Google "GDrive" a strike-out

"Google is planning a massive online storage facility to encompass all users' files," according to various reports.

The GDrive, previously the subject of chatroom rumour, would offer a mirror of users' hard drives, Reuters said.

The [Google] notes said: "With infinite storage, we can house all user files, including e-mails, web history, pictures, bookmarks, etc; and make it accessible from anywhere (any device, any platform, etc)."

This strikes me as a dumb idea. The last thing I want is my entire hard drive's contents sitting on a foreign server, even if I can access them from anywhere. USB key drives and flash memory technology are rapidly advancing; soon I'll be able to host all my important files (music, documents, backup stuff) on a USB drive attached to my key ring. In fact, some new USB drives allow you to install software on them, enabling the user to effectively use his programs on any computer and leave no trace on the machine. With a cheap and portable physical drive, my data is safer and accessing my files won't require internet access (like the GDrive), which would be limited to broadband or faster for practical reasons.

Sorry Google, I'll pass.

Tags: Google, GDrive, flash memory, USB