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Plex will stop supporting Amazon Cloud Drive after December 31st
You won't be able to stream movies or songs on Plex straight from Amazon Cloud Drive the moment the year changes. Plex Cloud, the company's service that gives you a way to play media saved in the cloud, will no longer support Amazon after December 31st. When the media player's developers first announced the feature, which is still in beta, they named the e-commerce giant's product as the first storage option it supports. Unfortunately, the Plex team started having issues integrating Amazon into the offering shortly after that introduction. "[T]he challenges with Amazon Drive have proven insurmountable at this time," they wrote in their announcement.
Amazon now offers unlimited cloud storage for £55 per year
One of the benefits of being an Amazon Prime member is unlimited cloud storage for photos, as well as 5GB of space for other file types. If you own any of the retailer's Fire devices, too, you get unlimited storage for photos taken with that product, as well as 5 gigs for whatever else. Amazon's latest offer is altogether more simple: For £55 per year, you can get unlimited cloud storage, full stop.
Amazon's Cloud Drive storage service gets dedicated mobile apps
While Amazon already offered mobile apps for sorting your photos and music parked in its Cloud Drive repository, there wasn't an option for getting at all of your stored files. Late last week, a dedicated Cloud Drive app for iOS arrived in the iTunes App Store, joining both Android and Amazon versions that debuted in late June -- all three of which rolled out rather quietly. Similar to the Dropbox app, the mobile software allows you to organize and access photos, videos, documents, spereadsheets and other files you've stored in Cloud Drive. As you might expect, you can also preview images (no editing abilities), PDFs and other documents from within before sharing in another app, with a link or as an email attachment. And yes, you can use the app to play videos and music stored in Amazon's cloud, too. Until now, desktop apps for PC and Mac offered the only direct access to Cloud Drive as a whole, and mobile devices could only leverage those media-specific apps.
Amazon Cloud Drive now stores unlimited files for $60 per year
Amazon thinks it has a way to entice you away from the likes of Dropbox or Google Drive: real, honest-to-goodness unlimited internet storage. It just launched two Cloud Drive plans that let you upload as much as you like, with the primary difference being what you can upload without worrying about caps. If you're only interested in preserving photos, an Unlimited Photos Plan costs a modest $12 per year, or free on Prime; you'll have 5GB to use for anything else. Should you have a lot of documents or a sizable video collection, an Unlimited Everything tier will cost a still-pretty-reasonable $60 per year. The one catch is that there's no truly free option. You can get a 3-month free trial, but you'll want to look at the no-cost alternatives if you don't expect to store gobs of files online.
Amazon's Instant Video app now shows your homemade movies
Amazon's Instant Video isn't just for watching blockbuster hits (or the occasional original series) any more; you can now use it to watch some of your own content, too. Upgraded Instant Video apps for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and certain TVs from LG and Samsung can show photos and videos stored in Amazon Cloud Drive, letting you both relive your kid's dance recital and play Frozen without switching apps or devices. The option is only available in Germany, the UK and the US right now, although Amazon is promising at least support for more gadgets in the long run. Having said this, there isn't a big rush for further app upgrades when you can just switch to the Cloud Drive apps on computers and mobile gear -- this improvement matters most when you're glued to the big screen.
Amazon Cloud Drive reaches Canada
While Amazon Cloud Drive has been on quite the world tour as of late, Canadians have had to watch as seemingly everyone else gets the storage service first. Thankfully, Canucks can now do more than just twiddle their thumbs now that Cloud Drive has gone live in their country. Pricing is virtually on par with what Americans know, with a 5GB free tier and multiple paid tiers that start at $10 per year for 20GB. All the Cloud Drive-focused desktop and mobile apps are now available as well. Cloud Player isn't an option when Amazon MP3 is still missing, but the expansion should otherwise give Canadians at least a small taste of what they've been missing in Amazon's online world.
Amazon Cloud Drive Photos gives iOS users one more safety net
Avid iOS shutterbugs already have Dropbox, Flickr and any number of other internet-based safeguards for their photos, but it won't hurt to have another, will it? Amazon certainly doesn't mind, as its new iOS version of Cloud Drive Photos is built expressly for the sake of uploading shots and viewing them online. Like the Android version, there's no editing or other special tricks -- social network sharing is about the only notable extra. Still, it might be worth grabbing the app if your Cloud Drive space isn't living up to its potential.
Daily Update for April 3, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Amazon Cloud Drive tacks on file syncing, flexes its digital storage muscle
After nearly a year on the market, Amazon has finally blessed its Cloud Drive apps for Windows and Mac with a file syncing folder. Starting today, users can access their documents, music and photos across multiple computers -- a feature that we've seen from the likes of Google Drive, Dropbox and SkyDrive for quite some time. While this feature is far from groundbreaking, it does manage to make Amazon's service a respectable alternative to cloud storage's reigning heavy hitters. Toss in its 5GB of free storage and Cloud Drive could become a worthy contender for those who are looking for a new or additional place to house their digital collections.
Amazon brings Cloud Drive Photos app to Android, keeps your shots safe
Looks like releasing its first in-house-built mobile game for Android (and other platforms) wasn't quite enough for the online retail giant. Amazon announced earlier that its Cloud Drive Photos application is now available on Android for both handset and tablets, giving users of Google's OS a cloud-based hub to use for uploading, saving, sharing and viewing pictures -- of course this also includes the retailer's kind handout of 5G of free storage, though folks could easily upgrade to 20GB for a $10 per-year fee. The Cloud Drive Photos app is up for download now, so hit that Google Play link below if you're looking for yet another place to keep all those awesome shots you snap with your device.
Amazon Cloud Drive comes to Spain and Italy, users get new features
Amazon's Cloud Drive has rounded out its European tour with releases in the remaining major markets: Spain and Italy. Pricing in these regions matches that of the UK, Germany and France, with 8 euros (around $10) netting you 20GB of storage for a year, on top of the complimentary 5GB you get for signing up. You'll be able to access this space through your browser, desktop apps, or any of the new Kindle Fires when they start hitting Euro doorsteps at the end of the month. Plus, Amazon's giving US customers the ability to share files with whomever they choose, and Mac users worldwide can now upload their iPhoto library hassle-free. With Cloud Drive now available, the Appstore ready to roll, and Fire hardware making its way to the Continent, we're starting to think Amazon quite likes it there.
Amazon Cloud Drive and app arrive in UK at last, sans fanfare
Eons after it appeared in the US, Amazon's Cloud Drive is at last available in the UK. Brits can manage the service from within their Amazon account online, or get the free standalone Mac or PC app for desktop dragging and dropping. It slipped in with nary a peep from Amazon, sporting the same US dollar pricing as the American site: roughly $10 per year (£6) for every 20GB. So, despite the delay, UK-ers won't have to pay more than their US counterparts, as is often the case -- at least, not yet.
Amazon updates Cloud Player with 256 Kbps matched files, faster import, direct delivery (update: Roku, Sonos coming soon)
Amazon's Cloud Player service just scored some major upgrades, including quality and import enhancements. Perhaps most notable is a new 256 Kbps option for matched files, including songs you imported before today. That bitrate, in MP3 format, is available for new tracks and albums added to the cloud -- a process that's been streamlined as well, with Cloud Player scanning your library and automatically offering up matched tracks, rather than requiring manual imports. In addition, music you buy in the Amazon MP3 Store will show up in your Player automatically, including past purchases (in cases where the site has the necessary rights). There's also an option to edit metadata directly, such as artist and album info, along with album art, or you can use the label information already in Amazon's catalog. Cloud Drive will also be less integrated with Player -- previous uploads will be moved to an "Archived Music" folder and won't count against storage caps, but will still be accessible and downloadable, while new imports will be stored in Player directly. You can upload up to 250 songs to Cloud Player for free, or pay a $25 annual fee to bump that cap to 250,000. Full details are at the source link below. Update: Amazon also mentioned that it has secured new licensing agreements with Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group, adding that Cloud Player will be available on Roku and Sonos devices soon as well.
Amazon rumored clinching major labels for cloud music rights, iTunes Match feels the heat
When we last checked in, Amazon was thought to finally be pushing for full music rights in its Cloud Drive and Cloud Player services. It might be a smooth operator at the negotiating table: subsequent tips to CNET maintain that the top four major labels (a currently-independent EMI as well as Sony, Universal and Warner) have all signed deals that will let Amazon offer the same scan-and-match music downloads and streaming as Apple's iTunes Match. The pacts would let Amazon offer access to every song a listener owns without having to directly upload each track that wasn't bought directly from Amazon MP3. Aside from closing a conspicuous gap, the deal could end a whole lot of acrimony from labels who were upset that Amazon preferred a free-but-limited service over having to charge anything. The online shop hasn't said anything official yet (if at all), but any signatures on the dotted line will leave Google Music as the odd man out.
Amazon outs Cloud Drive desktop app for Windows and Mac, allows easy access to your digital wares
If you've been storing part of your digital library on Amazon's Cloud Drive, access to your goods just got easier. The outfit has released a desktop app for both Mac and Windows machines enabling uploads and downloads with minimal effort. For starters, you'll be able to drag and drop files via a Cloud Drive icon and you'll be a brief right-click away from sending any file or folder to the repository. Downloads from the cloud run in the background and can be paused / resumed whenever you darn well please. Dropped your connection in the heat of battle? No worries. The app manages restarts and connectivity hiccups without losing your wares. If you're already signed up, hit the source link below to fetch yours. [Thanks, Max]
Amazon negotiating for Cloud Player music licensing deals after all?
Publically, Amazon wants you to think it doesn't care about licensing the music that it will let you store in the cloud, but privately we're hearing the company is scrambling like mad to work things out with angry music labels as we speak. Specifically, the Wall Street Journal cites a pair of anonymous sources who say Amazon's actually negotiating deals with the four major labels right now -- though Amazon won't confirm such a thing -- which the e-tailer hopes to close in a matter of weeks. What's more, they say Amazon may move to a system that compares users' uploaded songs with a database of those tunes it's managed to licence should the deal go through -- a system much like Sony's Music Unlimited, by the sound of it. It shouldn't come as any surprise, then, that the Journal quotes Sony Music chairman Martin Bandier in its final paragraph, who makes his pointed indignation at Amazon's announcement heard: "This is just another land grab. I can't make it any plainer than that. It's really disrespectful, and of course we are considering all of our options." Nothing like a little bit of mainstream media coverage to help pressure a business deal.
Amazon Cloud Player upsets Sony Music over streaming license, Amazon shrugs
In case you missed the news, last night Amazon gave us a little surprise by launching its free Cloud Player service, which lets you stream your music collection from the cloud to your computer or Android device. While this has no doubt put a smile on many faces (American ones only, for now), Sony Music isn't too happy about Amazon jumping the gun over licensing for streaming rights. The record label told Reuters that it's hoping Amazon "will reach a new license deal, but we're keeping all of our legal options open." Yikes. In retaliation, Amazon responded with the following statement to Ars Tehcnica: "Cloud Player is an application that lets customers manage and play their own music. It's like any number of existing media management applications. We do not need a license to make Cloud Player available. The functionality of saving MP3s to Cloud Drive is the same as if a customer were to save their music to an external hard drive or even iTunes." Of course, the bigger story here is that Amazon's free Cloud Player is going head-to-head with Sony's Music Unlimited streaming subscription service, which was pushed out last month after plenty of money talk with various record labels. Understandably, Sony isn't willing to let Amazon cut through the red tape here without a fight, and this may also affect similar music locker services like mSpot and MP3Tunes, albeit at a much smaller scale. In fact, Sony's already expressed its discomfort with those particular companies' mode of operation, so you can probably expect to see this tension boiling over to some form of legal action before long. Now that a big shot like Amazon's involved, it's almost inevitable. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Amazon Cloud Player goes live, streams music on your computer and Android
Oh snap! Look who just ate Apple and Google's lunch here? Minutes ago, Amazon rolled out its very own music streaming service which is conveniently dubbed the Amazon Cloud Player. Existing Amazon customers in the US can now upload their MP3 purchases to their 5GB cloud space -- upgradable to a one-year 20GB plan for free upon purchasing an MP3 album, with additional plans starting at $20 a year -- and then start streaming on their computers or Android devices. Oh, and did we mention that this service is free of charge as well? Meanwhile, someone will have some catching up to do, but we have a feeling it won't take them too long. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: As some readers have confirmed, it appears that the Cloud Player will support music purchased from iTunes as well, presumably from the post-DRM era. Update 2: Press release after the break.
