Google's GDrive has the potential to disrupt the PC, storage, virus, and a few other industries. Who wins and who loses?
In 1980, Steve Balmer's mother said "Why would a person ever need a computer?". Soon all you will need is a keyboard and monitor.
The transformation of computer processing is going online, so why shouldn't our data be stored online too? There is a tipping point of sorts here for Google. Up until now they have been great at providing access to data on the Net, but now they are attempting to provide you access to YOUR data.
You can get by if one of Google's applications is offline, or if their search engine doesn't give you the desired results, but could you survive if GDrive failed?
From WSJ Online Google Plans Service to Store Users' Data
Google Inc. wants to offer consumers a new way to store their files on its hard drives, in a strategy that could accelerate a shift to Web-based computing and intensify the Internet company's competition with Microsoft Corp.
Google is preparing a service that would let users store on its computers essentially all of the files they might keep on their personal-computer hard drives -- such as word-processing documents, digital music, video clips and images, say people familiar with the matter. The service could let users access their files via the Internet from different computers and mobile devices when they sign on with a password, and share them online with friends.
Why won't it work for Google?
Until Google offers real time technical support, consumers will not trust storing their data with an email based tech support service. If Google expects to offer a "we will store your data" service, they must implement a 24 hour tech support line.
I expected Microsoft, Verisign, Dell or even local ISPs (trusted names) to come out with an online storage service. Store your data for a fee based on size or time. Verisign would access your computer daily (or at a time you request) and backup any new data.
You could then access your data from any computer. In addition, your storage provider would be in charge of updating for new viruses and scan regularly.
Because Google's tech support is non-existent, I would rather store my data with my ISP. I can reach my ISP 24/7 if there's a problem.
3 comments:
Good points and I agree. But some might argue "free" is good incentive for doing without support?
Free can also mean Google assumes no liabilities.
You get what you pay for.
Many people have blindly believed Google will dominate the Internet industry. which is not really the case. In fact, out of the search market, Google has not been successful. This doesn't hurt for Google to get a lot of media exposure. Taking for example, GDrive was rumored for years... but the real online storage king is always a small innovator, not a big behemoth like Google. I recommend everybody to try DriveHQ Online Storage and Online Backup service (www.drivehq.com). I feel the usability, the group and sub-group file sharing, the advanced folder synchronization features are really killer apps. Even if Google launches its online storage service, it will be too late to catch up.
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