Since I was no fan of Spotify, here are some more music options:
GOOGLE MUSIC
music.google.com
This week, Google introduced Google Music, which is an epic fail on many levels.
First of all, it's eight years too late - I have already invested my chips in Amazon MP3.
Then I tried to download a free track, only to find out that they will only allow you to do so if you give them your credit card. There are very few companies that I am willing to give my credit card information to - and I'm not about to do so for a song that I just want to try out its service.
Fine, I won't be buying any music from Google.
Then I downloaded their Windows application to upload some music to the 'cloud': I get a connection fail. Granted, I'm quite paranoid and my Firewall won't allow traffic in or out without my permission... but I never got any request from the Google application. It doesn't really matter, they're already really too late, I'm already using my own DLNA harddrive (which I can download my music if I'm in the same network).
If I can get it to work out, I think the free 20,000 upload songs is cool... but then again, why not just use other free storage service like box.net? .... Or see second option below:
Update: I got Music Manager to install (hint: it was my Firewall blocking it). The software asks where I store all my music. After about ten minutes, it tells me that I have over 90k and there is no space to upload all of the songs. Which is fine, I don't want to upload all my music. THEN: it automatically started uploading all my music (!!!). As far as I can tell, there is no option of stopping the transfer - unless you force-quit the application!
MYMUSICCLOUD
mymusiccloud.com
The differential factor in MyMusicCloud is that they offering both online and offline music. You can choose to buy music through their store or upload your own music.
I did play around with it, so far, so good: it worked as advertised.
I uploaded a song via their website (could not install their application, once again: my computer firewall is probably the cause) and it instantly showed up on my MyMusicCloud application. There is no iPad application, but you can still run the iPhone application. I was a little confuse on a "download" (for offline) option as it wasn't made clear on the app. Also, I wasn't sure what they meant by queue. Do they mean playlist?
Anyway, it's free, can't complain too much. How do they make money? Well, you can buy music directly from them and you can purchase more storage (the free account offers only 2 gigs). Pricing for storage is decent, the most expensive is $40 a year for 20 gigs.
MOG
mog.com
Mog last month announced a free version of their "award-winning music service".
They've upgraded to 12 million songs (from 8 million the last count) and their new model of their self-described "gas tank" model, you have to earn points to listen to free music. That just means you have to pester your friends to use Mog, from my understanding of it.
Of course, what they really want you to do is upgrade to a paid service - all the useful feature (such as syncing it to your phone) is in the $9.99 a month plan... which I'm still too cheap to pay. If I were to put down money, wouldn't it just make sense to pay emusic.com and keep music you download?
DEEZER
deezer.com
Was sent a "hush hush" invite to this... only to get denied: "Deezer's music services are not yet available in your country. ".
Deezer looks like a competitor to Spotify, offering 13,000,000 tracks* and "unlimited music in your pocket".
Since I couldn't try it out, I'll only comment that I hate that name, "deezer". It sounds like 'geezer'... but I suppose 'deezer' sounds much cooler in French, where the company is based out of.
Well, maybe you have better luck with it than me. Right now, I'll just stick to buying and ripping my own MP3s, thanks but not thanks.
* Spotify also offers 13 million tracks.
music.google.com
This week, Google introduced Google Music, which is an epic fail on many levels.
First of all, it's eight years too late - I have already invested my chips in Amazon MP3.
Then I tried to download a free track, only to find out that they will only allow you to do so if you give them your credit card. There are very few companies that I am willing to give my credit card information to - and I'm not about to do so for a song that I just want to try out its service.
Fine, I won't be buying any music from Google.
Then I downloaded their Windows application to upload some music to the 'cloud': I get a connection fail. Granted, I'm quite paranoid and my Firewall won't allow traffic in or out without my permission... but I never got any request from the Google application. It doesn't really matter, they're already really too late, I'm already using my own DLNA harddrive (which I can download my music if I'm in the same network).
If I can get it to work out, I think the free 20,000 upload songs is cool... but then again, why not just use other free storage service like box.net? .... Or see second option below:
Update: I got Music Manager to install (hint: it was my Firewall blocking it). The software asks where I store all my music. After about ten minutes, it tells me that I have over 90k and there is no space to upload all of the songs. Which is fine, I don't want to upload all my music. THEN: it automatically started uploading all my music (!!!). As far as I can tell, there is no option of stopping the transfer - unless you force-quit the application!
mymusiccloud.com
The differential factor in MyMusicCloud is that they offering both online and offline music. You can choose to buy music through their store or upload your own music.
I did play around with it, so far, so good: it worked as advertised.
I uploaded a song via their website (could not install their application, once again: my computer firewall is probably the cause) and it instantly showed up on my MyMusicCloud application. There is no iPad application, but you can still run the iPhone application. I was a little confuse on a "download" (for offline) option as it wasn't made clear on the app. Also, I wasn't sure what they meant by queue. Do they mean playlist?
Anyway, it's free, can't complain too much. How do they make money? Well, you can buy music directly from them and you can purchase more storage (the free account offers only 2 gigs). Pricing for storage is decent, the most expensive is $40 a year for 20 gigs.
mog.com
Mog last month announced a free version of their "award-winning music service".
They've upgraded to 12 million songs (from 8 million the last count) and their new model of their self-described "gas tank" model, you have to earn points to listen to free music. That just means you have to pester your friends to use Mog, from my understanding of it.
Of course, what they really want you to do is upgrade to a paid service - all the useful feature (such as syncing it to your phone) is in the $9.99 a month plan... which I'm still too cheap to pay. If I were to put down money, wouldn't it just make sense to pay emusic.com and keep music you download?
deezer.com
Was sent a "hush hush" invite to this... only to get denied: "Deezer's music services are not yet available in your country. ".
Deezer looks like a competitor to Spotify, offering 13,000,000 tracks* and "unlimited music in your pocket".
Since I couldn't try it out, I'll only comment that I hate that name, "deezer". It sounds like 'geezer'... but I suppose 'deezer' sounds much cooler in French, where the company is based out of.
Well, maybe you have better luck with it than me. Right now, I'll just stick to buying and ripping my own MP3s, thanks but not thanks.
* Spotify also offers 13 million tracks.
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