SAN FRANCISCO - Google on Tuesday said it will let people store pictures, videos, and other kinds of digital files online at Google Docs, adding virtual hard drives to services offered "in the cloud."

"This makes it easy to backup more of your key files online, from large graphics and raw photos to unedited home videos taken on your smartphone," said Google Docs product manager Vijay Bangaru.

"You might even be able to replace the USB drive you reserved for those files that are too big to send over email."

The data storage service will roll out in coming weeks, according to Bangaru.

Google will let people upload files no larger than 250 megabytes each to Docs, allocating each person a gigabyte of free storage space for data that is not converted into a document at the online text program.

Additional storage space at Docs will cost 25 cents per year per gigabyte, according to Bangaru.

Businesses that subscribe to Google Apps Premium Edition will be charged 3.5 dollars for each extra gigabyte of online storage space.

"With this change, you'll be able to upload and access your files from any computer; all you need is an Internet connection," Bangaru said.

Google offers spreadsheet, calendar, and other applications as free services hosted on the California firm's computers in the Internet "cloud" in what is seen as a threat to Microsoft's sales of packaged software.

Microsoft has offered people 25 gigabytes of free online data storage at a Windows Live SkyDrive service for more than a year.