Free 2gb Addition for Google Drive

Google wants to make sure your account is secure by reminding you to run the free security check. You can always run the security check, but from not until February 17, 2015, Google will give you a thank you gift of 2gb for your Google Drive account.

After you’ve gone through the checkup successfully, you’ll see three green checkboxes (see below) that confirm you’re eligible for the free storage and, more importantly, that you’ve taken steps to enhance your online safety. We’ll be granting the storage automatically to everyone around 28 February 2015 and we’ll send you an email when your adjustment is complete.

Free Music From Google Play

Select top songs of 2013 are free from the Google Play Store for a limited time. I don't see an expiration date listed so don't wait or the free music might be gone.

Enjoy some of our editors' favorite albums and tracks of the year here at free and discount prices–including our Album of the Year, Kanye West's "Yeezus," and our Breakout Artist of the Year, Chvrches' "The Bones of What You Believe," free for a limited time only!

Free Extra 10GB of Storage on Google Drive

Google is currently offering an extra 10GB of free storage on Google Drive for two years for anyone that downloads the Quickoffice app. Quickoffice is a free app available for both Android and iOS (iPhone) phones. The app will allow you to open files anywhere.

While we’re on the topic of free stuff, if you sign in to your Google Account from the new Quickoffice app for Android or iOS by September 26, 2013, an extra 10GB of Google Drive storage will be added to your account for two years (look for it in the next few weeks). So don’t let your hardware or software differences get in the way of true collaboration -- download the new app and start working together today. (Source: Official Google Drive Blog)

Free Screening of The Internship (Select Cities)

Regal Crown Club members are being treated to a free screening of The Internship. Times and dates may vary based on location. You must be a member of the free Regal Crown Club to attend the screening.

Shared Reading: Google Reader is Shutting Down

Did you read today that Google Reader is shutting down? On July 1, 2013 Google Reader will shut down. This is not the first time Google has pulled a service, but Google Reader is considered a leader in the category. So what RSS reader will you use now? There are a few free options and Lifehacker wants to help. They have created a list of the best alternatives.

If you read your RSS feeds in more than one place (that is, if you want to read them at home, at work, or on different devices), you'll want to try a web-based RSS reader, similar to what Google Reader is now. NetVibes (pictured above) is one of the most popular web reader, offering a Google Reader-like interface as well as a snazzy iGoogle-like homepage.

I checked this site and it looks like it's a pay service but they do have a free opinion. I am going to explore around and let you all know. I will also loo for other alternatives that might be a better option.

$24 for Four One-Year Magazine Subscriptions (Select TItles)

Google Offers has a deal today that will get your four magazine subscriptions for only $24. The only catch is you must select magazines from a pre-approved list. There are tons of magazines on the list, but I highly recommend looking through it before buying the deal to make sure it's worth it for you.

Happy New Year

Check out this great year in review that Google put together for 2012. Happy New Year to all my readers. May the year 2013 be a great year for us all.

My Head's In the Clouds

With the release of the Google Drive, clouds are more confusing than ever.  Which one should I use?  Do I need to upgrade?  How do I decide?  These are just a few questions you might be asking yourself.  The answer is not simple.  It really depends on what you plan to use your cloud for.

For readers that don't know what a cloud is, this might sound even more confusing.  Check out my original post on Riding the Cloud: A Guide to Online File Storage.

If you are ready to join the online storage craze you might be looking at the pros and cons of each cloud along with the cost.  Almost every cloud offers a free tier, but some are very small and very restricted.  ars technica has written a wonderful article comparing the free and pay tiers for the major cloud providers.


I found it interesting that Dropbox, while one of the most popular clouds, is also the most expensive paid services.  The free tier only starts with 2 GB but the free upgrades are easy to get.  I love that the app on my phone automatically uploads every picture I take.  That's a 3 GB (500 MB at a time) free upgrade.  You can also earn free storage from referrals, installing the app, and more.

Google Drive is providing 5 GB to start but I don't see any free upgrades.  Of all the drives, they are the cheapest for paid upgrades.  I haven't really played around yet but it looks good so far and Google is reliable for quality.  The only problem I see is that ars technica listed the con of Google Drive as having loose privacy policies.  This makes me worry that they might be looking at your documents, pictures, etc.

Check out the whole article on ars technica to compare the different clouds for yourself.

Free Website for Your Business (First Year)

Google and Intuit have teamed up to help small businesses grow online. Right now, they are rolling out a program to help you build a website for your business. You will get a free business website for one year. This is currently only available for select states so if you can't apply now, sign up for their mailing list to get an email when your state is added.

Small businesses are getting online through this free program from Google. Sign up and you'll receive:

• Free easy-to-build Intuit website
• Free customized domain name
• Free web hosting for one year
• Free online tools and training

This promotion is for the first year free. If you don't want to continue after that, you can cancel before the first year is over. If you keep your website, you'll be charged $6.99 per month ($2 for the domain and $4.99 for the hosting). That comes out to about $83.88 per year.  Based on personal experience, that price seems reasonable but I would still recommend shopping around when the year is up if you like the website.

Source: Free Stuff Times

$10 for a $20 Overstock.com Voucher

Google Offers (beta) is currently offering a promotion for Overstock.com. Buy a $20 voucher for only $10. If you place your order through there new shortcut, o.co, you'll get free shipping.

$25 for $35 at Crocs.com Plus Free Shipping

Google Offers has a deal today for Crocs.com.  For $25, you'll get $35 and free shipping for your Crocs purchase.  I've never worn Crocs, but I do know that many people love them.

• Order must total more than $35 to apply Offer
• Fashionable & functional shoes
• Classic clogs, plus boots, flats & more
• Colorful styles for adults & children
• Beanies, socks, Jibbitz charms & more
• Use online with ground shipping included

Riding the Cloud: Guide to Online File Storage

Recently more companies have been coming out with cloud storage and you might be wondering a few things.

What is a cloud?

Cloud storage is a model of networked online storage where data is stored on multiple virtual servers, generally hosted by third parties, rather than being hosted on dedicated servers. (Wikipedia)

Basically, a cloud is online storage which allows you to upload your files and they are stored on the companies server. Some companies use multiple servers so your files are still safe if they have an issue with one.

Why should I use a cloud?
Using a cloud is a smart idea because it gives you added security that your files won't be lost if something happens to your computer. A cloud can be used as your main storage, or just as a back-up. I personally keep my pictures on a cloud server. I have a friend that is writing a novel and he saves it on a cloud.

Another benefit of cloud storage is that you can save the file on computer A and open it on computer B. This is great if you're like me and get to work only to realize you left the document on your printer at home.

How much does it cost?
The biggest road block in using cloud storage use to be the cost. Luckily, we know that there are always ways to get things for free and storage space is another example of how shopping around for deals can result in little out of pocket expenses.

How do I decide which company to use?
Depending on your need and how much you are willing to spend, there are a few good options to look into. Below are my favorite clouds along with a quick description and the pro and cons. I have also included how much storage each will provide you for free. That's right, most clouds provide a basic account for free. If none of the services offer enough storage you can always open accounts at different companies. I use one for my work files and a different company for my personal files.

Is it safe?
As with anything on the internet, nothing is 100% safe. We've all read in the news about major companies being hacked. That being said, I've never had any problems with the files I've stored on any of these sites.

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Amazon - Amazon has recently rolled out a cloud server in association with their digital content store. You get a basic 5 GB for free and that can currently be upgraded to 20 GB for free when you purchase an MP3 album. I personally like the MP3 storage because I can play my music from work or home. Purchases are automatically backed-up in your cloud but you can still download them to your computer for iTunes. Amazon will allow you to upgrade up to a 1,000 GB storage plan and the prices are some of the lowest around. If you need 100 GB, you'll pay $100 per year. Remember, a 5 GB storage is free. To upload your files, you will have to manually open your cloud on Amazon and upload individual files.


Dropbox - I personally like Dropbox for the ease of use. Their free account is only 2 GB but I needed to clear my files off the work computer before turning it in at the end of the school year. Dropbox allows you to download a free program which creates a folder on your desktop. Any file dragged into that folder is automatically uploaded to your cloud for back-up. It's extremely easy to back-up multiple files at once. Since I only had basic documents to transfer, 2 GB was plenty of space. Another nice thing about Dropbox is that you get additional free storage (up to 8 GB) for referring new members. Dropbox is more costly for upgrades but I like the automatic syncing. If you need 100 GB, you'll pay $19.99 per month or $199 a year. If you are a student, you can earn double for your referrals. After you enroll, head over to the Dropbox edu link to earn up to 16 GB for referrals. You must already have an account before completing the student upgrade.

iDrive - iDrive is similar to Dropbox because it allows you to download a program which makes syncing as easy as dragging a file into a folder on your desktop. Free storage begins with 5 GB and you can earn an additional 50 GB of free storage through their referral program. The only thing I really don't like about iDrive is possibility an error on my part. A few months ago they had offered a promotion for a free $10 iTunes gift card. I never got the gift card and I never got responses to email follow-ups. iDrive offers different upgrade packages including personal and business. The 100 GB business account is $199.50 per year. The personal account only has one size, 150 GB for $49.50 a year. I can't figure out the difference between the personal and business accounts.

Google - Google's cloud isn't actually a cloud in the sense of the other sites. Google has tons of different serves that can store and save all your files. Google Docs will save your documents such as Word, Excel, PDF, Powerpoint, and others. Google Picasa will store your photos. Google Music, which is still in beta testing, will allow you to upload your music. All of Google's features are free.

For the purpose of comparing apples to apples, I selected to price the 100 GB plan on each site. Prices were obtained on June 6, 2011. If you are reading this post through an archive, please note that prices can change. See the individual sites for current pricing.

Buy a Chrome Laptop From Gilt Before Public Sales Begin

Remember when I mentioned that Google was creating their own operating system and giving away free laptops for product testing? Well, I don't know anyone that got selected for the beta testing but I do know that the Chrome laptop will be released in two weeks. Right now, Google has partnered up with Gilt to sell a few early.

With a price tag of $499, the Samsung Chrome comes with two years of 3G connection through Verizon Wireless. I'm not sure what the actual price will be once it officially goes on sale June 15, 2011, but if you really want this new system, I doubt it'll be any cheaper.

With your Chromebook order from Gilt, you'll also receive a limited-edition Chromebook sleeve designed by Rickshaw. Sleeve will be shipped separately.

• 12.1" (1280x800) Display
• 3.26 lbs / 1.48 kg
• Up to 8.5 hours of continuous usage*
• Intel Dual-Core Processor
• Built in dual-band Wi-Fi and World-mode 3G**
• HD Webcam
• 2 USB 2.0 ports
• 4-in-1 memory card slot
• Mini-VGA port
• Fullsize Chrome keyboard
• Oversized, fully-clickable trackpad

*Engineering specs can change without prior notice. Battery times are estimates, depend on lots of different factors, and may decline over time.

**All Chromebook Series 5 3G models include up to 100MB per month of Mobile Broadband service included with device for 2 years, provided by Verizon. Also available are an unlimited day pass for just $9.99 and pay-as-you-go rates that don't require any long-term contracts.

Side note about Gilt. They are a member-only shopping site that offers sales and discounts until an item sells out. I have never purchased from them before but I doubt that Google would team up with a company that wasn't legit and this sale came to me through a direct email from Google.