New Folder” button.

By the way, you can change the color of the folders.

Paragraph "Add a note" useful if you want to add your favorite files to the Starred section for quick access to them.

Paragraph "Rename" will allow you to change the name of a file or folder.

Paragraph "Show Properties"– to view the properties of a file and the history of actions on it.

Paragraph "Versions"– it is available for those files that you upload to Disk.

Let's say you downloaded an archive of materials from your computer and shared a link to it with subscribers. Then you needed to make edits to this archive, you downloaded it to your computer again and edited it. Then we re-uploaded it to Disk with the same name so that the link to the archive did not change. By the way, when you download it again, you can choose how to save this file - separately (the link to it will change), or as a new version that will replace the previous one.

However, the previous version will not be deleted immediately (by default, it is saved on disk for another 30 days). But, you can delete it manually or check the box so that previous versions are not deleted. This is done precisely through this “Versions” item.

The remaining actions on the files: create a copy, download it to your computer and delete it in the trash. By the way, to delete the file in the trash, you can drag it with the mouse to this section on Google Drive.

So, we figured out the main points of the Google Drive web interface. Now a few words how to download to your computer or save to disk a file that was shared with you via a link from another Google Drive.

If you followed the link and are logged in to your Google account, then you will see a Google Drive icon at the top, by clicking on which you can save this file to your disk. Nearby there is an arrow for downloading the file to your computer.

Well, I hope my Google Drive instructions will help you navigate the settings and functionality of this cloud service. Well, if you still have questions, I will be happy to answer them in the comments.

I wish you success!

Best regards, Victoria Karpova

They are direct competitors to 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 up to 15 GB of free storage space for all 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 you do this if only people registered in this service can gain access? (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 the background 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 Adobe Photoshop documents (.PSD) and other interesting formats is stated, 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 similar to 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. This feature is not available in offline mode. 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 by going to the Drive 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 Sign in or sign in to Google Drive. Click Login

In the next window, enter your email address 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. Dual authorization greatly improves 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 the system drive. 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

A New Document will open in a new tab, 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 a person who is not registered on the Google+ network. 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 with Google Drive installed is accomplished 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 + the ability to recover a deleted file within 30 days leaves 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)

Hello, dear readers and visitors of my blog, I am very glad that you took a moment to visit me. Continuing the topic of computer literacy, today I want to talk about ways to store information in our age of insane technological progress. Do you know Google cloud? You will probably agree with me that, despite the abundance of gadgets and sophisticated technology, we suffer from a lack of memory. Moreover, in every sense.

Remember how it was before: a family photo involved a trip to a photo studio, everyone was smart, smart, an exciting atmosphere and all that. There were few photographs, but the owner of the album could tell with accuracy even many years later when each of them was taken.

Now the situation is the opposite: you can take photographs not only with a camera, which (and more than one!) is in every family, but also with a tablet, mobile phone, or video camera. Pictures have lost their meaning, they are digitized and stored in computer folders, rarely viewed and even less often printed. Ultimately, they all take up space on your computer's hard drive.

Please note that you need to download the version for your computer (if you are installing Google Cloud on your PC).

That's all, actually. The program will start on its own; if not, run it manually:

To get started, just click the “Get Started” button and click “Next” after you enter your username and password in the required window. You can work!

Synchronized swimming

For convenient use, online storage will create a special folder for storing files on your computer and synchronize its work with the cloud. Synchronization with Android occurs in the same way, you just need to install a special program on your phone and press the “sync” button.

If you wish, you can dig deeper into the advanced settings, but, to be honest, you are unlikely to find anything interesting for yourself there.

How to use the program becomes clear after installation: the desktop pleases with a fresh icon - the Google Drive folder. With its help you can manage the contents of the cloud. The storage will be accessible from any device that has the appropriate software installed.

This way, it’s much easier to transfer photos or videos from one device to another: you just need to drop the contents into the Google Drive folder, and then log in from another gadget and copy what you need into memory. The 15 gigabyte capacity is large enough to allow your imagination to run wild and provides data storage.

Google Drive is good not only because it allows other users to view your documents, but also because it allows you to regulate access levels, from viewing to making edits, comments, and editing documents.

The service assumes the following degrees of “trust”, which can be changed at any time at your own discretion:

Reading involves only third-party viewing without the right to change anything.
Commenting - accordingly, people who have received access can express their opinion about what they saw, but they have no right to change anything.
And finally, the highest degree of trust is editing with the right to change settings, including access.

Computer

If you put all the files that you want to share access to in one folder on Disk and right-click on it, a menu will open in which you need to select the “sharing” option - this way you will open the folder for other users.

Who it will be is up to you to decide, just indicate their email addresses in the appropriate line and indicate the access level. The signal that the work is completed will be a click on the button. "Ready". A notification will be sent to each of the specified email addresses.

Android

In the Google Drive app, select the file you want to send to someone.

Click Menu icon next to the file or folder. It looks like three dots located vertically on top of each other. In the drop-down menu, select the item "Access", just like on a computer, indicate the email addresses of those to whom you will open documents and click "send".

It should be noted that even with open access to the shared folder, only authorized users will be able to edit documents.

Defend yourself, sir!

We are all adults, so we must be aware of the fact that files placed in online storage can become the property of unauthorized persons, so it is worth taking care of protection:

Password protect important folders and files. Even if an account is hacked, attackers will have to find additional passwords for documents;
If you know how to work with archives, this will make the task much easier: create an encrypted archive, choose a strong password and sleep well;
You can install the BoxCryptor application and use it to create a secret folder for storing files.

Let me note that Google provides all utilities for working with Drive for free, just use it.

I want to make a reservation right away: mobile office- This is the main difference between the Google service and other similar ones. With its help, you get access and the ability to work with your documents anywhere in the world where there is Internet access. It is to work, and not just to store. Those. – edit, insert documents into websites and blogs, create new ones and share with friends.

Hello again, dear friends! Just a few days passed and the sensational Google Drive(Google Drive) begins its work, following . Let's take a look at Google's new cloud service for reliable data storage today.

Registering on Google Drive, gaining access to Drive

At the moment (at the time of writing this post), the service is available by invitation. Getting it is quite simple - if you have a Google account, go link and leave a request by clicking on the “Notify me” button:

And here we receive a message that is already on the way. We reaffirm your desire to receive an email notification and an invitation to Google Drive:

So, what opens up to us, what opportunities do we have when using Google Drive:

instant creation of new documents and collaboration in them with other users;
integration with Gmail and social networks, attaching documents and uploading photos has become even easier;
efficient search for files on Disk and text recognition in scanned pages;
convenient viewing of files in a browser window (video files, graphic formats including Photoshop files without installing the appropriate software);
collaboration with other web applications;
managing access to files (permission to view, comment and even edit);
tracking changes made to files and archiving previous copies for the last 30 days.

Sounds quite attractive and promising. I am very pleased with the integration and sharing with other Google services and third-party web applications.

Initial Google Drive capacity and its expansion

Compared to Yandex, Google Drive has a developed commercial component. The initial storage capacity is limited to 5 gigabytes of free use. To increase the available storage space, you can use paid plans - 25, 100 and 1000 GB for amounts ranging from $2.49 to $49.99 per month.

Is it a disadvantage that the free space is limited to only five GB, but there is the possibility of a paid increase? A controversial issue... For me, 5 would be enough, but judging by the comments on a similar Yandex service, then 10 is not enough for some... The main thing is that there is an opportunity to expand, if only there were funds :)

Working with Google Drive

You can work with Disk using an application developed for the most common platforms: PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Linux is not on the list, which is a shame.

You can download the application only after receiving Google Drive invitations. Naturally, after the public launch, no invitations will be required, but now you will have to wait a little. Yesterday I started writing my review, and I continue this morning, i.e. Literally within 24 hours I was given access to the service.

Google Drive web interface and working with Drive in the browser

While the application is being installed, I will describe the web interface. The appearance and design are in the same style as other Google products. When you first go to the page, it doesn’t seem complicated - everything is simple and clear at first glance:

I immediately noticed that the disk already contains files that are on my Google Docs account; now they will be available on Disk, but at the same time they do not use its volume, i.e. there was an integration of these two services, rather than a complete unification.

You should also stop at the button Create on the left of the screen. Available documents include a text document, presentation, table, form, drawing, folder. But it doesn't stop there.

There are a lot of ready-made templates and, of course, other applications with their own formats that are hidden under the link More. What are these applications? Those installed in the Google Chrome browser. If they are not there, no problem, follow the link Other applications you can download them from the gallery.

I’ll stop here and move on to a review of working with Google Drive via app, it has just installed and I can continue the review.

Working with Google Drive using the PC app

We launch the installation program, follow the instructions and at the end, to complete the process, enter your account information in:

We enter and a small introductory guide opens before us on how to start using the Disk for storing files on the Internet. This is two steps, as you can see from the screenshots, the application does not have Russian language, but this is not a hindrance:

Next, if necessary, select additional installation settings (Advanced setup), where you can select the location of the folder with the disk, designate folders for synchronization (if you do not select, then all contents are synchronized), set it to automatically load when the system starts, allow Google Docs files to be synchronized:

At this point, the installation and initial setup are complete, a new Google Drive icon has appeared in the tray:

You can access the folder from Explorer. True, no system folder was created and the icon in the main Explorer window is similar, so remember which installation path you specified and look for this folder there. On this note, I end the review 🙂 and in conclusion, I suggest you look at the official one presenting Google Drive:

PS: if after installing the Google Drive application it does not start and an error window appears:

Google Drive cannot connect to the Internet. Please check your Internet connection.

then don’t despair, most likely this is a flaw in the beta version or a glitch. I encountered this error during the installation process, but I didn’t write about it, but it turned out that I wasn’t the only one…

The solution to the problem is repeated installation from the very beginning to the bitter end. During the installation process, the window for logging into your account is not always displayed (screenshot above), as a result of which it is not possible to establish a connection with the server. In theory, it should be fixed soon.

In this article, the tutorial Your-Smartphone will tell you how to use Google Drive cloud storage and what are the advantages of this cloud service.

1. How to install Google Drive:

For computer (PC)

First, you need to go to the official Google Drive website. There, enter your Google email username and password. If you still don’t have it, you need to register - this article will help you with this:.
Install Google Drive by clicking the “Download Google Drive for PC” button.
Enter your username and password again, after which a Google Drive folder will be created on your computer.
Transfer all the necessary files and documents into it.

For Android device

2. How to use Google cloud storage?

1. Flash drive 15 GB.

Initially free after registration 15 GB for storing files. Now you don’t need to buy a drive to transfer data; you just need to go to drive.google.com from any device (not necessarily your own) through a browser, enter your account information and you will immediately get access to all the files that are in your Google Drive. Moreover, they can be downloaded or edited directly on the Internet by clicking on the required document or folder.

You can also add any file or folder from your device to your Google cloud storage. If 15 GB is not enough for you, you can buy yourself more space: 100 GB or more for the price from $4.99 .

2. Automatic synchronization

When you change files and folders on one of your devices, they will be available in the latest version on all the others. To do this, you only need to connect your devices to the Internet.

3. Transferring files and folders

Now you don’t need to think about how to transfer a large file or folder, since not all email programs can handle this. You just need to select the required element, select the “Sharing” option, enter a name (for SMS), or an email or group address in the field, and the users you specified will be sent a link where they can view, download, or edit ( depending on what rights you specify for them in the access menu) sent material.

4. Real time operation

Moreover, if you work on documents, spreadsheets and presentations with other users, you don't have to copy and forward them every time. You can create and edit documents in real time, as if your colleagues were at the same table with you.

So, we looked at Google Drive cloud storage, how to download Google Drive and its capabilities.

If you have questions about setting up or using the Google Drive service, write in the comments below.

Cloud storage called Google Drive, also known as Google Drive in bourgeois, also formerly known as Google Docs, is located at drive.google.com and provides fifteen gigabytes for free. Since the most effective and visual method of cognition is comparison with analogues, it is applicable. And at the same time, we will explain everything scrupulously to inexperienced, novice computer users.

How to start

It all starts with mail. I mean, from registering with Gmail. This is the starting point for using any Google services; you can’t do without it.

Then we go to a service called Disk. You can either find it in the list of products, if you don’t see it in the bar at the top, or type the address indicated in the preamble.

Since it is extremely inconvenient to dump fifteen gigabytes into one pile, we create folders. For this purpose, on the left there is a red button with an obvious name that expands the list. In which we select “Folder”. All that remains is to enter its name and enter it.

Next to “Create” there is another button, also red, but slightly smaller. It shows an up arrow. This means uploading something to the cloud storage in question. Don't believe me? Hover your pointer over it and the “Download” prompt will pop up.

Click, select files, and wait for the process of uploading your data to the cloud to complete.

Unlike the situation observed in Ubuntu One, the download window does not disappear by itself when finished; you need to close it manually. But the scripts do not run amok when adding files to the list, do not warm up the computer and do not force the browser to slow down.

On Yandex.Disk, the fan at such a moment can roar like a wounded bear. But there, despite the service’s existence for quite a long time, everything is still so crooked, not optimized, buggy and faulty that there is nothing to be surprised about.

In the Dropbox web interface, only the so-called basic uploader actually works, which allows you to upload one file at a time. However, there are only two free gigabytes.

Download

Method one, for several files: check the boxes next to the desired objects - expand the list under the “More” button on the panel at the top (it appears after checking the boxes) - agree to download as a zip archive - wait for archiving to complete - finally download.

Method two, the easiest for any file: right click on it - “Download”.

Method three, if you clicked on something by accident: look at the darkened screen with a very meaningful message, they say, preview is impossible, there is nothing to open such a file, don’t blame me - find the button with the down arrow at the bottom right (this is how downloading is indicated) - Click on it to get the desired result.

Method four, for one document: click, wait for the document to open in the online application - “File - Download”.

SkyDrive's interface is clearer, more convenient, and has the highest level of intuitiveness. You can immediately see where you should click what, so as not to open the document in an online editor, but to download it immediately.

Well, Ubuntu One is just a storage facility, where the download is started by simply clicking on the file. But you won’t be able to pick up several pieces through the web interface in one fell swoop. For the reason that you cannot select several pieces. Although the service is developing, we will see further.

Let's go back to our Google Drive. What's really missing is the "Download" button next to "View" (with the stylized eye).

Documentation

In fact, documents can also be opened in Microsoft SkyDrive. Moreover, the ODF format (*.odt) is supported there, which for some reason has not yet been implemented in Google Drive, despite Google’s favor towards Linux.

When it comes to Google Drive, it's best to create documents from scratch rather than uploading ones made locally. It doesn't matter if the formatting gets lost. The problem is that tabs are thrown out at the beginning of each paragraph. Both in downloaded files created in LibreOffice Writer, and in text copied from LibreOffice.

In what format to download the results to disk, this also raises questions. It seems that it turns out completely without any jambs, only in PDF.

Photos

These are best packaged in archives and uploaded to the cloud in the form of zip files. Since Social+ is in a never-ending process of permanent development, photos may suddenly move to albums there (formerly Google Picasa). And in those albums, according to eyewitnesses, confusion often arises.

However, when using mobile devices, of course, there is no particular choice. Either the photos are uploaded to Google+ (using an app) or to Google Drive (via another app) along with other file types.

Moreover, it is quite difficult to predict further changes and nuances in the Google Drive application. But, of course, you can install it in Android and try it.

How to share

Right click on the file - “Sharing” - “Sharing” again. There are buttons for sending by mail to Gmail, as well as to social networks. But we are interested in specific, precise and controlled tuning. Therefore, in the “Access Levels” section, just below, click “Configure”. Everything is obvious there.

You can share a whole bunch of files at once. We tick them and press the button that appears at the top with a little man and a plus at his left shoulder. Then many links will be offered for copying at once.

Documents from links that you copy and place anywhere on the Internet will not be downloaded, but will be opened in the online editor. Therefore, to save them on a local disk (on a computer), the user will have to click “File - Download”.

You should also remember that the documents you share will certainly and inevitably be indexed in a search engine (Google, what else).

For the writer

Is the service suitable for a writer who intends to compose something online, traveling around the world and logging into Google Drive? The answer is clear: no.

For creative endeavors, only the Microsoft SkyDrive online editor in their cloud service is suitable.

Why? To understand this, it is enough to read and compare the user agreements. Google gets the right to use all your content literally (no exaggeration!) however they want. In fact, the user agreement cancels the entire set of copyrights, property and non-property. Microsoft, fortunately, does not allow anything like this.

The same applies to journalists, reporters writing dissertations, etc. Working on texts in the Google service under discussion is potentially unsafe.

Let's summarize

So, we made a comparison with similar services. Now, without breaking tradition, let's summarize.

Disadvantages of Google Drive cloud storage: lack of ODF support, not very intuitive interface, confusion with photo albums, user agreement gives Google the rights to anything and everything.

Advantages: fifteen gigabytes, convenient to share on Google+ and Twitter, convenient to send links by mail (Gmail), software is optimized and does not cause the computer to heat up, slow down, or glitch.

That is, to put it differently, it is better to keep more or less confidential files in Ubuntu One, work with documents in Microsoft SkyDrive, and share something with the world’s population in Google Drive.

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 the modern world, billions of terabytes of information are consumed. Just think about this value - billions, or even more.

The size of RAM in new computers is growing every year, but users still don’t have enough. The advent of external storage media, such as flash cards or removable hard drives, seemed to ease the situation. 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 drives is Google Drive. The advent of cloud storage in the famous search engine has 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 allows computer users to save money on flash cards and external hard drives by storing personal files on the Internet, saving time and simplifying 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, pdf, ODF format, etc.;
Excel tables;
photos;
video;
audio.

Google cloud storage can replace your hard drive and eliminate the problem of eternal loss and breakdown of flash drives. This method of storing information can also be used by those who suffer from a constant lack of memory on their computer, those who like to download movies in high quality, and 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 cannot be lost, forgotten, or broken. 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 a 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. You will feel the benefits of using cloud storage instead of removable storage media 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 access your storage via your phone or tablet, you need to download the Google Drive app. You can download it either from or from Google’s website.

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 the 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 effective work are 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.

by clicking on it you can show the link to anyone you want;
Using this button we can provide access to whomever we deem necessary, with different rights (reading, editing);
the well-known basket;
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 it - our file is loaded into the workspace. 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 on Google Drive is completely secure.

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 the most complex password so that hackers don’t have a single chance.

Only you have access to your documents. If necessary, a function is available in the Google Drive system 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.

Currently, Google Drive includes a complete package of programs similar to 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 Google Chrome web store. There are a sufficient number of paid and free applications that 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 the loss of removable storage, from possible worries due to lack of space, etc. With a virtual disk, all our files are at hand, wherever we are, and for this there is absolutely no need 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!

Cloud file storage is a fairly convenient way to save your data on a remote server, saving space on your PC’s hard drive and at the same time being able to quickly access it from any computer or device that has Internet access. One of the most popular services for cloud data storage is Google Drive.

Google Drive features

Google Drive provides its users with up to 15 GB of free space to store any files. In case this is not enough, for a fee the virtual disk can be expanded up to 1 Terabyte. If you wish, you can give other users access to some files stored in the cloud storage and specify the level of access - they can edit the file or only view it.

In addition, it is possible to open files directly in the browser window. Google Drive supports many common file formats, such as PDF, PSD, RAR, DOC, AVI, FLV and others. This feature is especially useful when you access a file storage service from a device that does not have the appropriate program to open the file.

Google Drive also has a recovery feature. The service saves all the changes you have made to files over the last 30 days, and if necessary, you can return the file to one of the previous versions.

Among the additional features of the service, it is worth highlighting the ability to work with documents together with other users and an advanced search function. While you're collaborating on a document, you can instant message with other users right in the document window. And Google Drive's advanced search even includes scanned documents.

How to use Google Drive

In order to start using the Google Drive cloud file storage service, you must first create an account on Google +. If you already have an account, you can immediately go to Google Drive and click the button Try it.

Download the installation distribution to your computer and install the program. Next, enter your data: email address and password. When setting up Google Drive, you can choose the location of the folder to sync. To do this, click the button Advanced settings and at the top of the window indicate the location of your folder.

After installation and configuration, folder synchronization will begin. The Google Drive icon should then appear in your taskbar. By clicking on this icon, you can open the Google Drive folder on your local computer or on the Internet, expand your cloud storage space, close Google Drive, or make some program settings.

All files that you place in your Google Drive folder will be automatically copied to Google cloud storage and you can access them from any device that has internet.

On your Google Drive page on the Internet, you can create a new document, presentation, drawing or table - there is a special editor for this, with an interface similar to MS Office.

To give other users access to a specific file, right-click on it and select the item from the context menu Sharing and configure the access level. Then copy the link and send it to those you want to share the file with.

If you delete a file from a Google Drive folder, it is placed in the Trash on your local computer and in the Trash in your cloud storage. To recover a deleted file from storage, go to the Google Drive page, click the button on the left menu More and select Basket. Go to the cart, check the box next to the items you want and click Restore.

Many companies provide free space in the cloud. This means that you can place your own files not on your computer’s hard drive, but on an external server owned, for example, by Mail.ru, Google, Yandex, Apple or other e-commerce giants. However, this does not mean that only they can offer cloud gigabytes. At the moment, even not very well-known portals and hosters are able to guarantee cloud services. The only question that remains is the reliability and security of such proposals.

How to use the Google.Disk cloud

One of the most popular cloud storage is Google Drive. It guarantees 5 GB. free space for any personal needs, easily expandable up to 25 GB. for only 2.5 dollars (and beyond). How to use it? First of all, you need to register an account with Google. If you already have an email account on Gmail, its data will work. If not, fill in all the required fields via the link and click “Next”. After this, go to the Google Drive start page, entering your username and password. Now you can use the storage without any problems. Your documents will be displayed in the “Files” section, and they can be easily accessed by guests and other third-party visitors (for example, via a link or a request from a specific email).

How to use Google Drive cloud on your computer

Access and management of the storage can be done through a special program installed on a PC. While on the Drive web page:

look for the “Download for PC” button at the bottom and left;
in the next window, click “Accept the terms and install”;
the installation process will begin;
when it is completed, click on the “Close” button;
launch the installed program and click on the “Login” button;
enter your username (email address) and password, and click “Login” again;
in the new window, click “Forward” - the program will notify us that the data from Google Drive will be synchronized with the selected folder on the PC;
if you select “Advanced settings”, you can change the name and location of the folder on your hard drive, as well as allow/disable autorun after turning on the PC;
Click on “Synchronize”, after which the setup is complete.

Next, any documents placed in the selected folder will be transferred to the cloud. You can use them online or on any other computer if you enter your login information. The same is true vice versa - once you place documents in Google Drive, you can easily take them to your home PC.

How to use the Yandex cloud. Disk on computer and online

Cloud storage from Yandex works similarly to Google Drive. Register on yandex.ru by clicking the “Mail” button and filling out the appropriate form. When an account is created, a “Drive” button will be available in the upper right corner. The file management program can be downloaded to your PC; to do this, from the main Disk window, click on the “Windows” button and go through all the standard installation steps. When the installation is complete, a folder with Yandex Disk documents will appear on your home computer. In the program settings you can choose:

on the “Basic” tab: launch when you turn on the PC and the path to the folder with files;
on the “Account” tab: login, password, number of remaining GB;
“Synchronization” - will display a list of all folders located on Yandex Disk and synchronized with the hard drive (can be disabled by unchecking the checkboxes, and vice versa);
“Screenshots” has the following settings: places desktop screenshots directly in the cloud;
“Advanced” - allows you to enable or disable updates, sending crash logs, and so on.

You can get other cloud storage from well-known brands like Dropbox, Mega, Mail.ru, Amazon, iCloud Drive, 4shared, SugarSync, OpenDrive, Syncplicity, SpiderOak.