Amazon Cloud Drive and Cloud Music Player

Today, Amazon has announced two new, but related services, Cloud Drive and Cloud Player. Cloud Drive is a virtual storage drive in the Amazon Cloud, free for all Amazon customers. You get 5GB free to start and can increase that by purchasing an annual license for an upgrade for amounts ranging from 20GB to 1 terabyte. For this year only, Amazon will give you the upgrade to 20GB for free, if you buy any (non-free) MP3 album. You can use your Cloud Drive to store anything that you have a legal right to backup or store (so, don't store your pirated books and music there), which means you can use it to back up books you have purchased outside the Kindle store, music you purchased before today (more on that later), documents you have created, etc.

I don't think it will take the place of Dropbox, which I use (and love) -- your Cloud Drive is accessed via a web page or on your Android device, while Dropbox automatically syncs with a directory/folder on your computer; this makes it much easier to move files to Dropbox and you can access your Dropbox folders from you iPhone/iPad (I use this feature to get EPUB's over to the iPad and open in BlueFire Reader, as well as to copy over PDF's that are easier to read there than the Kindle) and from the Kindle (including wirelessly downloading non-DRM'd mobi books, I've been told; I haven't used this feature myself, yet). If you Calibre folder is small, you can just move it inside the Dropbox folder and it will automatically sync to the web storage and every computer on which you've installed your Dropbox account (no more emailing files to yourself from other places). You can also set up directories inside Dropbox that you only share with certain people (I use this to share documents with someone else, so the copy being edited is quickly updated to all involved).

The Amazon Cloud Drive does none of this, but ... it's Amazon, so they have added one very cool feature -- any music that you upload can be played using the Cloud Player from any PC (via a web page) or your Android device (using the Amazon MP3 App). In addition, any MP3 music you purchase (as of yesterday) now gives you the option to send it to your Cloud Drive, rather than downloading to your computer right away. Make sure you pick this option with the next MP3 purchase (it will then set up a default for you, so you don't have to answer each time, which you can change later, if you want), as the Amazon MP3 purchases don't (repeat, DO NOT) count towards your storage limit. I've spent the morning re-purchasing (more on this later) some MP3's and have over 7GB installed, but not one single byte is counting towards my 5GB limit. Once stored on your Cloud Drive, you can either play the music directly from there (streaming) or download it to your PC or Android device.

There are a few limitations: only files up to 2GB in size can be stored and music files over 100MB won't upload using the upload tool in the Cloud Player. Also, you have to use the web interface to download the files back to your PC, unless you go into your MP3 Settings (on the Cloud Player page) and click to automatically download your MP3 purchases to the computer. You can, in fact, open up that same page on any number of computers (an unlimited number, from what I can tell), log in and have that computer also automatically download any MP3's purchased. Essentially, you now have a method of syncing all the computers you use (desktop, laptop, phone and work, for example) with your new MP3 music, with no additional effort on your part.

So, what about music you already have? Unfortunately, Amazon is not automatically adding your past purchases to your Cloud Drive. So, your existing music, unless repurchased via Amazon, will count towards your 5GB limit. If you purchase at least one non-free album, you'll have 20GB to store it in, but I have well over that just on my laptop (and the 20GB must be renewed each year). Amazon will, however, let you repurchase music, so I would suggest that you look thru the current Free MP3 Albums and Free MP3 Songs (I've sorted these by album and you can use the genre tags on the side to narrow down the choices) and repurchase those that you already own. You'll be prompted during checkout that you already own them (for those you do), but since they are free, the only thing this costs is your time. With the first one you purchase, make sure you tell it to send it to your Cloud Drive. Then, when you click on Upload to Your Cloud Drive from the Cloud Player, the music you have already installed will be removed from the total, letting you see if your music collection will fit in the default space provided.

If you need more space, consider picking up one of the 100/$5: 100 Albums for $5 Each or Seed Your Cloud Albums as $5 or less for an album you keep is a lot better than paying for the additional storage in the first year. There are quite a few interesting ones that still have a couple of days left on this month's sale (and there will be new ones this Friday). I've included a few albums below that I discovered while exploring today - two at $5 and three free albums that I had not seen previously (and which are now snugly tucked into my Cloud Drive.

• ...Featuring, by Norah Jones $2.99 (I paid $5 for this one!)
• What's Going On, by Marvin Gaye $5
• Greatest Hits - We Will Rock You Edition, by Queen $5
• Allegro 2011 Winter Sampler free
• Music for Massage, Meditation & Yoga free
• Celtic to Classic - Relaxing Guitars free

Update: It turns out that anything listed as an "album" counts, not just those with multiple songs. So, this album (currently the top selling album at Amazon) will upgrade you to 20GB of storage for only 69 cents:

Trouty Mouth (Glee Cast Version)

If you don't like that one, I found this one at the same price:

Big Ass Heart (Glee Cast Version)

I didn't cheap out, though, and found an album that I really like (bought and my space is now upgraded!):

Birth Of The Cool (Rudy Van Gelder Edition), by Miles Davis

Free Book (Kindle/EPUB/nook) - The Gospel of Ruth

Update: 11:45 PM Now free at B&N, as well. 6:30 PM No longer available from B&N.
Update: 3/30/11 Now free at Kobo.
Update: 4/5/11 Now free at Sony.

Update #2 6:30 PM This is no long available at B&N at all. I expect it will be back (and free, if it makes it this week), but have no idea when that will be. In the meantime, maybe Sony or Kobo will have it available.

The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules, by Carolyn Custis James, is free on Kindle and at B&N, courtesy of Christian publisher Zondervan. Since this is an Agency title, it should drop from it's current $9.99 at B&N sometime in the next day or so.

Book Description
This isn't the Ruth, the Naomi, or the Boaz we thought we knew. Carolyn James has unearthed startling new insights from this well-worn story ... insights that have life-changing implications for you.

• Naomi is no longer regarded as a bitter, complaining woman, but as a courageous overcomer.
• A Female Job.
• Ruth (typically admired for her devotion to Naomi and her deference to Boaz) turns out to be a gutsy risk-taker and a powerful agent for change among God's people. She lives outside the box, and her love for Yahweh and Naomi compels her to break the rules of social and religious convention at nearly every turn.
• Boaz, the Kinsman Redeemer, is repeatedly caught off-guard by Ruth's initiatives. His partnership with her models the kind of male/female relationships that the gospel intends for all who follow Jesus.

Carolyn James drills down deeper into the story where she uncovers in the Old Testament the same passionate, counter-cultural, rule-breaking gospel that Jesus modeled and taught his followers to pursue. Within this age-old story is a map to radical levels of love and sacrifice, combined with the message that God is counting on his daughters to build his kingdom.

The Gospel of Ruth vests every woman's life with kingdom purposes and frees us to embrace wholeheartedly God's calling, regardless of our circumstances or season of life. This story of two women who have lost everything contains a profound message: God created women not to live in the shadowy margins of men or of the past, but to emerge as courageous activists for his kingdom.

Click HERE for the free book from B&N.
Click HEREfor the free book from Kobo.
Click HERE for the free book from Sony.

A Trio of Cookbooks from Woman's Day

I was browsing thru the cookbooks at Amazon this weekend and ran into this trio of bargain cookbooks from Woman's Day. To get the bargains, you have to step away from their pre-orders; not only is Weeknight Meals in a Hurry: The Monday through Friday Eat-Well Cookbook Series ($29.99) outrageously overpriced, but the more modestly priced The Woman's Day Everyday Cookbook: 365 Tasty Recipes and Monthly Menus for the Whole Year ($14.99) can be beat with a bit of sleuth-work (although that last one does look interesting, I will admit).

First up is Woman's Day Cookbook for Healthy Living ($4.99), by Elizabeth Alston. I've already purchased this one and made the Fudge Brownie Pudding Cake only minutes after downloading it (the cake isn't bad at all and was easily modified for gluten and lactose free, but next time I'm going to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; in any case, not a crumb remained in anyone's bowl). The 224 page hardcover for this one is discounted by Amazon to $18.99, so the Kindle edition is a real steal. The recipes are well formatted on the Kindle itself, with a table of contents in the front that makes it easy to jump first to a section and from there to any recipe (I've got to try that Margarita Fruit Cocktail, next), while on the iPad or PC you get the addition of full color in the images to provide further inspiration.

Book Description
If you're ready to feel great and take charge of your health (and your family's), then this book is for you.

Relax! Just because the recipes in this book are "healthy" doesn't mean you have to give up the foods you love. This book offers a simple, enjoyable approach to delicious and healthful cooking that anyone can master. This is no diet book - the recipes are neither fat-free, sugar-free or sodium-free - rather, it is a daily guide to gradually changing your cooking habits to include a wide variety of nutritious foods: fruits and vegetables, meats and fish, whole grains and even sweets. Over time, you'll find that a positive transformation has taken place, without you even knowing it! You'll feel better, look better and save time while making fabulous meals the whole family will enjoy.

The best approach to building a healthy lifestyle is a balanced approach - none of those restrictive fad diets, splurging on the latest workout equipment or popping the vitamin du jour. Nor must you deny yourself the occasional slice of chocolate cake. Instead, we'll help you make positive choices that support your lifestyle while gradually developing a healthier way of cooking and eating.

From the same author, Elizabeth Alston, the next one that caught my eye was The Woman's Day Cookvook: Healthy Food for Everyday Living ($3.99). Yes, that isn't a spelling error, but an intentional play on words, as this one is intended for the iPad or iPhone (for now). There are 45 recipes and demonstrations, without the usual introduction and what to stock in your kitchen chapters - instead, each chapter is a single recipe and has an accompanying video, demonstrating just how to prepare the dish (two are included in the sample, with the complete recipes for each). Some of the chapters will no doubt be basic for some (how to cut an avocado and get the seed out, for example), but others may find just the training they are looking for, as they turn to cooking on their own for the first time, using real ingredients rather than just popping a boxed entree into the oven. I haven't bought this one yet, so if you do, let me know what you think of it.

Book Description
The Woman's Day Cookvook: Healthy Food for Everyday Living is the ultimate guide to good, healthy cooking with recipes tested by the experts at Woman's Day and prepared by everyday cooks -- from seasoned pros to culinary newcomers.

Packed with 45 nutritious and mouthwatering recipes from the trusted editors of Woman's Day, each one includes nutritional information and cooking time. This is the perfect cookvook for anyone who wants to eat low-sodium, low-fat, and low-sugar meals without sacrificing taste and fun.

Every recipe includes a video so you can cook along with other Woman's Day readers or watch a helpful cooking or shopping tip with Woman's Day experts.

The trio finishes up with a another volume from Elizabeth Alston, New Woman's Day Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Every Occasion. This one has so many desserts, they had to spread them across two chapters (with a few extras tucked into chapters on Entertaining and Celebrations).

At $8.99, it's a bit above my usual fair for this blog, but that Agency set price compares well to the $35 the 432 page print edition was listed for. With this one, though, you can have your cake and eat it too: the Hardcover is currently being discounted to $2.95 and the paperback to $5 (not as good a deal, but probably lighter to hold to read). So, you can get it on the cheap for under three bucks, spend a bit more and get the more convenient Kindle edition (on your PC and Kindle for under $10) or get both the print and Kindle editions for as little as $11.94 (plus shipping).

Book Description
Woman's Day, America's most popular and trusted magazine, brings you a comprehensive reference cookbook - perfect for every cook from novice to pro.

Reflecting today's busy lifestyles, this cookbook contains a wealth of time-saving recipes that will allow for less time in the kitchen while still creating healthy and delicious meals. The editors of Woman's Day presents over 350 wholesome meals with nutritious ingredients - many can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.

The savory recipes cover Pasta, Chicken & Turkey, Beef, Fish & Seafood, Pork & Ham, Eggs & Cheese, Pizzas & Breads, Soups, Salads, Cakes & Cookies, and Desserts. Some of the scrumptious dishes include: Roasted Red Snapper with Coconut-Ginger Sauce, Thai Steak Salad, Chicken Breasts with Fresh Orange Salsa, Tex-Mex Pulled Pork, Chorizzo Frittata, and Carribean Pumpkin Soup.

From the easy-to-follow directions to the appendix of cooking terms and essential preparation tips, The New Woman's Day Cookbook is an indispensable collection of classic and contemporary recipes to add to your cookbook shelf.

New Kindle Game - Checkers

It seems like only yesterday that I told you about a new Checkers game for the Kindle .... oh, wait, it was yesterday. I missed it yesterday, but there are actually two new Checkers ($0.99) games for the Kindle, the second from Code Mystics.

Best of all, if you are hesitating to spend another 99 cents (really? you can't even get a value menu chili for this anymore) and aren't sure if you would like this one better than the other edition, you can play this one in your browser.

Book Description
Enjoy the classic board game of Checkers on Kindle.

The object of Checkers is to jump over and capture all of your opponent's pieces before you lose all of your own, or to put your opponent in a position where there are no legal moves available.

Checkers allows you play against Kindle at one of eight difficulty levels, or play with a friend with a Pass 'n' Play mode. You can save your game at any point, and then continue at a later time. Checkers also includes a practice mode that lets you set up the starting board any way you like.

Enjoy Checkers today!

Free Book (noDRM) - Save My Soul

Save My Soul ($4.95 Kindle), the second book in the PreternaturalsPreternaturals series by Zoe Winters, is free on AllRomance today.

Book Description
All he’s asking for is her soul.

After buying the antebellum home she’s fantasized about since childhood, Anna Worthington discovers Luc, a dangerously seductive incubus who has been trapped in the house by a fifty-year-old curse. To rid herself of her problem house guest she’ll call on a priest, gypsies, ghost hunters, and the coven of witches from lust bunny hell. All she has to do is resist him long enough to break the spell so they can go their separate ways. If she doesn’t, she could die. And that would be the best case scenario.

Click HERE for the free download.