Using Google Music

When Google Music launched about a week back, it was only made available in America, hence I initially had not much interest in finding out more about Google's cloud music services.

Upon finding out that there are ways to go about getting access to Google's cloud music, I jumped right in to give it a shot. Instructions? Head over to Engadget (Link Here).

Google Music's Web Interface

If you just want to my know verdict, head straight to the bottom, or I can just tell you now that it's good, but may not be worth getting, but the same goes for iTunes match.

Ok if you want to read on...

Google Music n iTunes


Unlike iTunes, Google Music isn't an application that plays music, it is a cloud service, one that allows you to play your music that is stored in the cloud.

As a Mac user using iTunes, it doesn't mean that you need to abandon your player. iTunes can still be your music player for when you're not connected to the web.

If you're using say a low storage iPhone, you can choose to unsync your music from your iTunes to save space, and listen to your tracks via google music using GMusic for iOS (Link). For Android users, there's the google music app, which if you're not in the states, you can't get a hold of the APK...but of course, Engadget sorta "teaches" you how.


Uploading Content


To upload music to the cloud, however, instead of relying on a web browser, Google has gone ahead with Music Manager, an app that's available on Windows and Mac, that allows you to upload your songs. This app is available for download once you gain access to Google Music.

Simply drop in your iTunes folder as such, and check the box "Automatically upload songs added to my selected folders", this should mean that in future, when you download new tracks via iTunes, Music Manager will detect the new track, and upload it to the cloud for you.

Buying Music


Cause I'm not from the States, there's no way I'll be able to get music from Google Music for now. With iTunes and it's gift card work-around, Apple seems like the best option to download music for the time being still.

Downloading Purchase Music


Apparently you can only download purchased music from Google's web app twice, however, via Music Manager, you can download purchased tracks as many times as you'd like.

HOWEVER, if you are like me, and not living in the States, you can't download via Music Manager cause you'll need to have access to their store and provide your credit card information.

Hence, your best bet is just to download your track off the web once, and keep it that way for now.

Downloading Uploaded Music


This is where it is a little disappointing. While you can download tracks you purchased, you can't download tracks you've uploaded.

So it's not a problem now, not if you still keep your music in your laptop anyway.

But what if your laptop were to fry, and you lose all your music on the computer, when you get a new laptop, you'll have no way of downloading all your uploaded tracks back into your system.

Because of this, I'd still recommend you back up your music via hard drive, which is the current practice we are all doing at the moment anyway.

So then, what is Google Music really good for?


Well one, it's 20,000 worth of cloud music storage, for free.

In terms of every day use though, playing music via Google Music means you need not store your tracks in your phone.

Music streaming via 3G is pretty quick, even at the highest quality setting. And if you like, you can check the cache box, which I eventually did, so that previously played music is being stored in its cache for fast playing access.

In between tracks though, if your music isn't cache, it can take significantly longer to listen to the next track. For those on a Wifi network, this should be fine.

But what if you're no where near internet? Then what? Then you got to have a bit of common sense loh. If you're traveling with your laptop, and if your music is stored there, then just play off the laptop.

If you're relying on your phone for music, you can click the option to make the music available offline on your Google Music App (Not sure if there's such an option for iOS, sorry), and what will happen is those tracks will be downloaded into your phone, but only into your cache...so just like the iPhone, you won't see it as the original music filename if you were to go hunting for it inside your Android device.

So hence even if you do not want your entire collection of tracks readily available on your phone, you can pick the ones you like, and while you're offline, these tracks can still be played.

So is Google Music worth it?


Google Music is a great way to access and play your tracks from anywhere with an internet connection, even when you're not at your own personal computer.

However, if you are intending to use it as a portable alternative, it's great, but perhaps a few years too late. You see, with internal memory expanding at an alarming rate, we may soon need not worry about storing everything in our devices anyway...there's no need for cloud storage when a simple SD card can hold up to 64gb of data, maybe even more in the near future. Though iTunes Match's services may differ and benefit or lack in certain ways compared to GM, it is this same reason that might make iTunes Match not worth your while.

EDIT: If your concern is to use Google Music as a back up in the cloud should you lose all your data, then it might pose a problem cause you can't download music you've uploaded, only the ones you've purchased. To my understanding, iTunes Match allows you to download everything, but of course, you pay an annual fee for this service.

Back when phones were low on memory, this service would be awesome. This service might still appeal as a portable music option to some, but not as good as it might have been a few years back.

So who will benefit from GM?

Google Music, like it's other cloud solutions, is great for the cloud power user. The traveling individual who embraces leaving his/her laptop at home, and would prefer working off any computer wherever they are, accessing their email via any web browser, work on a document via google docs, and listen to their music from any computer.

It's great for the traveling business man who only wishes to bring his clothes overseas, a phone, and nothing else.

These users make up a really small group of people, whom in my personal opinion, are hard to come by, do you know anyone like that? Few do.



In short, as mentioned above, Google's cloud music services is great, I've uploaded all my tracks up and they have worked fine so far on my phone, but how practical it is...it may not be the most useful service to have.