Google updates Google Drive and Chrome apps for iOS and Android

Google has updated their Google Drive and Chrome apps on both the platforms.

The new Google Drive app gets a slew of new features but the biggest one is the ability to edit spreadsheet within the apps, which makes it so much more useful now.

Other changes in the app include:

Edit contents of tables in Google Docs editor
Formatting is maintained when copy/pasting within Google Docs
Single tap to enter edit mode in Google Docs editor
Add a shortcut to Drive files/folders to your homescreen for quick access
Send Link now supports copying link to clipboard

As for the iOS version of the app, the following changes have been introduced

Create, edit and collaborate on spreadsheets
Upload to Drive from other apps using “Open in…”
Manage upload progress and see recent uploads in new Uploads section

Rich text copy-paste within a document
Improved speed and stability
Improved contact search for sharing

Bug fixes

The Chrome app didn’t get as many updates. According to Google’s change log, the Android version gets stability fixes and performance improvements. The iOS version gets ability to open PDF files in other apps, Passbook support, text encoding detection and other performance improvements.

In my opinion, Chrome still lags behind the stock browser on either platforms in terms of performance, and I don’t mean just page loading speed. It’s especially bad on Android, with all that stuttering and blanking out every time you scroll, even on powerful devices. Having said that, it has come a long way since it first released, so hopefully it can catch up to the stock browser in terms of performance some day. Especially now that Google is replacing the stock browser with it in Nexus devices.

OCZ VECTOR SSD POWERED BY INDILINX BAREFOOT 3 CONTROLLER (VIDEO)

OCZ Technology is back with its new Vector series solid state drive, the first product line powered by the company’s own Indilinx Barefoot 3 controller. The new Vector SSD comes in a super slim 7mm form factor that fits even the slim Ultrabook computers, and gets a sleek alloy housing. It uses SATA III interface and is equipped with OCZ’s in-house powerful controller and optimized firmware to deliver enhanced performance and reliability.

The new Barefoot 3 architecture is in fact OCZ Technology’s first controller silicon and firmware designed completely in-house from start for finish. It is said that the new controller is equipped with an advanced suite of flash management tools to improve endurance of NAND flash memory and overcome the shortcomings associated with MLC NAND flash, delivering 20GB host writes per day for 5 years.

The 7mm, 2.5-inch Vector series is available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities. It offers up to 550MB/s read and 530MB/s write speeds and random read/write performances of up to 100,000/95,000 IOPS. It includes support for TRIM command and ideal time Garbage Collection. A 3.5-inch adapter bracket is included for using the Vector SSD on desktop computers, while the Acronis True Image cloning software allows users to transfer data from old drive easily and quickly.

OCZ’s Vector is priced at $159.99 for 128GB, $289.99 for 256GB and $569.99 for 512GB. They are available now from Amazon.com.