Are tablets just shiny toys or can they be used in a professional work environment? Google Drive, a free cross platform mobile and desktop application, provides way for people to take work with them without the hassle of emailing copies. This software also boasts a synchronous collaborative work environment.  Above all tablets should provide functionally and convenience whilst on the go, but does Google Drive provide what you need? Try Google Drive for yourself and search “Google Drive” in the iOS and Android stores.

There has been much debate about the functionality of a tablet and if it is appropriate for work life. The main issue with tablet devices is being able to access and edit documents particularly when later accessing the same document on your desktop. This is important when a user is away from their desktop, typically at a meeting or traveling. A way of getting around this was to email the documents to yourself, edit it on the tablet and email the edited version back. This usually results in time wasted managing versions and clearing one’s inbox. Utilsation of cloud services would provide users’ access to their documents regardless of their location and device.  There is still a lot of development regarding connecting these cloud services with mobile editing applications.

Dropbox appeared to provide part of the solution by keeping a copy of the most up to date version of a document on all devices, but due to licensing there is no ability to edit the document, only to view it.  Editing would require that the document be opened in another application, invariably creating more duplicates of the same document.

Google Drive appears to be a step closer to integrating documents, the cloud and mobile devices. With the Google Drive app, available on both iOS and Android, users can edit documents on the go knowing that they always have the most up to date version.

What are the benefits?

• Live online collaboration: Documents can be shared with others thereby allowing multiple editors to shape a document providing an effective means of collaboration. This video demonstrates a time-lapse example of live collaboration. Not only is there live collaboration but this works cross platform; users can be editing simultaneously from their iPads, smart phones, android devices and desktop computers, all being able to edit and see the edits of others in real time.
• Stores version history enabling documents to be reverted if accidental deletes are made.
• Ease of sharing:  Google drive is designed to add collaborators, anyone with a Google account can be added. View only links can be sent out or it can be made public on the web.
• No matter who is editing and where it is being edited from there is only ever one copy of the document. (Copies can be made and a version history is kept.)
• Collaborative discussion amongst editors, across platforms.

What are the constraints?

• This software does require a constant Internet connection to edit files, not necessarily a problem in a meeting but potential problems can occur when traveling on a train where mobile Internet comes and goes. Having tested this personally it does not require much of a connection to work. Google Drive employs live saving so if the Internet connection does go down then you know that the document is safe.
• Limited editor in the mobile version; the text editor is simplified in comparison to Microsoft Word, so don’t expect to create wizzy graphics, but for most simple documents it has good functionality (these include; fonts, bold, italic, underline, alignment, bullet points and indentation). The web based interface does have significantly enhanced functionality.
• Mobile versions only allows the creation of text documents and spreadsheets (presentations can be played).

Other points

• Google use their own file format, when downloading the file users will be given the options to convert it into PDF, Microsoft Office or Openoffice documents.

Google Drive in Higher Education

Having discussed this technology with the academic community, there are a number of ways they are using it. Supporting meeting documentation. For all those who do not have a tablet device and still rely on paper in meetings/lectures/seminars, a good way of giving access to Google Drive documents is to put a “bit.ly” (shortened web link) at the top of the printed off document.  This will then provide a student or staff member the ability to access the document and see any updates that have subsequently been made as a result of the meeting/lecture/seminar.

Promoting continual engagement among students, especially useful for continuing a seminar. For example giving students access to a document that they can contribute to collaboratively in the seminar as part of completing a task (assuming each student has access to the internet). Each student then has access to that document after the seminar has finished and may continue to collaborate and update it.

Data privacy: A cautionary note that applies when using cloud software

The majority of companies that provide cloud storage have their main offices in the United States.  This means that when you save your data to the “cloud”  it is probably being sent to a data storage centre in the United States.  The United States less stringent regulations on how personal data is stored that the EU, therefore subject to more abuse.  On top of this all data stored in the United States is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act  meaning that their government can scrutinise the data without court order or warrant.

So what about data stored within the EU?  If you were instead where to use the services of Google UK or Mircorsoft UK this would mean that data would be stored within the EU.  To deal with data privacy issues the  EU and US have come to an agreement when data needs to be sent back to the main office (in the US), it is protected to the EU minimum standard (Safe Harbo(u)r).  Unfortunately once the data enters the US it is still subject to the USA PATRIOT Act.

It is my opinion that these risks are almost unavoidable when using cloud solutions, and for me the benefits outweigh the risks. My personal advice is to ensure that you do not breach any of the EU’s data privacy legislation is to not store any personal information of others on any cloud service.

Further Reading:

Safe Harbor: Why EU data needs ‘protecting’ from US law

Patriot Act can “obtain” data in Europe, researchers say