Google Drive may launch next week

5GB Free online Storage with Google Drive

The Next Web (TNW) article google-drive-detailed-5-gb-for-free-launching-next-week-for-mac-windows-android-and-ios by Brad McCarty received a draft release about Google Drive the service that has been rumoured for a long time as coming soon.

Google Drive is a cloud service for file storage, synchronization and sharing.  Word out is that accounts will be initially allocated 5GB of free storage, with the option to purchase more,  which is 3GB more than currently on offer with a Dropbox account, but the same amount that iCloud offers to none MobileMe account holders.   Google Drive will be available for Mac, Windows, Android and ios users.

Google Chrome Beta for Android 4.0 now available

Google Chrome Beta for Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich can be
downloaded from 7th Feb 2012 in the following countries:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Japan
• Korea
• Mexico
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

The browser features tabbed browsing, fast browsing and search function plus easy syncing from your computer.  Installation on your mobile phone or tablet only takes three steps:

1. Touch Download.
2. Touch Accept & download
3. Touch the Chrome icon on your Apps or home screen

Download Google Chrome Beta
Visit Google Chrome Web Store

Google Earth 3D Route View

If you like the zoom to feature in Google Maps, being able to see you route in advance via 3D view in Google Earth mode is tailor made for you.

• Click Get Directions
• Choose your mode of transport
• Enter your destination
• Choose Route
• Click the 3D Arrow

TIP:
Using the  lower left corner button in the map.
Pause to explore the route in more detail,
THEN click play to resume your 3D experience

Photo Credit:
Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Google becomes a teenager Happy 13th Birtthday

Today Google becomes a teenager, happy birthday 13 today.

Google filed for incorporation in Califormia on September 4th 1998.  The name Google was chosen by company founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin and is a play the words googol (The number 1 followed by 100 zeros).  By December of the same year Google were cited as being "a great search engine" by PC Magazine Online .  Eric Schmidt became CEO of  Google in 2001,  Larry became president of Products and Sergey president of Technology.

Commemorative Doodles around the Google Logo were introduced in 1998 and over the last 13 years there have been over 1000 doodles (700 international and 300 US designs)  The first Google doodle was a stick figure representing the Burning Man festival in Nevada.  See All Google Logo Doodles.   One of the most nostalgic doodles was an animated Pac-Man Google Logo  on the 22 May 2010.

Each year Google accept submissions to their Doodle 4 Google competition.

April 1st 2000 saw the first of Google's April Fools Day Pranks.  What elevates Google from just being a search engine is the sense of humour and personality displayed by the pranks, Easter Eggs that can be found within their services, the dressing up of the Pegman in Google Maps Street View and specialized Search Engine Options like Swedish Chef,  Images, Chuck Norris,  Klingon, and Gravity.

Since their humble beginning Google services have expanded to include Docs, Labs, AdWords, Directory, Blogs, AdSense, Translate, Analytics,  Nexus Android Phone, Gmail and much much more.