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As expected, Google today announced its new Music Beta service, offering users the ability to upload their music libraries to Google's servers for cloud-based hosting that allows users to access content from any device. The offering competes against Amazon's Cloud Drive and Cloud Player services, as well as Apple's expected MobileMe revamp.
Music Beta is currently available via invitation to U.S. users and will allow users to upload up to 20,000 songs using software for Mac or Windows. The service then offers a web-based interface and initial app support for Android devices. The service is free while in beta, and Google has yet to announce pricing for when the service exits beta.
Like Amazon's cloud-based system, Google has yet to achieve the cooperation of major music labels, forcing the company to rely on a "passive" system in which users are responsible for uploading their own content. Google had been working to reach agreements with record labels to roll out a more robust service, but those talks had stalled with the two sides at an impasse. With Apple reportedly having its own service ready to go and finalizing deals with record labels, Google has apparently shifted gears to more quickly launch the scaled back service without label support.
Top Rated Comments
Maybe I am now an old man, because I SIMPLY FAIL to see the point in either Amazon or Google's offering.
1. Streaming all media in an age of mobile data caps? Not cute.
2. 8GB, 16GB, 32GB etc. is a ton of space to house thousands of songs locally. No network connection required. Will it hold your entire music collection? Probably not. But you don't listen to your entire music collection all the live long day.
3. If you want access to your entire collection, stream from your own computer via AudioGalaxy or whatever other programs there are out there. AudioGalaxy works very well. Yes, your computer needs to be on. Big deal.
So to recap, use local. If you want to stream, stream from your own computer, but keep in mind your data caps.
Why does a third party need access to all of my files? F that. Google and Amazon are not game changers here. People are flipping out like they're doing something impressive. Keep in mind, I actually really like Google and Amazon :)
I couldn't agree more. Google went to town at this I/O. I'm really impressed with the span of their developments.
Really? Is anything that Google announced today shocking or revolutionary? So far they have announced they are trying to cure fragmentation which they announced last year and still hasnt worked. Movie rentals and clould storage is old news and they are finally catching up. So far there is nothing surprising to me.
you need to look at the music streaming stuff as just part of what Google are planning..their vision for mobile and home entertainment which so far is winning and winning well.
Given that Google delivered on almost nothing they promised at last year's I/O (and what they did deliver mostly flopped) I'd say this is a lot less definitive than you make it sound. Also, where Apple wins is not in getting there first, but being the first to implement it in a way that doesn't require the users to be a card-carrying member of the Geek Club. Google's music thing will require a very intuitive interface and a no-hassle approach for the end user, and that's not something Google is known for.Their i/O today was certainly more impressive than anything Apple has done recently.
Assuming Google can deliver then this iOS vs Android thing is over before it even really began.
You're comparing a cloud service to hardware? If you want to compare Apple products to Google's "Music Beta" use "Ping", "MobileMe", and "iWork.com", which should also have "Beta" attached to them.Forever Beta.
What a surprise.
Sent from my final, complete, fully-realized iPad 2.