Each GMail account comes with a 2.8Gb (and counting) storage capacity but how many are actually utilizing it fully? Here’s 2 ways how you can turn your GMail into an online storage. That’s right, a 2.8Gb (if you have only 1 account) web storage to keep/retrieve anything you want online simply just by uploading/downloading them.

Way 1. Gspace Extension for Firefox

This is an extension for firefox with a interface very similar to FTP application. It comes in 4 different modes (File transfer mode, Player mode, Photo mode, Gmail drive mode), with File transfer mode as default. Here’s how File transfer mode looks like.

• Top left – My Computer
• Top right – My Gspace
• Bottom left – Transfer progress
• Bottom right – Transfer status

How to Transfer

Select file(s) from Top left (My Computer) and click upload button.

It’s Hot

• 1 click to check your Gmail emails
• Able to restrict transfers to particular extensions
• Ability to send files to other users
• Handles multiple Gmail Account

It’s Not

• Not a standalone application, only works in Firefox
• “Click” to upload instead of “Drag”

Install Gspace Extension for Firefox / Download Firefox with Google Toolbar

Way 2. GMail Drive

This is probably the more popular among both. Download GMail Drive setup file; install and you will see a new drive named “GMail Drive” in My Computer.

How to Use

How do you copy a file from a folder to another? Exactly. Drag and drop.

It’s Hot

• Simple interface and easy to use; Drag (files from computer) and drop (GMail account)
• Standalone application (check with the requirements)

It’s Not

• It handles one GMail account, Gspace Extension for Firefox can handle multiple.
• Pure storage of files, there is no file sharing options
• Only works for Microsoft Windows

Download GMail Drive

My Verdict

Organize by folders

Both support folders and this helps organizing files when files build up. One thing I noticed in Gspace Extension for Firefox, you must “cut” a file and “paste” it manually into a folder whereas in GMail Drive it’s as easy as dragging from source to destination. However both still does the trick.

Cluttered Inbox

Every upload you do, the application sends it as email to your Gmail account and leave tracks like this. It may look messy, however if you use the Gmail account “purely” for storage I don’t see a reason why we need to access the Inbox 

What Google thinks?

I’m not really sure. Once this gets popular, users will be using this for pure storage. Is this taking advantage of Google Gmail? Will google banned this? A reader in Tech-buzz says no but still, I’m kinda worried.

Between the 2, I choose..

Gspace Extension for Firefox. Firstly I want to support Firefox, secondly I do most of my job in Firefox; a plugin within Firefox would be great and finally supporting multiple account is exactly what I’m actually looking for. Thanks Thilak for showing this.

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Posted by hongkiat in Web Tricks , at 03.22.07