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Topic: Android

Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

Summary: Amazon launched cloud Drive and Cloud Player for Web and Android---three services that allow you to store music in a repository and play on the Web and smartphones.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

Amazon on Tuesday launched cloud Drive and Cloud Player for Web and Android---three services that allow you to store music in a repository and play on the Web and smartphones.

Among the key points:

  • You can upload your library.
  • Anyone that bought an Amazon MP3 can get 20GB for free.
  • Mac and PC compatible.
  • On Android, the Cloud Player is an update to the Amazon MP3 app.
  • Everyone starts with 5GB of Cloud Drive storage.
  • Cloud Drive uses Amazon Web Services S3.
  • Plans start at 20GB for $20 a year and basically run $1 a year per GB.

With the move Amazon gets the jump on other services that are likely from Apple and Google.

Here are three thoughts on the move:

  • First, Cloud Drive is a big piece of Amazon's tablet ambitions. The service will be critical to uploading content for any tablet that Amazon launches. And Amazon's Android market rides shotgun.
  • If Amazon doesn't launch a tablet it just put itself at the center of the Android ecosystem.
  • Cloud Drive is about music today, but it's essentially a cloud service for other things like documents and photos.

And finally, Cloud Drive is very easy to use. It's essentially the consumerization of Amazon Web Services.

Topics: Android, Amazon, Hardware, Laptops, Mobility, Tablets

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65 comments
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  • So, 5GB is free, but consumes your entire data plan allocation?

    Use it to any extent and quickly get into overage charges. If I was Amazon, I would be asking AT&T and Verizon to kick back money. This is a sure revenue-generator for them.
    terry flores
    Reply Vote

    • So, 5GB is free, but consumes your entire data plan allocation?

      @terry flores Do you mean overcharges on your mobile provider's monthly limit? Or do you mean Amazon's charge for streaming data? If the first option, then yes, I'd agree that you're going to need to be careful if not using it over Wifi. What I'm not sure about is that normally Amazon charge for putting and reading data from S3 - are they going to use this method for streaming your data? If so, then it might get expensive.
      Thoughts?
      aliball68
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

        @aliball68 <br><br>My current Verizon plan is capped at 5GB/month. Using this service over Wifi is plausible, but it's also another mindless constraint I have to deal with. Why should I have to?? I can carry around 32GB of stuff with me on a device the size of a postage stamp and with a transfer rate of 10MBps. So what's the holdup for so many people? Apple, and its refusal to include an industry-standard SD/SDmicro card slot on iPhooey products.<br><br>My answer to them is: My LG phone, Nook Color tablet and HP laptop, all of which accept the SDmicro card with no problem. No need to upload, download, login, wait, or fret about billing. Problem solved.
        terry flores
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

        @aliball68 From what I've read, the music is not streamed, but rather downloaded to the device. I tried it this morning and my 3G coverage sat buffering.
        tommobran
        Reply Vote

    • Effectively it's WiFi only, but how good would it be over 3G anyway?

      @terry flores

      You'd definitely have to do the initial upload over WiFi. But after that you'd have to he sparing withit to not breach your data plan (mine is 500mb I think).

      Although you would need to take into account compression vs quality as well, especially with videos. If you want it to look good on a tablet, it will need a higher resolution (and therefore large file size) than if you wanted to view on a phone.

      A promising service that will be limited by the carriers & availablity of WiFi hotspots me thinks!
      DevJonny
      Reply Vote

      • Streaming over 3G Works Well

        @DevJonny I tested it by tutning off wifi. The streaming of music over 3G seems to work well, I listened to mp3s for about an hour with no blips.<br><br>Bob
        remilk
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

      @terry flores I don't know what service plan you have but my Verizon android phone (htc incredible) has unlimited. between the Pandora/Slacker I stream at work for 8 hours every day and all the apps that constantly update that I download I'm using around 6-7GB a month in data and have yet to hear a peep from Verizon about it.
      absr_1@...
      Reply Vote

      • That is nothing short of awesome!

        @absr_1@...

        Would you mind saying how much you pay for that? I believe 3 here in the UK are offering all-you-can-eat plans now.
        DevJonny
        Reply Vote

    • Not everyone pays overages and has data caps

      @terry flores
      There are independent thinkers that didn't get sucked into Verizon or ATT that still have unlimited plans at a very reasonable price.
      Come on, you know who you are.....
      coachgeorge
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

      I am now using 20GB free from Daum cloud and 10GB free from Naver, daum and naver are korean portal. why should we pay for it? Also broadband and carrier give free cloud drive.
      ypcho
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

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      tringo007
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

    3...2...1 Here comes the RIAA barking.
    Mike (not Cox)
    Reply Vote

  • Because, of course, we all want to upload 5GB of

    music to the cloud because our MP3 player can't hold it all. Oh. Wait. It can.
    fr_gough
    Reply Vote

    • Because, of course, we all want to upload 5GB of

      @frgough@... Yes, of course any MP3 player can hold 5Gb these days. That's not really the point. The point is that the music on your MP3 player can only be played from your MP3 player. The world has moved on a bit since then, and it's now all about how we can access our documents (music, video, work files) from anywhere in the world without being restricted to hardware.
      Personally, I welcome this free 5Gb (it is free after all) as a way to help moving into the cloud and not having to worry if my hardware where my files are stored breaks. It doesn't matter if it's in the cloud - just connect with another device.
      I agree that we have a long way to go with infrastructure, 4G, Wifi etc etc but free services like this are really good progress. IMHO.
      aliball68
      Reply Vote

      • What devices to you listen to music from?

        Your MP3 player, your car stereo, which you usually plug your MP3 player into, your computer, which holds the music you sync with your MP3 player and your home stereo, which probably streams the music stored on your computer you sync your MP3 player to.
        fr_gough
        Reply Vote

    • The key here is access

      @frgough@...
      Since I have purchased Amazon MP3s quite a few times, I am really looking forward to setting this up with 20GB when I get home. My HTC EVO Shift came with a measly 2GB microSD card and I've been pricing out larger ones just to get my library on the phone. I was about to order one today in fact. Now with 20 GB online storage that will stream to my Android (over WiMax 4G when I'm in the right areas) with an "everything unlimited" data plan from Sprint, this really works for me.
      use_what_works_4_U
      Reply Vote

      • Ah. So what you are saying is that Amazon is catering

        to the Android crowd who bought devices with almost no memory in them.
        fr_gough
        Reply Vote

    • Easy upgrade

      @frgough@...
      Buy one album from them @ $6.99 and you have 20GIG!
      Sounds cheap to me.
      coachgeorge
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon launches Cloud Drive: An easy to use tablet play that takes AWS consumer

        @coachgeorge

        The fine print of that is, you get 20Gb free *for the first year*; after that, normal charges apply.
        jack42
        Reply Vote

  • What does this service do

    What does this service do except store your music on someone Else's HDD? A total waste of money. HDDs are dirt cheap and easily connected to any smart phone/device for backup,storage. This reeks of overage charges,abuse
    Stan57
    Reply Vote
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