Box vs Google Drive

2023. Box announces Hubs, a custom portal to share specialized content



Box has introduced Hubs, a novel tool tailored for crafting centralized microsites to share specific types of content. Essentially, Box Hubs enables users to curate content from their Box account and disseminate it to their chosen audience in a customized and curated manner within their business. The potential applications for this tool are virtually limitless. It manifests as a specialized portal intended to house items such as HR policies, brand assets, or the most recent pricing details for a sales team. In conventional files and folders, these scenarios might lose their clarity, but within a portal, their purpose remains evident. The hub format offers a meticulously curated set of information for easy searchability—a concept that Box co-founder Levie acknowledges was not fully explored until the emergence of ChatGPT last year.


2022. Google is adding new Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Keep optimizations for tablets



Google unveiled Android 12L earlier this year, aiming to enhance the usability of tablets. During the I/O conference, the company revealed its intention to optimize over 20 Google apps for larger screens. Today, Google has introduced several new features for Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Keep, taking a step towards fulfilling this commitment. The most noteworthy feature announced is the ability to effortlessly drag text or images between two Workspace apps that are open side-by-side. Google highlights that users can now drag content from apps like Chrome or Sheets and drop it directly into an existing document or spreadsheet cell. Additionally, in Google Drive, files can be swiftly uploaded by dragging and dropping them into the app. Furthermore, links to Drive files can be easily added by dragging the file into an open app like Keep.


2021. Box acquires eSignature startup SignRequest for new content workflows



Box has announced its acquisition of SignRequest, an e-signature startup, for a sum of $55 million. This strategic acquisition fills a crucial gap in Box's offerings, providing the company with a native signature component that was previously absent from its platform. By incorporating SignRequest's technology, Box gains the ability to offer seamless e-signature capabilities directly within its platform, enabling new workflows and enhancing user experiences. The importance of remote work has become increasingly evident, particularly during the pandemic, as it offers enhanced safety and flexibility. Even in a post-pandemic world with a return to more face-to-face interactions, the ability to perform tasks entirely in the cloud and eliminate paper-based workflows will significantly accelerate processes and enhance overall efficiency.


2020. Box adds new collaboration capabilities



In response to the ongoing pandemic, Box is introducing new collaboration features. One of the key updates includes a cleaner interface, enhancing user interactions and file sharing capabilities. Additionally, Box is introducing a feature called Collections, which empowers users to organize their files and folders in a manner that suits their specific needs. This organizational structure is customizable on an individual basis. Furthermore, Box is incorporating an annotations capability, enabling users to easily add comments to files, either as a single editor or in a group discussion. Similar to collaboration tools in Google Docs, this functionality facilitates remote real-time commenting on any document, which is particularly valuable in the current environment. Lastly, Box allows external partners and customers to share files via a dedicated landing page, enhancing collaboration and information exchange.


2020. Box adds automated malware detection to Box Shield security product



Box has introduced automated malware detection tools to enhance Box Shield, its security offering unveiled in the previous year. The company is employing a three-fold strategy with this solution. Firstly, users will be able to preview files without the need to download them, while receiving indications of any associated risks. Secondly, the system will proactively block the downloading of files that contain malware. Lastly, the security team will be promptly notified when a malware-infected file is uploaded to Box.


2018. Box acquired workflow automation startup Progressly



Box has recently acquired Progressly, a startup specializing in workflow management. In 2016, Box introduced its own workflow tool called Box Relay, in collaboration with IBM, targeting large enterprises. While Box Relay has proven valuable for well-defined processes within companies, such as contract management or employee onboarding, Box aims to expand its capabilities and create a wider range of workflows. The addition of the Progressly team to Box's workforce will facilitate this expansion. With their expertise, Box will be able to develop workflows that not only operate within the Box platform but also integrate with external workflow engines like Pega and Nintex. This integration will enable the creation of more complex automation scenarios using the comprehensive suite of Box tools and services. Such workflows can involve both internal employees and external organizations, allowing for sophisticated content movement and management beyond the capabilities of Box Relay.


2018. Google Drive added comments to Microsoft Office files



Google Drive has introduced a convenient solution for teams and agencies seeking to collaborate seamlessly using a combination of G Suite and Microsoft Office. Now, Google Drive users can easily add comments to Office files, PDFs, and images directly within the Drive preview pane. This eliminates the need to rely on external tools like Microsoft Office or Acrobat Reader, as well as the hassle of converting files to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides formats. While it may not provide real-time commenting like G Suite or Office 365, this feature offers a significant improvement by eliminating the constant need to convert documents between Office and G Suite.


2017. Box applied AI to content management



Box has recently introduced Skills and its accompanying SDK, known as Skills Kit. These new offerings empower organizations and developers to extract valuable insights from their extensive content repositories within Box datasets, utilizing machine learning techniques to unlock the inherent commercial value of their content. Box is currently showcasing three initial Box Skills, leveraging machine learning tools from Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure to address common business use cases. These include image recognition, which involves detecting objects and concepts within image files, performing optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text, and automatically assigning keyword labels to images for efficient metadata creation. Additionally, Box Skills encompass audio transcription and analysis, enabling the creation and indexing of text transcripts from audio files for seamless search and manipulation across various use cases. Lastly, video indexing employs text transcription, topic detection and indexing, and facial recognition to analyze video files comprehensively.


2017. Google launches Drive File Stream to replace the Google Drive desktop app for G Suite users



Google has introduced a new desktop application, called Drive File Stream, for Google Drive users who are subscribed to G Suite. This application will replace the existing Google Drive desktop app, which is scheduled to be discontinued next year. One notable distinction between the consumer and enterprise versions is the inclusion of administrative control features. Starting today, company IT departments will find the Drive File Stream settings within the Admin Console for their G Suite edition. This enables them to customize and deploy the solution within their domain, including options to enable synchronization, define installation preferences, disable automatic updates through Google Update, and manage other relevant configurations.


2017. Google Drive gets a new Backup & Sync desktop app



Google has unveiled its latest application, Backup and Sync, designed to facilitate the effortless backup of files and photos on both Mac and PC platforms. This utility serves as a replacement for the older Google Photos desktop app and the client applications of Google Drive. The newly introduced tool offers a user-friendly interface, where users can sign in to their Google account and select the folders they wish to continuously back up to Google Drive. Apart from backing up files stored on desktop computers, this software also allows users to back up photos from USB-connected devices like cameras and SD cards. As for business users, Google has plans to launch a dedicated enterprise solution called Drive File Stream, which will be made available to all G Suite users later this year.