Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Amazon dot com taking on Apple Store?

Well, wow. I don't know why I didn't see this coming, but here it is. Amazon are providing a new(?) service they offer called the "Amazon Cloud Service".

According to Amazon dot com

"How to Get Started with Cloud Drive and Cloud Player"

Step 1. Add music to Cloud Drive
Purchase a song or album from the Amazon MP3 Store and click the Save to Amazon Cloud Drive button when your purchase is complete. Your purchase will be saved for free.

Step 2. Play your music in Cloud Player for Web
Click the Launch Amazon Cloud Player button to start listening to your purchase. Add more music from your library by clicking theUpload to Cloud Drive button from the Cloud Player screen. Start with 5 GB of free Cloud Drive storage. Upgrade to 20 GB with an MP3 album purchase (see details). Use Cloud Player to browse and search your library, create playlists, and download to your computer.

Step 3. Enjoy your music on the go with Cloud Player for Android
Install the Amazon MP3 for Android app to use Cloud Player on your Android device. Shop the full Amazon MP3 store, save your purchases to Cloud Drive, stream your Cloud Player library, and download to your device right from your Android phone or tablet.

So you now have the option to buy an electronic file through Amazon and have them store that file for you,  and it allows you to retrieve it online.

So if 1 million people bought Lady Gaga this way, would everyone get their own copy? Or just access to that file, and everyone shares it, even though you paid for a copy?

Why are Amazon investing time and money into this when the Apple Store already exists? And when services like VEVO have made YouTube less dodgy for a mainstream website. Not to mention the impact from piracy. Why would Amazon consider it a good idea to get involved with?

In other news, the Australian retail giant that kicked up a stick about online retail at the beginning of this year, Gerry Harvey, has now vowed to accept the way of the world and open his store online.

11 comments:

  1. that's interesting. Wonder if they're making money.

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  2. Sounds like a good deal to me.

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  3. read something about this earlier. sounds liek an awesome feature; hope amazon doesn't get raped for it. Also, I need $upport, just sayin. :(

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  4. Cloud computing/storage is everywhere now. Not really that new. Amazon are just monetising it right now.

    Technically when you purchase a CD/mp3/cassette tape or LP, you are only buying the rights to listen to it. The cd/mp3/cassette/tape/lp actually remain the property of the artist.

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  5. ill proberby still use apple store

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  6. Thats weird, oh well I think music should be free any ways. Good artists can do well on purely donations

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