Amazon Cloud adds support for Apple's iOS; UK Queen orders an iPad

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Amazon has silently added support for browser-based playback of music in its new cloud streaming service on iOS-powered devices. Also, after using iPads owned by Princes Wills and Harry, the Queen of the United Kingdom decided to buy her own.



Amazon Cloud gets browser-based iOS support



Amazon quietly added support for iOS devices through its built-in Safari browser, as noted by TechCrunch. Users can log into their account on Amazon and access the Cloud Player, which now allows streaming of audio files stored on its servers.



Users who visit the site will still be prompted with a message warning them that their browser is not supported. However, music playback now works through the service, and audio is even paused when a push notification or call is received.



"Of course, this implementation is still not as good as it is on Android, where Cloud Player is part of a native app," author MG Siegler wrote. "But if Amazon did a little web work and made the web-based player optimized for the iPhone and iPad, it would certainly be very useable on a regular basis."



Amazon's cloud streaming service launched in March, but initially only had support for streaming via the Web and on Android devices. Amazon Cloud Drive offers 5GB of free online storage, with premium accounts expandable to up to 1,000GB.







The push to launch the service, which requires users to upload their own songs and is not backed by any recording industry licensing deals, was seen as a move to preemptively take on Apple and its own anticipated cloud music streaming service. AppleInsider reported exclusively last month that Apple is expected to unveil its "iCloud" service this year with support for bookmarks, e-mail, contacts and more, in addition to music streaming.



The Queen opts for an iPad



The 85-year-old monarch of the United Kingdom has asked her staff to buy her an iPad after she was "wowed" by Apple's tablet when her grandsons showed it off to her, The Sun reported Monday. Queen Elizabeth II was said to be impressed by the large screen and the light weight of what was presumably a second-generation iPad.



A "royal insider" reportedly told the publication that the Queen hadn't seen anything like an iPad before. The royal Princes apparently thought it was "hilarious" that their grandmother ordered one so quickly.



The tabloid reported that the Queen is apparently a "big fan" of Apple's products, and owns at least two iPods -- a £169 model bought back in 2005, and another given as a gift from U.S. President Barack Obama in 2009.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 83
    swiftswift Posts: 436member
    That's what she told me.
  • Reply 2 of 83
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Steve might get that knighthood yet.
  • Reply 3 of 83
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member
    It's kind of sad that people complain about how heavy the iPad is, and a woman of 85 finds it lightweight.
  • Reply 4 of 83
    dualiedualie Posts: 334member
    I know few give a crap (perhaps justifyable so), and at the risk of being picayune, I should point out that Queen Elizabeth II isn't only the queen of the UK. Her actual title is Queen of the Commonwealth realms, since she is also the queen of sixteen sovereign independent states.



    I think iPads are generally quite popular with the elderly, once they are given the chance to actually use one.
  • Reply 5 of 83
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,209member
    I've liked the Queen a lot ever since I saw back in the 60's in Wiesbaden (at the Bohnhoff) - was only in 2nd grade at the time but thought she was quite something. I now respect her even more - I can imagine she'll find lots to do with it (besides the porn someone suggested).



    Watch for her to hit high score in Angry Birds very soon!
  • Reply 6 of 83
    zwebenzweben Posts: 75member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AaronJ View Post


    It's kind of sad that people complain about how heavy the iPad is, and a woman of 85 finds it lightweight.



    It depends what you use it for. It's light compared to a laptop, but it's heavy compared to a book.
  • Reply 7 of 83
    mrstepmrstep Posts: 511member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zweben View Post


    It depends what you use it for. It's light compared to a laptop, but it's heavy compared to a book.



    Not compared to a big hardcover book. And my books do a terrible job of games / media playback.
  • Reply 8 of 83
    wovelwovel Posts: 956member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zweben View Post


    It depends what you use it for. It's light compared to a laptop, but it's heavy compared to a book.



    A popular paperback sure.. It is lighter then many books.
  • Reply 9 of 83
    vexorgvexorg Posts: 69member
    We have heard anecdotally of various older folk taking to the iPad, so it should not be surprising that Queen Elizabeth found it compelling enough to order one. If my grandma were still alive, I'd probably buy her and iPad.
  • Reply 10 of 83
    mrstepmrstep Posts: 511member
    That's really scary - did nobody tell the Queen that she can't compile the kernel herself like on Android? (Well, assuming she's more special to Google anyway...)



    What's this world coming to?
  • Reply 11 of 83
    mobiusmobius Posts: 380member
    One calls it one's 1Pad.
  • Reply 12 of 83
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I wonder if she uses the majestic plural when referring to her iPad usage.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dualie View Post


    I know few give a crap (perhaps justifyable so), and at the risk of being picayune, I should point out that Queen Elizabeth II isn't only the queen of the UK. Her actual title is Queen of the Commonwealth realms, since she is also the queen of sixteen sovereign independent states.



    I think iPads are generally quite popular with the elderly, once they are given the chance to actually use one.



    I?m not aware of other UK queens. Could you post a link to a detailed list?





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zweben View Post


    It depends what you use it for. It's light compared to a laptop, but it's heavy compared to a book.



    I can?t imagine the Queen is reading a bunch of cheap paperbacks. And have you seen the size of old books found among parliament, churches and royalty?





    Here is a book about here that weighs more than the iPad: http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Country-.../dp/0743226763
  • Reply 13 of 83
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mrstep View Post


    ...did nobody tell the Queen that she can't compile the kernel herself like on Android?



  • Reply 14 of 83
    brutus009brutus009 Posts: 356member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I?m not aware of other UK queens. Could you post a link to a detailed list?



    You might like to reread that which you have quoted.
  • Reply 15 of 83
    bmoviebmovie Posts: 88member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mrstep View Post


    That's really scary - did nobody tell the Queen that she can't compile the kernel herself like on Android? (Well, assuming she's more special to Google anyway...)



    What's this world coming to?



    Humor a Yank a moment, will you?



    When the non-American world buys an Apple iPad, Apple pays US taxes and therefore supports the US. When the world buys Android, Honeycomb (to supported manufacturers) is free and Google pays no US taxes and therefore nothing goes to the US. Non-American manufacturers invest in the hardware and all profits go to paying taxes to their home countries.



    So thank you Queen Mother, and screw you Android. Screw you Google.
  • Reply 16 of 83
    nkalunkalu Posts: 315member
    A Royal endorsement of Apple.
  • Reply 17 of 83
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    New rule: Anyone who watched the royal wedding can?t complain about anyone who is deemed famous-for-being-famous.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by brutus009 View Post


    You might like to reread that which you have quoted.



    Ah, yes, I read it as: "I should point out that Queen Elizabeth II isn't the only the queen of the UK.?
  • Reply 18 of 83
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zweben View Post


    It depends what you use it for. It's light compared to a laptop, but it's heavy compared to a book.



    Depends. A little paperback? Sure. A textbook? No way. Any of the Absolute Editions of comics I have? Not even close. My copy of Marcella Hazan's "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking?" Uh-uh.
  • Reply 19 of 83
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,402member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bmovie View Post


    Humor a Yank a moment, will you?



    When the non-American world buys an Apple iPad, Apple pays US taxes and therefore supports the US. When the world buys Android, Honeycomb (to supported manufacturers) is free and Google pays no US taxes and therefore nothing goes to the US. Non-American manufacturers invest in the hardware and all profits go to paying taxes to their home countries.



    So thank you Queen Mother, and screw you Android. Screw you Google.



    Although US corporations rarely bring their foreign profits home (because of, you guessed it, higher US corporate tax rates), but that's another topic.......
  • Reply 20 of 83
    anantksundaramanantksundaram Posts: 20,402member
    The biggest thing that people -- esp. analysts -- miss about Apple products is not related to how much they sell or what its profits are (both doing well in and of itself, thank you), but the quality of Apple's customer segment.



    The Googles and the Microsofts can sell many multiples of Apple (which, with today's Apple products, they don't), but even if they did, they couldn't remotely match that type of market segment.
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