Cloud services are convenient, because you can upload data anytime, anywhere, so long as you have an internet connection. But if you’re a developer with terabytes upon terabytes of data, it could become a bit cumbersome. That’s why Google has launched a service called “Offline Media Import/Export,” which uploads data to its Cloud Storage product for developers who mail in their hard drives, USB flash drives and even tapes. The company first offered the service back in 2013, but it only used to accept hard drives for processing. To note, a third-party company will be handling the content transfers and not Google itself, and it definitely isn’t free. According to TechCrunch, Mountain View used to charge $80 per disk during the preview period, but it’s unclear how much each, say, thumb drive would cost for this expanded version. Google says it could take up to 100 days to upload one terabyte on a typical business DSL connection, though, so firms who need to their data imported ASAP might find it worth paying the extra $$$.
