With the launch of Google Drive, there's one more cloud storage service available to consumers. Along with the established Dropbox, Microsoft's SkyDrive service, Apple's iCloud, and the newly launched PlayMemories Online from Sony, there's plenty to choose from. Let's check them out.

Features

SkyDrive syncs Office documents from Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other programs including OneNote. Documents can be edited in groups, and can be edited and deleted from the browser.

PlayMemories Online is Sony's cloud service, syncing between Android and iPhone devices along with PCs. Files can be accessed from the PS3 and Sony's S-Frame digital photo frame. Files can be viewed from the Web.

Content can also be shared publicly and privately, and is adjusted automatically for a device's resolution.

In iCloud, Time Machine saves documents locally. Older versions can be revisited.

Google Drive features a built-in document editor, though it can't be used with multiple accounts for now. That's unfortunate for people who use multiple accounts.

Storage options

Google Drive offers a similar drag-and-drop syncing interface to Dropbox, and allows for select folders to be picked for syncing from the desktop app. Drive's real strength, though, is the integration into the company's services: Google+, Gmail, Android and others.

The service also allows users to open up to 30 types of files in the browser without needing to install the program, including Photoshop. Drive also supports OCR text scanning, making any uploaded file text searchable.

SkyDrive offers 7GB of storage for free and 25GB for those using accounts actively up to April 22.

iCloud doesn't offer a folder for syncing documents, but it does offer cross-devices cloud saves. There is support for text documents, with apps such as Pages supporting the service.

Dropbox is the established solution for cloud storage, running from 2007. It's simple drag-and-drop interface for uploading files, and the ability to share files with groups, is user friendly. However, everything that you sync can only be inside one Dropbox folder. While that allows for a focused area for cloud storage, it results in lots of folders-within-folders.

The disadvantage of Dropbox is that it offers only 2GB of storage for free, though more can be earned through recommending friends.

Price

A free Sony Entertainment Network account is needed for PlayMemories Online. The service doesn't offer storage upgrade options (yet), and lacks functionality compared to the other services.

SkyDrive's pricing is 45GB for $10 a year, 75GB for $20 a year and 125GB for $50 a year.

iCloud offers 10GB for $20 a year, 20GB for $40 and 50GB for $100.

Dropbox's extra storage is considerably more expensive than on Google Drive: full prices for Dropbox are 50GB for $9.99 a month ($99.99 a year) and 100GB for $19.99 ($199.99).

Google Drive is available online, along with Windows, Mac and Android devices, and iOS apps coming soon. Storage options are available from $2.49 per month for 25GB of extra storage and $4.99 per month for 100GB, along with $9.99 a month for 200GB. There are more options available from Google, going up to 16TB.