Google Music or Apple's iCloud?

I really can't see how iCloud wins this. The comparison really isn't fair. Its like putting on aspect of icloud against all of google's cloud services. Google has more services, they're just under different names. Currently I can take a picture on my phone, upload it directly to picasa and view it on my phone, in picasa on any computer, on any browser, and it'll automatically appear as the screensaver on my TV via the roku box. My contacts on my phone appear on any computer automatically in my gmail account. Update them on the phone and they appear updated on a computer. If I update my calendar on my phone, it shows on any PC in which I view it. Documents can also be viewed and updated in google's cloud, in fact, I don't even need a spreadsheet program to be on the computer in order to view a spreadsheet as google is using the cloud for the software (sort of) on that. iCloud's match service seems useless for anyone with unique taste in music, people that like bootlegs, etc. I realize that is a fraction of people, but we do exist. Google's music service is almost perfect for my needs as a general storage area. There are ways in which iCloud looks nice, and I hope it pushes google to refine some areas of theirs, but aside from looks and wrapping it all in to one catchy name, there is really nothing revolutionary in iCloud.

You cant really say that the iCloud wins hands down when pitted against Google Music. Dont forget the restriction that Apple has. You wont be able to access your cloud storage through any other device, while on Google Music, even an Apple device can access it. Just because the beta version does not provide Document or other storage does not mean it loses to iCloud. Also iCloud allows you to sync only the music downloaded through iTunes.( It does provide a 5GB storage space for other music too.. I am not sure). IN Google music, you can put almost anything and in all formats too. Last not the least, Google also allows offline playback of the most recently accessed music. Now thats definitely cool. So Apple wins this hands down? I dont agree to the Author's view even though I am a big fan of Apple products.

This article is so cluelessly stupid, uninformed, and biased! Google's cloud storage has included documents, pictures, email, calendar, and any other file (via Google Docs) for literally *years*. They have only recently added music storage, which is actually live once you receive an invitation. Apple's iCloud is not available for months, and to store a limited amount of your own music (it is not unlimited) for a $25 subscription fee. So how is iCloud the clear winner? And why does Google need to add integrated picture, calendar, email, voicemail, and docuement cloud storage, when it has already offered those "seamlessly" for years? Correct your article to get the facts straight...

I *LOOOOVE* that Apple has failed so spectacularly. meathead cosumption minded types will vacuously buy into it... and in 10 years the open source crowd will be laughing their asses off at Apple users... the logo that means vapid consumer. a) I have 100 GB of rare italian lounge jazz, rare groove blue note, 60's cinematic scores, etc. Itunes doesn't have any of this stuff. If they read tags only, it means that 75% of my collection won't be read by icloud. Or 50%. But whatever. Then it's not your music collection in the cloud... it's *part* of the collection in the cloud. b) I will never mindlessly allow one company to rule all my data. Not apple, not google, not anyone. Cloud is convenient, local storage is a must... always. ALWAYS. I have seen enough happen in my time to know that there should always be a plan b. I know local is more likely to get wiped out than the cloud stuff, true. I want fail safes. c) relentless arrogance will be Apple's downfall... demanding me, a consumer, to use their products, as if they are the only choice, or the best. They aren't. Period. Their new ad campaigns show Apple's lack of innovation or awareness that "well.. if you don't have an apple... then you don't.." have to deal with an ignorant closed system that will be trounced by open source and less walled gardens. I will never use apple products... for so many reasons. Most aren't anything other than the fact that 90% of business doesn't run on Apple, but some are simply liking options and control of my hardware and software. If you can't open it, you don't own it (sorta). d) if my music isn't purchased through itunes, it's not "equal"? That's ludicrous. It's the same 0's and 1's. I don't buy through itunes - it's way expensive. e) Google's 20K songs free is tantamount to 100GB of music, or so? I might be off on that, but the idea of 5GB free is like a taunt. It's odd that they chose amount of songs... 1 lossless codec vs one .wav is a song? f) itunes is making one thing clear, ultimately: if you have horrid, pasteurized, homogenic, mindless pop music tastes, that icloud is gonna be super for you. g) itunes is bloated garbage. why are you talking all this cloud stuff while you still cripple computers with your trash? h) Amazon's music, across the board, is at least $1 cheaper or so. I saved about $25 yesterday - almost pressed purchase in itunes, then searched amazon on a lark... Amazon is much cheaper by and large. i) Here's the killer: Icloud doesn't let you stream... then what's the point. no really... what is the point? j) Also found out the way that the way itunes reads tags, if you categorize music yourself and maintain control of it (genres, org, etc), it will all be overridden by what Apple thinks your music should be organized like. Nice... One. j) the way that the way itunes reads tags, if you categorize music yourself and maintain control of it (genres, org, etc), it will all be overridden by what Apple thinks your music should be organized like. Nice... One. k) Wow. The streaming in google music is impressive. On 3G it isn't a 2nd before playing anything in my collection. BTW I am only at 17K. draggggggging. It's fine, but jeez. *But* they have this instant mix feature..... pick one song. Hit "instant mix" and it makes a mix of 25 songs instantly. It's not like itunes genius... random and poorly organized. I picked a manu chao song and it laid out an unbelievable selection of random tracks that were cross genres.... bebel gilberto, jorge ben, jack costanzo, dominguinhos, ska cubano --- all similar to manu, but all songs from different genres in my collection. Ummmm... how? Please? Thank you? the future is awesome. for people that aren't dumb enough to buy into apple's marketing. Spectacular, grandiose, hilarious failure.

I may be mistaking here, but I didn't think iCloud could stream music at all. I thought it had to be downloaded locally. If this is the case, that is a big downfall for me, as I don't want thousands of songs downloaded to memory for every device I have.

Apple ftw ! google cloud service needs to add some mre features. then it be good.

icloud is just marketed better than google because it seems as if all of these services are coming out as one package. although google already provides all of the same services that icloud will offer this fall, everything seems so fragmented that not everyone gets the full picture of what google has to offer. i bet if google consolidated all of these services into a single package and named it “gcloud” (or something much more creative), it will be easier for users to fully utilize google’s services. another advantage apple has over google is simply their brick and mortar stores. people go to apple stores and buy their apple macbooks and are more likely to use strictly apple products. versus google, which is just an idea online to many people. google dominates search and “appears” to offer these other products such as google documents, photos, etc. that just my opinion anyway, im sure there are others that disagree

@Rook: iOS 5 is getting OTA updates as well, so the jokes on u... ha ha :D and nobody's talking abt android vs ios here.. its google cloud music vs icloud.. don't go off topic.. puhleese !!

Agreed, Google Cloud needs some improvements to match up with iCloud, and who said there's anything new with iCloud? Stop making silly assumptions you Android junkies.

@Joan Karinski Amazon's service is free for all Amazon purchased music (cheaper than itunes), and includes 5 gigs for your music purchased elsewhere for free. Apple does not have *any* free storage for music purchased outside of the itunes world. And of course Google gives thousands of your own music storage for free right now. Apple's more expensive and less functional service is available 'this fall'. That's apple for you.

How about Amazon Cloud? That does everything that iCloud is said to do except replacing songs with their own versions. Amazon also doesn't work with the music labels, which lead to a bigger music selection and lower prices. You buy a song and instead of downloading to a device, it goes to your cloud and the cloud manages it from there. iCloud is not revolutionary or new by any stretch of the imagination.

Interesting. Will anxiously be waiting for both the companies to launch their service. I personally feel as though, google will have to let Apple win over this one. And from the comments that I see, it's clear dat Android is ever so dominant these days. lol... P.s im an android user too ! ;D

iCloud is only unlimited if it is music purchased from Apple. That music doesn't count against your 5gb. With the Match plan (for $30 annually), they will convert all your pirated music to legit non-drm music, and that music will not count towards your 5gb limit. It wil come down to ease of use, cost, slick gui, and amount of cloud space allowed that will determine the winner.

clear winner? Ha! icloud doesn't work on XP.