Keep an eye on your cloud docs with 'Google Drive on WP'

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Christoph Purrer is behind 'Google Drive on WP', a third party client for Google's cloud-based file service that has been updated this week. Offering you access to your online office documents, PDFs, and other files, the client is a useful tool to have around, but it does have some execution issues.

Given the issues around an official YouTube app from Google (i.e. there isn't going to be one), anyone holding their breath for a Windows Phone 8 client for Google Drive from Mountain View is going to be oxygen starved for a very long time.

Because of the siloed nature of Windows Phone apps, editing documents on Google Drive means saving the resulting edit to your SkyDrive account (not back to the phone), and then uploading the changed version back to Google Drive. Quite a few hoops, but looking at how I use Google Drive on other mobile devices, i tend to use it as a reading service, so the options offered here are more than enough for my needs.

 Google Drive on WP Google Drive on WP

Naturally your mileage may vary. Here's the features list from the App Directory listing:

  • Download and view your Google Drive files as PDF, in Office or in the browser
  • Google Drive Items are categorized by different tabs such as ‘My Drive’, ‘Shared with me’, ‘Starred’, ‘Recent’, ‘Trash’ and ‘Offline’
  • Access downloaded files in the ‘Offline’ tab even without an Internet connection
  • Sort by ‘Title’, ‘Last opened by me’, ‘Last opened’ and ‘Last edited’
  • Show Google Drive items in a list view with detailed information or in a tiles view with preview thumbnails
  • Multiple accounts can be added at once and switched in the Settings … page
  • Rename, Star / Unstar, Remove, Share and Send File links via Email
  • Move Google Drive items to the Trash, restore them or delete them forever
  • Create folders and upload pictures from your Windows Phone
  • Search for Google Drive items while you are online
  • Edit Word documents offline via Office and send the changes back to Google Drive.

Google Drive on WP is a free download for your handset, and you can find it via the AAWP App Directory.

Source / Credit: Find it in the AAWP App Directory