Google Music gets a boost from Toronto-based PushLife
It’s no secret that Google is working on a cloud-based music service to compete with the 800-pound gorilla that is Apple’s iTunes. Now, Google has acquired a small Toronto startup to help strengthen its offering.
If you own an Android phone, chances are good that you’ve been waiting for a better built-in way to purchase, download, and sync music. While there are a number of apps available in the Android Marketplace, Google has yet to come through with its own service. There have been murmurs about Google Music for quite some time, and several rumored launch dates have come and gone, but the only glimpses we’ve seen so far are part of a leaked Music app for Android devices.
The app in question includes a synchronize feature, which allows you to upload songs which are already stored on your device to Google’s servers. They can then be streamed to your mobile via its wireless data connection.
Synchronization with the cloud is only one piece of the puzzle, however. Managing your mobile music collection also means being able to sync your device with apps like iTunes and Windows Media Player on your computer — which is where PushLife comes in. The Canadian company develops desktop media synchronization software which is currently compatible with Android, BlackBerry, and Nokia devices. Plug your phone in and the PushLife plug-in springs into action, keeping your tunes up to date with minimal fuss.
The PushLife acquisition makes it clear that Google isn’t merely looking at Google Music to make Android devices more appealing. With support for the most popular non-Apple mobile platforms, PushLife will help make Google Music a strong option for tens of millions of users. Right now, unfortunately, PushLife is only available in the U.S. — and Google music likely will be as well when it finally launches.
Hopefully the Big G will be more timely in bringing its service to Canada than Amazon has been.