Take Google Drive for a Spin

What is Google Drive and should you take it for a spin?

Maybe you’ve noticed the banner of tabs at the top of the Google homepage: Images, Maps, Gmail, etc.

Between the Gmail and Calendar tab, you’ll find the Drive tab. No, it’s not Google’s new car, but in fact an easy-to-use online collaboration tool and file storage page.

What does “online collaboration” mean?
Think of Google Drive like a virtual conference room. This meeting space allows you and friends, coworkers, (or even a few distant cousins) to work on the same document, at the same time–even if you’re in Knoxville and your partner is in New York.

Basically, Google Drive cuts out the time waiting for a document to be emailed and sent back with revisions, because you can “meet up” in Google Drive to work on it together, simultaneously.

What about file storage?
Google Drive offers 15GB of free storage space with no strings attached just for signing up. That means you can store and share tons of photos, videos, presentations and spreadsheets without weighing down your hard drive. All you need is internet access. You “data heavy” users can also purchase more space if you want it.

Sounds cool, how do real life people use Drive?
Meet Susan. She’s a commercial real estate agent. Her partner, Tom, is out of town, but she needs him to read and revise a lease. Thankfully, she wrote the lease in Google Drive.

Even while Susan is working on the lease, Tom is revising the same document. It’s like they are sitting side by side – virtually. The lease gets updated in no time and they have saved plenty of confusion and time by not having to email a storm of feedback.

How do I sign-up?
If you already have a Gmail account, all you need to do is click on “Drive” on the Google homepage where you will be asked to follow a very simple setup, then you are ready to start “Driving.”

If you do not have a Gmail account, when you click Drive it will prompt you to set up a new account, which takes no time.

Google Drive is a win-win all around. We think it’s worth checking out if a collaborative online tool would make your life easier!