Google wants to entertain as Google Movies and Music Beta by Google go live

News streaming in from I/O

Google has announced that it will be offering users the ability to stream movies from the Android Market in the US - from either a web browser on a PC, or on your phone or tablet.

Movies will vary in price, starting from $1.99 and users will be able to rent titles for 30 days. Like similar services, once you have started watching your movie you will have just 24 hours to watch them before your credit runs out.

Google has added a movies application to both Honeycomb 3.1 and Gingerbread 2.3 that will let you stream from the cloud in HD.

Those without access to the Internet, when it comes to watching them (i.e. people on a plane), will be able to “pin” movies to the tablet to allow offline viewing.

The Honeycomb app will be available in the new software update rolling out on the Motorola Xoom (10 May), and Gingerbread in the next couple of days.

Google has, as expected, also announced the launch of a new music service to take on Amazon and Apple in the US.

The new service, called Music beta by Google, will allow users to access the music service via the web, tablet, and on their phones after uploading their music to the cloud.

In a direct attack on Apple, the company says that it has an ingenious (not Genius) new auto playlist feature - Instant Mix.

Music will be streamed to users' devices over the air without the need to connect to your computer - unlike Apple’s iTunes.

Like the Movies feature, there will be an offline mode that allows people to save tracks to their phone - it looks to work in the same way as Spotify’s offline offering.

Users will be able to share their music across their devices and automatically sync with all devices that they have.

The service will launch in beta today, by invitation only, to US users.

Users will be able to add up to 20,000 songs to the service. Google has said that while in beta the service will be free.

Tags: Cloud computing Digital music Video on demand gingerbread google i/i Online Internet Android Market Android Honeycomb Google

Google wants to entertain as Google Movies and Music Beta by Google go live originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 10 May 2011 17:42:00 +0100

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