CloudPlayer
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CloudPlayer now lets you take your playlists everywhere
Ever wanted to take your favorite playlists with you on the go but didn't want to go to the trouble of creating them across multiple services? Now you can with doubleTwist's CloudPlayer, which is now introducing special cloud playlists.
CloudPlayer streams your music from Dropbox and Google Drive
DoubleTwist has released a media player separate from its main product, and this one can stream music straight from various cloud services. Aptly named CloudPlayer, the app links to your Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive accounts all at once to access any music files you've uploaded. The company says it "created CloudPlayer to provide an alternative to crippled, proprietary cloud music lockers that impose painful restrictions on what you can do with the music you own." Unlike other services (company co-founder Jon Lech Johansen specifically targets Google Play Music in his blog post), DoubleTwist claims CloudPlayer doesn't have a download or a device restriction, and it supports lossless audio.
Amazon brings MP3 purchasing to its Cloud Player for PC app
The Mac version is still only promised to be coming soon, but Amazon has today delivered a fairly big update to its Cloud Player for PC application. It now boasts an integrated MP3 store, which will let you browse and purchase music without having to visit Amazon's website. Naturally, all purchases made through the app will then be accessible from any other capable device, and you'll see Amazon's usual recommendations for new music based on your purchases. Beyond that, though, the application itself appears to remain mostly unchanged.
Amazon Cloud Player scores a dedicated PC app, Mac version in the works
Amazon's Cloud Player may have been accessible on PCs through browsers since its launch, but today Bezos & Co. have given the service a desktop app of its own. Once installed, the free program will detect and add music from iTunes and Windows Media Player to its library, and continue doing so as new songs are purchased from other storefronts. Naturally, tunes bought from the firm can be streamed and downloaded through the application, and even exported to iTunes. While there's no sign of Linux support, the company says it's working on a version just for Mac users. If you count yourself in Microsoft's camp, hit the neighboring source link for the download.
Amazon Cloud Player for iOS arrives on the iPad
As timely updates go, this one's a bit long in the tooth. After introducing its Cloud Player for iOS to the iPhone and iPod touch last summer, Amazon's finally gotten around to rolling out a version for iPad owners. The updated app, which is seeing a version bump to 2.0, now sports a tweaked UI and a cache size management tool. Other than that, it's still the same "free" streaming music service, offering 5GB of complementary storage, access to Amazon mp3 purchases (AutoRip CDs included) and any AAC-tracks from your current iTunes library. You can grab it now at the source below. Go ahead, it might mend Norah's little broken heart(s).
Amazon brings Cloud Player music service to the UK: choice of free or premium tiers from £22 per year
Brits who've been straining for a reason to care about Amazon's budding Cloud Player service can probably relax. It's live in the UK as of now, offering 5GB of online storage and the ability to stream 250 of your tracks (or 256Kbps matched versions) to a range of devices free of charge. Adding extra storage will cost from £6 per year for 20GB, rising to £320 p/a for a full terabyte. If you're a heavy user, though, you may also need to fork out £22 p/a for the right to stream up to 250,000 of your tracks. Paying to play music you already purchased? Indeed, further exertion may be necessary to figure out if it's all worth it, along with a glance at the detailed press release after the break.
Amazon Cloud Player now lets you play content on your Sonos system, helps get the party started
Along with letting us know it had pleasantly updated its Cloud Player with 256 Kbps matched files, Amazon also briefly mentioned that Sonos compatibility would be coming sometime "soon." Well, it turns out you won't have to wait much longer to blast those jams on your HiFi wireless speakers, as the online retailer's announced its Cloud Player can now be used with any Sonos system. Naturally, the experience will be enhanced by using one of Amazon's apps, including those on iOS and, of course, its own Kindle Fire -- though you're not limited to these, as there are plenty more ways to stream content. Sound good? You can give it a try yourself now, or check out the meaty presser after the break if you're interested in perusing over the official notes.
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 Cloud Player app available for iPhone and iPod touch
Amazon launched its cloud-based music streaming service last year and provided a web-based interface for iOS users. Now iOS users with an Amazon music library can download Amazon's official Cloud Player app and enjoy their music on the go. Released on Tuesday, the new Cloud Player app lets Amazon users stream, download, and manage their music in the cloud. The service comes with 5 GB of free storage, and additional storage is available starting at US$20 per year for 20 GB. The Cloud Player app is available for free from the iOS App Store and is compatible with an iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 4.3 or later. Available in the US only.
Amazon Cloud Player app arrives on iPhone and iPod Touch
Amazon has rolled out its Cloud Player to Apple's smaller screens, with both the iPhone and iPod able to play the full catalogue of music stored in your Cloud Drive. This time, it's a dedicated app, although it may mean re-purposing the music library you've already built up from Apple's own collection. You can't buy tracks from within the app just yet, but at least your iTunes-bought AAC tracks are transferable. There's unlimited storage available for anyone willing to pay up for a storage plans and for those less willing to pay, Amazon's willing to offer up 5GB of storage gratis. Hit up the source to download, then upload, then listen.
Amazon Cloud Player now supports the iPad
Amazon partially embraced iOS by adding support for the iPad to its web-based Cloud Player. The tablet version of the web app looks and performs just like the desktop version. It lets you view your songs by title, album, artist or genre, play your songs in normal, shuffle or repeat mode, and create and listen to playlists. You can even add songs to your collection by purchasing new music via the Amazon MP3 store. Amazon also added unlimited music storage for both its free and paying customers. Customers who purchased a Cloud Drive subscription can upload as many MP3 and AAC files as they want. Free Cloud Drive users have unlimited storage for MP3 files purchased through the Amazon music store, but the upload of personal music is still limited by a 5 GB cap. Show full PR text Amazon Announces Storage Plans for Amazon Cloud Drive with Unlimited Space for Music, Free Storage for all MP3s Purchased at Amazon MP3 and Cloud Player Support for iPad SEATTLE – July 6, 2011 – Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced three enhancements to Amazon Cloud Drive and Cloud Player: storage plans that include unlimited space for music, free storage for all Amazon MP3 purchases and Cloud Player for Web, now on iPad. "Customers are already enjoying Cloud Drive and Cloud Player and now for just $20 a year, customers can get unlimited space for music," said Craig Pape Director of Amazon Music. "Additionally, we are adding free storage for all MP3s purchased from Amazon MP3, and support for the iPad. Our customers love Cloud Drive and Cloud Player and we're excited to innovate these services on their behalf." Unlimited Space for Music Now, for a limited time, Amazon customers who purchase a Cloud Drive storage plan will receive unlimited space for their MP3 and AAC (.m4a) music files. This offer is available for even the lowest price plan: $20/year for 20 GB of file storage plus unlimited space for music. Customers can visit (www.amazon.com/clouddrive/manage) to purchase a Cloud Drive storage plan and receive unlimited space for music. Store all Amazon MP3 Purchases for Free Customers can now store all of their Amazon MP3 purchases for free in Cloud Drive, including future MP3 purchases as well as all purchases made before the launch of Cloud Drive and Cloud Player. MP3s purchased from Amazon MP3 and stored in Amazon Cloud Drive will not count against a customer's storage quota. Cloud Player for Web on iPad Also new, Cloud Player for Web on iPad. Cloud Player, combined with unlimited space for music in Cloud Drive, enables customers to play music stored in the cloud on any Android phone, Android tablet, Mac, PC, and now on their iPad. Cloud Player for Web has been optimized to offer customers streaming playback of their Cloud Drive music using the Safari browser for iPad. To access Cloud Player for iPad, customers simply open their Safari browser and visit (www.amazon.com/cloudplayer) to start listening to their music. Storage for Music and More All customers automatically start with 5 GB of free Cloud Drive storage to begin uploading their digital music library, and for a limited time, those who purchase any Cloud Drive storage plan will receive unlimited space for music at no additional cost. In addition to unlimited space for music, Cloud Drive allows customers to upload and store all kinds of digital files, including photos, videos and documents which are stored securely and available via web browser on any computer. Customers who qualified for 20 GB of free storage from earlier promotions will receive the unlimited space for music at no additional cost. In March, Amazon launched Cloud Drive (www.amazon.com/clouddrive), Amazon Cloud Player for Web (www.amazon.com/cloudplayer), and Amazon Cloud Player for Android (www.amazon.com/cloudplayerandroid). Together, these services enable customers to securely store music in the cloud and play it on any Android phone, Android tablet, Mac or PC, and now iPad, wherever they are. Customers can easily upload their music library to Amazon Cloud Drive and can save any new Amazon MP3 purchases directly to their Amazon Cloud Drive for free.
Amazon Cloud Player hits iPad, adds unlimited storage, scoffs at constrained competition
20,000 songs? Not nearly enough. $24.99 a year? Way too spendy. Unlimited and $20 a year? That's a little better, at least, and that's what Amazon just moved to. Taking a step up from its previous $20 for 20GB plan, the former bookseller is now letting new subscribers get any amount of storage they want for that price -- unlimited for .mp3 and .m4a files, anyway. Naturally this means any songs purchased through Amazon MP3 will also be stored for to an infinite extent, not counting against your all-important quota. This is a "limited time" kind of deal, so if you've been on the fence now's the time to click that cart, but there's another new feature that isn't going away: Cloud Player for Web on iPad. This lets you play your cloud tunes through Safari and that, combined with the whole unlimited storage thing, should ease any nagging feelings of regret you've been suffering since budgetary pressures talked you into the 16GB model.
Apple cloud music will be better than Google or Amazon says industry source
A music insider told CNET that Apple's cloud music service will be better than Google's recently announced Music Beta or Amazon's Cloud Player. The source did not elaborate on the differences between the music services, but did say the two competing services would not have the "same range of options" as Apple's iCloud service. Apple is reportedly working with music labels to secure licensing deals for its streaming service, while Amazon and Google launched without the backing of the recording industry. Apple may already have an agreement in place with Warner Music, and it's in talks with several other labels. Presumably, these deals could let Apple stream content from a large online library rather than rely on user uploaded tracks. Users could also share their favorite songs and playlists in an online version of Ping. The music streaming service could be introduced as early as WWDC in June.
Amazon Cloud Player now streams music on the iPhone and iPad
We're not sure how long this has been possible, but at launch, Amazon's Cloud Player refused to stream songs from your Cloud Drive in Mobile Safari, with the only alternative being selecting 'Download' instead of play. Now Amazon has quietly flicked the switch that allows Cloud Player to work properly in Mobile Safari, once you get past the "Your browser isn't supported screen," complete with background playback and control, meaning that you can pause the music and skip tracks right from the multitasking bar. If you haven't tried Amazon's Cloud Player, and you've got an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, perhaps now's the time to give it a test drive. You get 5 GB of free storage up front, and you can upload and stream any tracks you already have with it. Anything purchased from the Amazon MP3 store can be automatically added to your Cloud Drive without counting against your storage quota. What's more, Amazon will give you an extra 15 GB of free storage when you purchase at least one MP3 album, bringing your storage limit up to 20 GB. While any web app implementation isn't going to be as good as a really great native app, using the Cloud Player in Mobile Safari with background playback and control isn't a bad option at all -- plus it works outside the US, too. [via TechCrunch]
Apple's cloud music service ready for launch
A report out of Reuters claims Apple is set to launch its online music storage service. The service would allow users to store their iTunes content in the cloud and access it from an internet-connected device. Apple has yet to secure the licenses for the new service and is in the process of negotiating with the music labels before the service's big launch. No word on whether changes to MobileMe are included with this upcoming launch. Apple will reportedly beat Google to the punch and launch its music storage and streaming service ahead of the search giant. Hints of Google's foray into music streaming have appeared in the latest builds of Android, but the rollout of this service is reportedly delayed. Amazon has beaten both Apple and Google with its Cloud Drive and Cloud Player service, which lets Amazon users store their music library and other files in the cloud. Amazon's Cloud player can play back these stored music files using a desktop web browser or an Android device. You can use a relatively easy workaround to access Cloud Player on your iOS device as we described here.
Reuters: Apple set to launch cloud-based music service ahead of Google (update)
It's the rumor that wouldn't die, and Reuters is now reporting that Apple is finally set to launch a cloud-based music service -- presumably putting its massive North Carolina data center to some real work at long last. Details are still fairly light beyond that, but Reuters says that Apple's service will actually launch ahead of Google's similar cloud-based option, which it reports is now "stalled," citing "several people familiar with both companies plans." According to Reuters, the service will let folks store their music (and only music, apparently) on Apple's servers and then access it on any device with an internet connection -- and a copy of iTunes, we presume. Update: Peter Kafka, over at All Things Digital, backs up Reuters' claim with some additional detail. Unlike Amazon's approach with Cloud Player, Apple is actively seeking to license the music for its streaming service before launching. According to Kafka's sources, Apple has already secured deals with two of the big four labels and plans to launch "pretty soon." The deal would allow Apple to store a single master copy of a track on its servers and then share that track with multiple users. As Kafka describes the service, "The idea is that Apple will let users store songs they've purchased from its iTunes store, as well as others songs stored on their hard drives, and listen to them on multiple devices."
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 launches 'cloud locker' music service
Amazon announced Cloud Drive and Cloud Player for the Web and Android, a new web-based service that lets you store your music and other files in the cloud and access them on the go. Streaming music is possible using a web-based player compatible with the Mac and PC as well as an Android application. The Cloud Drive service competes with online storage solutions like Dropbox by letting you upload music, video, photos and other documents to an online locker. The service provides you with 5 GB of online storage space for free, and additional storage capacity is available for a minimal fee. The paid service includes 20 GB of storage for $20, 50 GB for $50 and so on. Amazon's Cloud Player service is free and brings music streaming to the masses who shop Amazon's web store. Amazon apparently launched the service without the blessing of the recording industry and is working on securing post-announcement licenses. The online retail giant is forcing the music industry to play its hand and either support the service or risk appearing as the bad guy by shooting Amazon down. It's a gutsy move, but one that Amazon needs to make if it wants to catch up with its competition. Speaking of competition, read on to find out how Amazon is taking on Apple's popular iTunes music service.
