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Cloud services compared, or why I’m all-in on Apple but not on iCloud

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I’ve been an Apple guy since forever. I bought the very first Macintosh back in 1984. My current mobile technology line-up is a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, 11-inch MacBook Air (now just a backup Mac), 9.7-inch iPad Pro and an iPhone SE. I’m all-in on Apple, and the ecosystem is a large part of that. Things may not always Just Work, but the Apple ecosystem gets closer to that than anyone else.

However, while I do make some use of iCloud, I’m not all-in on Apple’s cloud storage. In this piece, I compare the main cloud services out there, and finally describe the mix-and-match approach I use to get what I consider to be the best of all worlds …


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Google Drive for iOS updated w/ 3D Touch support, Slide Over & Split View multitasking [Updated]

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Google today has updated its Drive app on iOS with a handful of notable new features and enhancements. First off, today’s update to Drive, which bumps the app to version 4.4, adds 3D Touch support for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users. Now, pushing with more pressure on the Drive app icon will bring up two options, one to quickly upload photos and another to quickly search the contents of your Drive.


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Google Drive for iOS gets improved sharing experience w/ notifications & more

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Google Drive updates arriving today include new features for the service’s iOS app including sharing notifications and what Google promises will be a ‘consistent sharing experience across platforms.”

As part of its Drive mobile app updates today, both users of the iOS and Android apps can now enable notifications for when files are shared with them. Not only is it a notification, but it also acts as a quick link to jump right into the file or folder. And in addition, Google notes that “If a file/folder owner has notifications turned on and someone requests access to their content, the owner will be notified of the request instantly on their mobile device so they can quickly grant access.”

Another feature in the update for the Google Drive iOS app is what Google describes as a new consistent sharing experience, which essentially means the iOS app sharing experience is now on par with the Drive app on other platforms. You’ll notice the addition of an option to add a custom message when sharing:

We’re implementing a more consistent sharing experience in Drive (and the Docs editor apps too!) across platforms, including the ability for people using the Drive iOS app to add custom messages to recipients directly from the app when sharing a file.

The updated Google Drive app for iPhone and iPad is available now.

Google Drive for iOS update brings multiple file select, quick sharing, and more

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A new update to Google Drive for iOS brings a couple notable, highly-requested features to the app. Included in the update, users will now be able to select multiple files at once in order to perform an action like saving for offline, adding a star to important files, or rearranging and organizing. The new feature is something that has long been requested by users and makes managing and sharing multiple files at once much easier than in the past.

In addition, the update includes the ability to share, rename or view file details much quicker with new quick share buttons when tapping on a file.

And lastly, Google says the updated app will include the usual performance improvements.

The updated Google Drive app for iOS is available on the App Store now.

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Google Calendar for iPhone adds Drive integration, new interactive notifications, more

Google Calendar is out with an improved version for the iPhone today with version 1.1. The list of changes is short but the improvements should be welcome.

The update includes integration with Google Drive so users can connect files with events on your calendar. Interactive notifications now include the ability to open directions from alerts or respond to guests via email. Finally, users can now see week numbers next to the calendar and more entries using the week view.

Google Calendar for iPhone is available for free on the App Store. Version 1.1 follows the initial launch in mid-March. Full release notes below:
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Google updates iOS Google Docs app with improved editing features, faster loading

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Google has updated its iOS for editing Google documents on the move. The Google Docs app now allows you to accept, reject or comment on suggestions, as well as edit tables and track changes and comments in Word files; move, resize and delete spreadsheets; and reorder objects on slides.

Google said that PowerPoint presentations will also be faster to load and scroll.

A previous update back in January allowed password-protected documents using Touch ID. Google Docs is a free download from iTunes.

VLC for iOS back in the App Store for some/upgraders, should be available to all shortly

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The VLC for iOS app–a favorite media player for many–has returned to the App Store in some countries and is expected to be available for all shortly. Some existing US users (us included!) are also reporting on Reddit being able to update to the latest version (2.4.1) if they have the previous version from before it was removed.

The app has something of a checkered history in the App Store, first removed from the store way back in 2011 after a licensing dispute; the original open-source developers claiming that the App Store terms were incompatible with the GNU Public License for the code. The app finally returned in 2013 before disappearing once more last September … 
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Google rolling out updated Drive app for Mac w/ new status menu & bandwidth control

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Google is rolling out an updated version of its Google Drive app for Mac and PC this week with a few handy new features. First, you’ll find (as you can see above) that Google has updated the status menu to show much more information than before. Now, you can see the files that are being synced up to the cloud as well as a check mark next to them that will appear as they do so. The app will also make it clear which files are currently syncing and which files are yet to be synced. Additionally, hovering over an item will let you share it straight from the menu.


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Google Drive for iOS adds Touch ID unlocking, video saving, iPhone 6/Plus support, more

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In addition to updating its Maps app with an overhauled design, Google has released a new version of its Drive app for iPhone and iPad users adding support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus as well as some new iOS 8 features.

The Google Drive file storage app can now be secured using Touch ID so users with supported devices (iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3) can unlock the app using the fingerprint scanner. The new version of Drive also includes an extension to “open form and save to Drive in other apps” for iOS 8 users, and videos can now be saved from Drive to the Photos app (instructions below). Google says the new version of Drive for iPhone and iPad also includes full iOS 8 compatibility, bug fixes, and performance improvements.

Google Drive 3.3 for iPhone and iPad is available for free on the App Store. Full change log below.
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Google Drive now lets you open files in compatible Mac apps w/ new Chrome extension

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Google announced today that it’s releasing a new Chrome extension called Application Launcher for Drive that allows users to open files directly from its Google Drive service in compatible apps on a Mac or PC. The extension adds an “Open With” option that will let users launch files in apps like, for example, Mac OS X’s Preview app or third-party editing apps like those from Adobe and Microsoft.
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Google Drive for iOS updated w/ syncing speed boost & upload progress

It’s been a few months since Google released version 3.1 of its Drive app for iOS, and today an update in the form of Google Drive 3.2 is available for users. The changes are slim but something users will likely appreciate.

In the latest version, Google says Drive is now faster at syncing data, and uploading files now shows a progress indicator as well as the destination for the file.

The update follows the recent release of Google Slides for iOS after it shipped Docs and Sheets earlier this year.

Drive users can find the latest version on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

 

Dropbox dramatically cuts pricing to compete, 1TB now just $9.99/month

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Dropbox has today slashed its pricing and doubled the maximum storage space from 500GB to 1TB. Up until yesterday, you’d have been paying $500/year for 500GB; today you can pay just $120/year (or $99/year when paying annually) for a terabyte.

The new deal finally brings Dropbox into line with Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. Apple users may want to hold off for now, however, with Apple’s new iCloud pricing – which includes iCloud Drive – expected to be broadly similar … 
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iCloud storage warning emails already referencing iOS 8 & iCloud Drive

Those annoying iCloud storage warning email notifications have begun referencing the upcoming iOS 8 and iCloud Drive, according to multiple tips from readers. This change in the copy within the emails likely indicates that Apple is already preparing for the upcoming debuts of the new iCloud and iOS releases. Here’s one of the emails:

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As can be seen, Apple explains how to handle iCloud storage via iOS 8 and mentions iCloud Drive as a feature. Both iOS 8 and iCloud Drive should hit the marketplace around mid-September. iOS 8 adds features like the iCloud Photo Library, new Health app, and HomeKit API, while iCloud Drive is essentially Apple’s variant of Dropbox.


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