Amazon Cloud Player
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Amazon's MP3 Android app gets a makeover, now lets you share to Facebook
If you're an Android user who likes to shop for music on the Amazon MP3 app, then you'll be glad to hear that it has received a much needed update. Most notably, the application now looks substantially better and is a lot speedier than before, with Amazon making nice design changes to the UI and tweaking things under the hood to make browsing through it all a breeze. This new version also brings the option to share what you're listening to with Facebook friends, as well as a fresh widget that allows you to have quick access to recently played tunes. It's available for download now, so go on and grab it from either Google Play or the Amazon Appstore.
Daily Update for May 8, 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's music service added to Ford AppLink for iOS users
In February Amazon's Cloud Player was linked with Ford Sync AppLink-enabled vehicles ... at least for Android users. Now the service has been updated to allow users with iOS devices to sync their Amazon library with their 2013 Fords. The current list of vehicles featuring Ford's Sync AppLink is limited, but includes the 2013 models of the Mustang, Focus, Fiesta, E-Series, C-Max Hybrid, Fusion, Expedition, Super Duty and the F-150. Sync AppLink allows users to control entertainment apps on their phone via voice commands and manual controls built into the steering wheel. [Note: the trim levels featuring Ford's MyFord Touch touchscreen console cannot, as of the current software release, use AppLink. –MTR] Amazon's Cloud Player allows every customer to stream any album they've purchased at any point in time from Amazon. It's a great service you might not know you have access to. Recently I logged into my account to find my list had been updated with albums I'd purchased eight years ago. I've long since lost the original copies, so it was a delightful surprise. Sync AppLink also works with other iOS applications such as Pandora, Spotify, NPR, Stitcher and more. You can see the full list on Ford's site. Note that some other AppLink supported apps, like Telenav Scout, currently only work with Android and not iOS.
Amazon AutoRip for Vinyl Records gives customers free MP3 copies
Vinyl record fans don't have to rip their own digital recordings any more. Amazon today announced AutoRip for Vinyl Records, which gives customers who have purchased vinyl records from the company since 1998 a free MP3 version of those albums. This expands on the AutoRip CD program announced in January 2013. At this point, Amazon notes that "thousands of records, including titles from every major record label" are available for AutoRip and more are being added all the time. To determine if a record is available in MP3 format, customers just need to look for the AutoRip logo -- those little blue and green arrows seen above -- when buying CDs or vinyl. The digital copies are delivered directly to Amazon Cloud Player libraries in 256 Kbps MP3 audio, and can be played on iPad, iPhone, iPhone touch and from any web browser. Amazon Cloud Player accounts are available for free on the Amazon site, and customers can also sign up through the free iOS app. Show full PR text Amazon AutoRip Extends to Vinyl-Customers Now Receive Free MP3 Versions of Vinyl Records Purchased From Amazon-Past, Present and Future Customers who purchased vinyl records from Amazon dating back to 1998 will find MP3 versions automatically added to their Cloud Player libraries – free of charge AutoRip eliminates the challenge of making a digital copy of your vinyl records SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 3, 2013-- (NASDAQ: AMZN)-Amazon today announced it has extended its popular AutoRip service to vinyl records. AutoRip was introduced in January of this year to give customers free digital copies of CDs they purchase. Starting today, when customers purchase an AutoRip vinyl record, a digital copy of that music will be automatically added to their Cloud Player libraries where it will be available, free of charge, for immediate playback or download. Customers no longer need to go through the hassle of making a digital copy of a vinyl record. Additionally, customers who have purchased AutoRip records at any time since Amazon first opened its Music Store in 1998 will find digital copies of those albums in their Cloud Player libraries – also for free. Thousands of records, including titles from every major record label, are available for AutoRip, and more titles are being added all the time-just look for the AutoRip logo. "AutoRip has been wildly popular with customers since it launched earlier this year," said Steve Boom, Vice President of Digital Music for Amazon. "It's a fun experience to suddenly find CDs you purchased just today-or 15 years ago-added automatically and free of charge to your digital library. We're thrilled to extend this experience to vinyl records. Many of our music customers are vinyl fans and it's traditionally been very difficult to make digital versions of vinyl records-now customers can enjoy the albums they buy wherever they are, not just when they have access to a record player." AutoRip features include: Free digital copies: Amazon customers who purchase AutoRip vinyl records get free MP3 versions of the albums delivered directly to their Cloud Player libraries-automatically, immediately, and at no cost-no more hassling with finding a way to get them onto your favorite devices. For vinyl record purchases dating back to 1998: MP3 versions of AutoRip records that customers have purchased since the launch of Amazon's music store in 1998 will also be delivered to their Cloud Player libraries for free. Enjoy everywhere: Music can be played instantly from any Kindle Fire, Android phone or tablet, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Samsung TV, Roku, Sonos, from any web browser, and from Ford SYNC Applink-equipped vehicles, giving customers the freedom to enjoy music from more devices than any other major cloud locker music service. Free storage and backup: All AutoRip MP3s are stored for free in customers' Cloud Player libraries and do not count against Cloud Player storage limits. Customers can buy music and know that it is safely stored in Cloud Player and accessible from any compatible device. High-quality audio: AutoRip music is provided in high-quality 256 Kbps MP3 audio. AutoRip for vinyl is available for industry-wide top-sellers and customer favorites like "Babel" by Mumford & Sons, "The Lumineers," by The Lumineers, "Unorthodox Jukebox," by Bruno Mars, "All that Echoes," by Josh Groban, "Greatest Hits – Chapter 1," by Kelly Clarkson and "Alabama Shakes," by Alabama Shakes. AutoRip for CDs launched in January of this year. Here's what customers said: "The new AutoRip is great and it couldn't be easier. You keep offering more amazing services, and I am impressed every time. I will sing your praises to everyone I know! Thank you!" "Amazon Cloud is one of the best services I've ever used on the internet; ever. The AutoRip feature has just upped the ante again." "Amazon, thank you so much for creating the AutoRip feature. What a huge surprise!! All of this great music I've bought over the years on my laptop and Kindle Fire HD and anywhere else we wish!! You rock." "AutoRip is simply awesome. A cloud player is a commonplace item these days, but MP3 files of CDs purchased in last 15 years instantly loaded and do not count toward number of songs quota?!! I even forgot that I purchased a Chick Corea CD back in 2002, yet Amazon gives me the MP3 files instantly. What a *very nice* surprise. Thank you Amazon!" "Thank you for this new service AutoRip...AWESOME!!!!!" Customers can sign up for a free Amazon Cloud Player account by visiting www.amazon.com/cloudplayer or by downloading one of our free apps from the Amazon Appstore for Android, Google Play or the iTunes Appstore. AutoRip for vinyl is the latest in a series of new digital music features from Amazon launched in recent months. Recently, Amazon announced a new Cloud Player for iPad app, just following the launch of an Amazon MP3 store optimized specifically for iPhone and iPod touch. Earlier this year, Amazon announced Cloud Player integration in Ford SYNC Applink-equipped vehicles, giving customers access to their Cloud Player libraries while on the road. Last year, Amazon launched Cloud Player apps for iPhone and iPod touch, Sonos, Roku and Samsung TVs. The company also introduced scan and match technology that enables customers to import music into Amazon Cloud Player by scanning their iTunes and Windows Media Player libraries and matching eligible songs on their computers to Amazon's music catalog. All matched songs – even music purchased from iTunes or ripped from CDs – are delivered in high-quality 256 Kbps audio and are made available instantly in customers' Cloud Player libraries, making it even easier for customers to enjoy their entire music collection anywhere. The Amazon MP3 Store now offers more than 23 million songs and everyday low prices on best-selling albums, many starting at $5. For more information about AutoRip visit www.amazon.com/AutoRip.
Amazon's Cloud Player now supports iPad natively
If you're an Amazon Cloud Player user and you have an iPad, you had best go and check your iOS updates. Amazon has updated its Cloud Player app to 2.0, and it now supports the iPad natively. The update brings a tweaked look to the app as well as new settings to manage the cache size for downloading onto your iPad. Apart from that, there's not much different from the iPhone / iPod version. Similar to Apple's iTunes Match, Amazon Cloud Player lets you upload your music library to Amazon and then stream it back using Amazon's Cloud Player from up to 10 devices, or from a browser. Any digital music you've purchased from Amazon will automatically be added to your Cloud Player. Also, when you purchase a supported CD from Amazon, a digital copy will automatically appear in the Cloud Player. Amazon Cloud Player is a free download from the iOS App Store. The service is free for Amazon MP3 purchases and up to 250 other songs. For additional space for music, there's tiered pricing. [Via Tech Crunch]
Microsoft's Xbox Music to challenge iTunes, others
Microsoft has announced Xbox Music, a digital music service designed to work initially with the 67 million Xbox gaming consoles that have been sold since 2005. With Xbox Music, Microsoft wants to challenge the dominance of Apple's iTunes and services like Pandora. The service debuts on the Xbox tomorrow, and will be expanded to Windows Surface and Windows 8 on October 26. Eventually, Microsoft plans to provide Xbox Music software for iOS and Android devices as well. Xbox Music features cloud music storage similar to Apple iTunes storage in iCloud and Amazon's Cloud Player. For fans of Spotify and Pandora, Xbox Music will provide an artist-based radio function. If you can put up with ads, Microsoft offers a free music streaming service; otherwise, you can pay $9.99 monthly for a subscription to ad-free streaming. Xbox Music will initially be available in 22 countries, and provides a download-to-own music store containing over 30 million songs -- more than the iTunes library of over 26 million songs. Xbox console owners also have exclusive access to more than 70,000 music videos. Microsoft is replacing the failed Zune device and service with Xbox Music after discovering that Xbox users were spending more than half of their time on entertainment services -- music and movies -- rather than gaming.
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 reportedly adding music rights to Cloud Player, could close gap with iCloud
Amazon's Cloud Player app just made its way to the iPhone and iPod touch, but the company's web-based music service still lacks the license deals that make Apple's iCloud a more seamless experience. While iCloud scans a user's hard drive to match songs and stream them from iTunes, Cloud Player requires listeners to manually upload copies of their music to the cloud. According to CNET's "industry sources," Amazon is looking to close that gap by inking agreements with major labels and has already made deals with EMI and Universal Music Group. This story is still very much in the rumor phase, but obtaining those licenses certainly sounds like a logical step for a service meant to make enjoying files across several devices easier.
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.
Best Buy puts your music in the cloud, goes where others have gone before (updated)
Google, Amazon, and Apple have been hogging the headlines when it comes to storing your tunes in the internet ether. That doesn't mean there isn't room for another musically inclined cloud contender -- or at least, that's how Best Buy sees things. The big blue box has rolled out its aptly (if uncreatively) named Music Cloud service that lets you upload your audio to its servers and stream it wherever you go. You can also save songs locally, plus there are apps for Androids, Blackberrys, and iPhones to manage and play your music. There are two flavors of Music Cloud, Lite and Premium. The former is free, while the latter costs $3.99 a month, though Best Buy hasn't said what the difference is (other than price) between the two. The catch? It's currently only capable of grabbing songs from iTunes, so no uploading from file folders. Let's hope that's only a temporary problem. Update: Turns out the Lite version only lets you listen to the first 30 seconds of each song -- you gotta pony up for the Premium service if you want your full tunage to go.
Apple's iCloud music service will automatically mirror your iTunes library using 'high-quality' tracks?
There's been so much chatter about Apple iCloud that you'd think the streaming music service had already been announced and the deals inked. But it's still just a rumor until an Apple executive takes the stage and unleashes the Amazon Cloud Player and Google Music competitor in a spate of superlatives. That hasn't stopped Businessweek from stepping up with a good summary of all that is "known" thus far, while giving us some insight into the particulars of how the service will work and the motivations to make it happen. One revelation, sourced from three people in the know, claims that Apple will scan customers' iTunes libraries (hello, LaLa) and quickly mirror the contents on Apple's own servers -- no massive DSL-choking upload required. And Apple will do you the solid of "replacing" any low bitrate tracks with the "high-quality" versions it stores in its fully licensed music locker for streaming to your connected devices. Of course, this value-add won't come free and will certainly require a subscription fee. The cost to the consumer, though, is still very much unclear as is the service's integration with Apple's $99 per year MobileMe sham. And you know those rumors about MobileMe being offered as a free service? We wouldn't be surprised if it stays at $99 with iCloud being announced as a "free" feature update; aka, an $8.25 per month music subscription that also provides web access to your synced bookmarks, contacts, email, and calendar. Regardless, it's this subscription model that has the major labels so enthusiastic as it will finally allow them to extort fees for all that pirated audio you may have stumbled upon since Napster was loosed on an unprepared music industry a decade ago. All signs point to WWDC for this to get official but we're sure to hear more -- much more -- before the event kicks off on June 6th.
Amazon Cloud Player streams tunes to iOS, following silent upgrade (updated)
Amazon Cloud Player has been laying low following its scuffle with Sony Music, but that hasn't kept the company's developers from rolling a crucial new feature out -- support for Apple's iOS devices, which it didn't have on day one. Despite running in the Safari browser window, we've confirmed that songs will indeed play. If you've got a device handy, give it a try yourself; otherwise, we'll update with impressions a little later this evening. Update: Great news -- we ran the Cloud Player on an original iPad and iPhone 3GS without a hitch. In fact, there was very little (if any) lag or time delay when buffering a new song, and were able to refresh playlists and other information quickly. The interface of the Cloud Player is almost the same as -- if not identical to -- the page that loads up on your computer browser. Even better, the Cloud Player works flawlessly with the multitasking controls in iOS; the usual forward/pause/volume options are all usable as you play Angry Birds. Sadly, there is just one bump in the road that keeps the process from being perfectly smooth: mobile Safari prohibits you from doing drag-and-drops, which adds a couple extra steps to the process of adding songs to your playlists. Take a look below for some screenshots of the Cloud Player in action. Sean Hollister contributed to this post. %Gallery-123051%
Streaming music breakdown: how Google Music and iCloud will impact today's options
Gone are the days of going to the music store, finding a vintage CD or cassette tape, happily unwrapping it and thoroughly perusing the cover art as you listen to your new album for the very first time. In a want-it-now world, that simply takes too long -- and we have the internet to thank for the change in pace. As preferences seem to shift in the music consumption universe, it feels as if tastes are centered around consuming the largest amount of music possible. And thanks to the sudden proliferation of online streaming services, satisfying those desires in record time has become a reality. Unsurprisingly, competition is mighty fierce -- consumers have options for user-made radio stations, on-demand streaming content, and cloud-based multimedia. But if you've been hearing the word on the street, Apple and Google could soon make their way onto the scene by offering streaming music options of their own. Almost everything these two tech giants touch turns to gold (emphasis on almost -- we don't think Ping and Buzz built the best reputations), so there's reason to believe that these oft-rumored services will become automatic front-runners the day they're released. Head on past the break to see some of the lucky / unlucky contestants planning to give Google and Apple a run for their (near-limitless) money, replete with a breakdown of what they offer and how hard they hit the wallet.
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.
