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Google+ now allows full-size photo uploads from desktop browsers
As glad as we are that Google gave mobile photographers the chance to upload full-size photos to Google+ back in December, the absence of a desktop equivalent has been more than a little conspicuous. We're back to equilibrium now that Google has enabled full-size uploading from any old computer's browser. Enable the option and a collection can hit the servers just as you'd remembered it. Like with mobile uploads, though, this isn't intended as a large-scale backup service: any images more than 2,048 pixels across (or videos over 15 minutes) will still count towards whatever your Google Drive cap may be. Don't upload a gigapixel-class photo of your vacation, then, but do know you'll have a safe place to store everyday photos in all their original glory.
Google Drive rolling out UI tweaks for shared folders
As much as we love Google Drive, its neither the prettiest nor simplest cloud storage interface. New UI tweaks rolling out to users starting today aren't suddenly going to change that hierarchy too much, but they should add some much needed polish. When you view shared folders now, you'll get a much more visually appealing layout and access to the new preview function that lets you quickly flip between files. And, perhaps the most welcome change, is the new "Add to Drive" button that will conspicuously live in the upper right-hand corner. Now adding shared material to your own Drive account is just a single click away. Normally, this is where we'd say hit up the source for more details, but that's really it. Enjoy!
Strategy Analytics: iCloud, Dropbox and Amazon top cloud media in the US
We often focus on market share for hardware, but cloud media services increasingly dictate our lives after the devices have reached our bags and pockets. Wouldn't it be nice to know who rules the online media landscape? According to Strategy Analytics' just-published study from the fall, it's Apple's iCloud and iTunes Match that are top dogs in the US at a combined 27 percent of usage -- a not entirely surprising lead when Apple has pushed hard on iCloud's media syncing since iOS 5, and has large swaths of market share in MP3 players and tablets, not just smartphones. There's a considerably tougher fight involved for just about everyone else, however, including Google. Dropbox and Amazon Cloud Player are almost neck-and-neck at 17 and 15 percent respectively, while Google Drive holds just 10 percent. Music is clearly the driving force, Strategy Analytics says: when audio represents 45 percent of the content on a generic platform like Dropbox, companies ignore tunes at their own peril. Just don't confuse market share with absolute popularity. A full 55 percent of those asked hadn't used a cloud media service at all, which suggests that there's a long road to travel before we're all streaming and syncing our collections.
Google Drive Realtime API arrives, lets developers make collaborative apps
Google has been eager to have programmers weave Google Drive sharing and syncing into their apps, but the coveted live collaboration has remained solely in Google's domain. Until today, that is. The company has posted a Google Drive Realtime API that lets third-party apps integrate the same simultaneous collaboration as Google Drive, including important nuances like conflict resolution and presence. More enterprising coders can create custom objects beyond what Google offers on its own. A handful of companies are already using the Realtime API for apps that everyday users can try right away, such as Draw.io, Gantter and Neutron Drive; other developers just need to visit the source link to get started.
The Daily Roundup for 03.18.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Google Drive suffering from service outage
If there's ever a great time for Google Drive to start having issues, it's first thing on a Monday morning. We've received a not-inconsiderable fleet of tips from readers saying their access to the cloud storage service has been flaky, and similar complaints can currently be found all over Twitter. Google's service website confirms that there's "an issue," but the company hasn't yet shared any specifics. We've reached out to Mountain View for more details, and we'll let you know if we learn more. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Google Keep briefly teases note-taking utility for Drive, vanishes soon after
Another day, another leak from Google. As The Next Web reports, a note-collecting service called Keep was accessible on Google Drive for a short period of time last night -- and if your short-term memory is a bit cloudy, Drive itself got leaked in a similarly bizarre fashion before getting official last year. 1E100 had initially found source code, images and various links that seemed to point to Keep, which apparently went live soon after. Interestingly, while all of the links point to error pages, one redirects to a specific, unresolveable app url on Google Play. Android Police was able to snag some screenshots of the web app in action -- albeit disconnected from Drive at the time -- noting that it's reminiscent of Mountain View's late Notebook service that was killed in '09. Whether the likes of Evernote will have to worry remains to be seen, but the added functionality to Drive will certainly be appreciated -- now, how about letting us get at that Now app for iOS?
Draft cloud editor saves writing in stages, imports from just about anywhere
Although web-based editors like Google Docs are wonderful for writers who don't have a save shortcut hardwired in their muscle memory, they're lousy for anyone who's interested in seeing major revisions on the road to a final copy. Nathan Kontny's new Draft web app might be far more helpful for those creators who work step by step. It lets writers declare given document versions as mid-progress drafts, and offers editing side-by-side with older versions to see just what's new in the current session. The app also avoids some of the lock-in that comes with cloud services by allowing imports and syncing with Box, Dropbox, Evernote and Google Drive. There's no easy way to directly publish online as this stage, but if you're only concerned with producing a masterwork in the cloud from start to draft to finish, Kontny's web tool is waiting at the source link.
Google Drive gets file previews, Android app now outfitted with video streaming
Mountain View has just made it easier to peek the contents of Google Drive files on the web with a brand-new preview feature. Now, users will be able to quickly view up to 30 file types (photos, videos, PDFs and more) in a lightbox overlay, and thumb through by clicking right and left arrows within the window. When it comes to documents, folks can zoom in and out, scroll through pages, and even select and copy text. If the update hasn't made it to your account already, Page and Co. say you can expect it to roll out over the next few days. As for the Drive's Android app, it's been updated to let devices wielding Honeycomb or higher stream video saved on the service. According to the changelogs, the application has also been upgraded with performance enhancements, pinch-to-zoom in the presentation viewer and a grab bag of bug fixes and assorted tweaks.
Google Drive for iOS adds Quickoffice support, multiple photo uploads
Google has issued an update to its free Google Drive app for iPhone and iPad that adds some welcome new features and tweaks some existing ones. Version 1.2.2 of Google Drive brings a welcome enhancement for iOS shutterbugs in the form of the ability to upload more than one photo at a time, and Quickoffice users will find that they can open and save documents created with that app. Other more minor enhancements include a new font (Helvetica Neue) for Docs, diagonal scrolling and cell formatting options in Sheets and better animations/transitions in Slides. The latter has also gained the option to use pinch to zoom when creating and editing slides. [via iMore]
Google Drive scores multiple photo and video uploads on iOS, Wallet gets visual refresh on Android
Mountain View's just doled out an update to Google Drive on iOS, giving it the ever so slight bump to version 1.2.2 and a handful of new features. Font fanatics could see the addition of Helvetica Neue to Docs as the big ticket item in the new release, but the ability to upload multiple photos and videos otherwise headlines the batch of improvements. With the latest version, pinch to zoom now works with slides and QuickOffice users can open files and save them to Drive. In addition, spreadsheets have been freshly endowed with improvements to animations, diagonal scrolling and cell formatting for dates, decimals, currency and the like. Google Wallet on Android also received an update, but it focused on delivering a revamped UI and sundry improvements to stability and battery use. Now, the app packs navigation tabs and houses cards under the "My Wallet" section. Hit the neighboring source links to give either application a spin.
Google, HelloFax, Manilla, Fujitsu and others urge you to go paperless in 2013
Even with the popularity of cloud computing and terabyte servers, most US offices are still drowning in a sea of dead trees; around 10,000 sheets of paper a year per worker, according to the EPA. Enter Paperless 2013, a campaign that will email you monthly tips on how to make the paperless office a reality. It's funded by the "Paperless Coalition," a group of digital solution companies comprised of Google Drive, HelloFax, Manilla, HelloSign, Expensify, Xero and Fujitsu ScanSnap -- none of which have any ulterior motive behind encouraging this paper-free existence. None at all. Of course, you don't have to go with these specific companies to go eco-friendly (Dropbox and PDFPen are a couple of other options) but if you need some advice on how to shed those wasteful printing habits, then go ahead and sign up at the source. Or you could do what we did and unplug our printers altogether -- just in case it gets possessed.
Google Apps for Business users get free Quickoffice for iPad
Google purchased mobile productivity suite maker Quickoffice this past June and now we're seeing one of the fruits of that buyout. Starting immediately, users of Google Apps for Business will gain free access to a specialized free version of Quickoffice for iPad. The app, which requires you to enter your Google Apps for Business credentials in order to function, has been built specifically to work with Google Drive. Using the company's cloud storage service, you can create, store and open Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. Of course, if you aren't a Google Apps for Business user, you can still download Quickoffice Pro HD (US$7.99) from the App Store.
Google Apps for Business users receive Quickoffice for iPad as a freebie
If Google recently caught you off-guard with its announcement that Google Apps would move to a $50 per user model, perhaps some free software will help restore balance to your world. Today, the company announced a free version of Quickoffice for the iPad, which is an exclusive perk for users of Google Apps for Business. The software suite allows users to view, edit and create Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, and as proof that integration isn't lost on Google, all files are stored to Google Drive. For the moment, only iPad users will be treated to this free version of Quickoffice, but Google insists that iPhone and Android versions are on the way. If you'll recall, this is the same bit of software that Google purchased earlier this year. Nice to see it's being put to good use.
Google Drive extension lets you save pieces of the web to the cloud
Earlier today, a new Google Drive extension was released to the Chrome Web Store. This productivity tool provides users with a new way to capture and store web-based content. By clicking the extension's icon, you can save a copy of a webpage, its HTML source code, or a web archive. You can also save items by right-clicking photos or file links. In addition, Google has introduced new scrolling, fit to page and 100 percent image viewing options, along with the ability to comment on selected areas of pictures saved to your Drive. Whether you're looking for a replacement for Skitch, or an easy way to collect snippets of the web, this extension just might be what the doctor ordered.
Google Drive adds site publishing, won't quite replace your Geocities page
The hit parade of Google Drive updates continues. As of today, account holders can publish web content to their Drive storage in a public folder accessible from any browser; it can even host JavaScript for those who want to run web apps from their personal space. Lest we rush to toss out our existing web hosts, however, Google has some inherent ground rules. Content has to be static, and any links to other pages or files in the folder need a special approach to show web addresses that make sense to mere humans. As such, Google Drive won't quite relive the glory days of 1998 and simple web tools; at least we can still add a permanent "under construction" GIF.
Google adds spreadsheet creation and editing to mobile versions
Google has added the capability to both create and edit spreadsheets to its Google Drive apps, so you can now calculate and tally up whatever you like in a spreadsheet while out on the go. Users could previously browse shared spreadsheets on the app, but the latest update, for version 1.2.0, brings full spreadsheet editing capability in for all users. The update also adds a new screen to view recent Drive uploads, and you can also now upload to Google Drive directly from a mobile device. Just use the "Open in..." feature in whatever app your document is currently sitting in, and Google Drive should appear as an option. Open it up there, and the doc will automatically be uploaded to Google's cloud service. Pretty snazzy. Of course, Google Drive remains a free service (at least to start) and the app is still a free download.
Google adds spreadsheet editing to Drive mobile app
It's frustrated many a Drive user, and Google has taken heed, adding on-the-go spreadsheet editing to the service's iOS and Android apps. In addition to making tweaks to existing cells, users will also be able to create new spreadsheets from their iPads, iPhones or any Android device. You'll also have realtime access, letting you see changes from friends and colleagues as they're made. Other app tweaks include improved formatting reproduction for content pasted between Google documents, along with the ability to add Android home screen shortcuts to any Drive file. Hit up Google Play for the updated application today.
Google adds Drive integration to new Gmail composer, ups attachment limit to 10 gigs
If you've used Gmail to send attachments, chances are you've hit that 25MB limit once or twice. Beginning today, Google is rolling out a new Drive integration feature, letting you insert files that you already have in the cloud, effectively boosting the limit 400 fold to 10 gigs. The feature isn't available to everyone just yet, but if you're using the new composer tool and see the Drive logo in the bottom toolbar, you should be good to go. Simply click the icon and choose your file -- if the intended recipient doesn't already have access, you'll be prompted to give them the nod. And, because the file is already stored in the cloud, any changes you make after the message goes out will be visible to your recipient, effectively letting you tweak that presentation or term paper after the submission deadline has passed. You'll find the full scoop at the source link below. [Thanks, Kate]
Google adds Earth support and usability tweaks to Drive, new search options in Gmail
Google doesn't usually buy into the whole "lets package a bunch of new features into a major upgrade" thing. So, while the ability to search your Gmail based on the size of a message or have finer grained control over the time-related filters may not seem like a huge deal, remember this tiny new tweak is part of a laundry list of improvements made over the last year. The crew at Mountain View hasn't forgotten about Drive either. Starting today you can now search documents according to the names of people you've shared them with and even open up Google Earth files (.kml and .kmz) right in your browser. A number of small usability improvements have also been made, including the ability to create a new folder right from the organize pane (finally!). You can even drag and drop entire folders from your desktop to Drive, so long as you're running Chrome. For a few more details check out the source links.
