Google Drive now lets you share files directly to Google+

If you thought Google Drive was quite a useful service for storing and accessing your files from any device, well, it just got better. Google yesterday announced that Google Drive now lets you share your files on Google+. People you share your files with can now view presentations, open PDFs, and play videos and music, right from their Google+ stream.

Unlike shares on Facebook or Twitter, where you can only share links of certain files, Google+ adds functionality that would let you view your documents and presentations in the Google+ stream itself. If on a mobile device, the document or file will instead open in the Google Drive app.

Now share your files directly to Google+.

To share a file on Drive to Google+, simply open it, click on the Share button, and select the G+ icon alongside the Facebook, Twitter and Gmail icons. The file’s sharing settings have to be set as “Public on the web” or “Anyone with this link” if you want to share it on Google+. You can also simply copy-paste the file’s link into your Google+ stream and select a circle to share it with.

With this new functionality, Google is moving forward in its attempt to bring together all of its services, across platforms. The search giant has increasingly been adding functionality that makes each of its different services integrate together in a seamless manner. The company recently started field-testing a universal search feature in Gmail that brings up results from Google Drive, Google Calendar and more, in addition to relevant emails.  Also, the search strings return relevant emails, files, content on Gmail and Google Drive, in addition to regular search results.

Those who are part of the experiment will be able to view relevant Gmail messages and other shared links in their search results. Users will also be able to get information and statuses pertaining to their upcoming flights. Likewise, they will also be able to search documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other files stored on Google Drive.

Google earlier this month also updated Google Drive’s Android app. The update brought some file management tools, as well as the ability to change folders according to the type of files they hold. Also, you can automatically sync pinned content while on 3G. Other features include a richer experience while viewing Google Presentations, basic table support; the option to create, reply to, and resolve comments; the option to view and change fonts in Documents Editor; pinch-to-zoom in the Documents Editor; the option to print files using Google Cloud Print; the option to resume interrupted uploads, and updates to gesture detection.

Google Drive is available to anyone with a Google account. To start off with, Google gives you 5 GB of storage free of cost. Google Docs has also been integrated into Google Drive, allowing you to share, edit and access all your documents and PDFs in real time. The main purpose of Google drive however, just like Dropbox, Box.net, SugarSync, etc. is that it gives you a one stop shop for all your files, be it photos, video, music or just about anything else.