Amazon Cloud Drive
Encyclopedia
Amazon Cloud Drive is a web storage application unveiled by Amazon
on March 29, 2011. It provides users with 5 gigabytes of storage space by default, with further storage space costing one dollar
per gigabyte per year. Users who purchase an MP3 album through them before the end of 2011 will automatically be upgraded to 20 gigabytes of cloud storage for one full year. If the user uses more than 8 devices with their cloud player, they will have no access to downloading their files unless they use the previous 8 devices.
User can opt-in to store their purchased music to Amazon Cloud Drive by making a purchase via Amazon MP3 store, either on a website or via Amazon MP3 application for Android (version 2.0 or later). Amazon Cloud Drive accounts get 5 GiB of free storage; however, music purchased through Amazon MP3 store does not count towards the storage limit. Once the music is stored in Amazon Cloud Drive, a user can choose to download it to the Android device using Amazon MP3 application, or download it to the computer using Amazon MP3 Downloader.
access. It supports browsing music by song titles, albums, artists, genres (website only), and playlists.
noted that this is "seemlingly logical" since users are uploading and playing back their own music, so the licenses users acquired from the original purchase apply to the Cloud Player in the same way they apply to transferring and playing music from an external hard drive or iPod. Techdirt
commented that the Cloud Player is "just letting people take music files they already [have], and allowing them to store and stream them from the internet. Why should it require an extra license to let people listen to music they already have?"
Record labels reacted in shock to the Cloud Player's launch, insisting that licenses were needed for this type of service. Sony Music is reportedly keeping its legal options open.
Intellectual property lawyer Denise Howell stated that "the legality of cloud storage and remote access to items already purchased make intuitive sense", but given the record labels' reaction and track record of legal action against online music services, warned that it will likely take "definitive and hard-fought judicial pronouncements" to settle the issue.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
on March 29, 2011. It provides users with 5 gigabytes of storage space by default, with further storage space costing one dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
per gigabyte per year. Users who purchase an MP3 album through them before the end of 2011 will automatically be upgraded to 20 gigabytes of cloud storage for one full year. If the user uses more than 8 devices with their cloud player, they will have no access to downloading their files unless they use the previous 8 devices.
User can opt-in to store their purchased music to Amazon Cloud Drive by making a purchase via Amazon MP3 store, either on a website or via Amazon MP3 application for Android (version 2.0 or later). Amazon Cloud Drive accounts get 5 GiB of free storage; however, music purchased through Amazon MP3 store does not count towards the storage limit. Once the music is stored in Amazon Cloud Drive, a user can choose to download it to the Android device using Amazon MP3 application, or download it to the computer using Amazon MP3 Downloader.
Cloud Player
Bundled with Cloud Drive is a music streaming application called Cloud Player which allows users to play their music stored in the Cloud Drive from any computer or Android device with InternetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
access. It supports browsing music by song titles, albums, artists, genres (website only), and playlists.
Reception
Much commentary on the Cloud Player has focused on its legality, since Amazon launched the service without the approval of the record labels. Amazon's official statement is "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." Technology website Ars TechnicaArs Technica
Ars Technica is a technology news and information website created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998. It publishes news, reviews and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, science, technology policy, and video games. Ars Technica is known for its features, long articles that go...
noted that this is "seemlingly logical" since users are uploading and playing back their own music, so the licenses users acquired from the original purchase apply to the Cloud Player in the same way they apply to transferring and playing music from an external hard drive or iPod. Techdirt
Techdirt
Techdirt is a weblog that reports on technology trends, and related business and economic policy issues, often focusing on copyright and patent reform. The website was started in 1997 by Mike Masnick and it was originally based on the weblog Slash. Techdirt has been named among the favorite blogs...
commented that the Cloud Player is "just letting people take music files they already [have], and allowing them to store and stream them from the internet. Why should it require an extra license to let people listen to music they already have?"
Record labels reacted in shock to the Cloud Player's launch, insisting that licenses were needed for this type of service. Sony Music is reportedly keeping its legal options open.
Intellectual property lawyer Denise Howell stated that "the legality of cloud storage and remote access to items already purchased make intuitive sense", but given the record labels' reaction and track record of legal action against online music services, warned that it will likely take "definitive and hard-fought judicial pronouncements" to settle the issue.