No More Free Amazon Cloud?

[Gregg Bell]

I didn't even know I was an Amazon Cloud customer. (Funny how that works.) Anyway, I have used send-to-Kindle a few times. I suppose that made me a customer.

And I didn't like the wording of the email either. Heavy-handed. Close-ended.

Now this isn't related to the Kindle Cloud Reader, is it? I've got a lot of books there.

So what happens if I do nothing? (Yeah yeah I'll (read on) have access to what is already up there in the Amazon cloud, but I'm not betting against getting a bill on my VISA that by going to the Amazon Cloud site I've signed up for the $59 package.)

And when I went to check on "my" Amazon cloud account I got to see the screen of "my" account for about a millisecond before a pop-up covered 90% of the screen, and I had to choose between one free trial or another. (When all I wanted to do was see "my" account.) Isn't that what they call a closed end question? Not good. Pushy. Strong-arming you.

I guess if you can get away with doing it, you do it. (At least some people (companies) do.)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

I didn't even know I was an Amazon Cloud customer. (Funny how that works.) Anyway, I have used send-to-Kindle a few times. I suppose that made me a customer.

Everyone who has an Amazon account is an Amazon Cloud customer.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I believe you're mistaken, Shari. Personal document storage was integrated into the Amazon Cloud quite a while ago. This change affects all personal document storage. You're right in saying that an eInk Kindle can only access ebooks, and not other types of file stored in the Cloud, but that book storage is a part of the Cloud drive.

Unlike the people who are speculating, I actually called Amazon and asked for clarification. The customer service rep I talked to knew exactly why I was calling, and said that I was just one among many who were calling with the same concern. She clarified that NOTHING is going to change with regards to Send to Kindle and Whispersync. The Cloud drive service changes are totally and completely separate from anything to do with the storage of Kindle personal documents.

Shari

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I believe you're mistaken, Shari. Personal document storage was integrated into the Amazon Cloud quite a while ago. This change affects all personal document storage. You're right in saying that an eInk Kindle can only access ebooks, and not other types of file stored in the Cloud, but that book storage is a part of the Cloud drive.

Judging from this TechCrunch article it was about a year ago Kindle Personal Documents were moved into 'the' 'Cloud'.

Here's a screenshot of the five folders I have in my cloud drive (see image).

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Everyone who has an Amazon account is an Amazon Cloud customer.

So they can't charge me for anything then, right? I just won't get to use their cloud anymore.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by shalym

The Cloud drive service changes are totally and completely separate from anything to do with the storage of Kindle personal documents.

Shari

We shall see. I believe you're wrong, but time will tell.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

So they can't charge me for anything then, right? I just won't get to use their cloud anymore.

You won't be charged unless you choose to sign up for one of the new storage plans.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

I didn't even know I was an Amazon Cloud customer. (Funny how that works.) Anyway, I have used send-to-Kindle a few times. I suppose that made me a customer.

And I didn't like the wording of the email either. Heavy-handed. Close-ended.

Now this isn't related to the Kindle Cloud Reader, is it? I've got a lot of books there.

So what happens if I do nothing? (Yeah yeah I'll (read on) have access to what is already up there in the Amazon cloud, but I'm not betting against getting a bill on my VISA that by going to the Amazon Cloud site I've signed up for the $59 package.)

And when I went to check on "my" Amazon cloud account I got to see the screen of "my" account for about a millisecond before a pop-up covered 90% of the screen, and I had to choose between one free trial or another. (When all I wanted to do was see "my" account.) Isn't that what they call a closed end question? Not good. Pushy. Strong-arming you.

I guess if you can get away with doing it, you do it. (At least some people (companies) do.)

You can close that popup (it appeared for me too) and look at the files/directories that are behind it.

There seems to be some confusion about "Send to Kindle" and storing files on the cloud. There are two different (at least) functions. There is a Send to Kindle ability to email a mobi or other document directly to Kindle. Then there is storing stuff on the cloud. If you send stuff to the cloud (for storage and retrieval later), you need the subscription. If you send to Kindle, you apparently are not using the cloud (I tested this by sending a short story/blog post). I believe you can still do things like email a mobi file (or other document) to the kindle--but NOT to the cloud. If you want to store it in the cloud, there is a charge.

But that is my current understanding.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We shall see. I believe you're wrong, but time will tell.

Here's the email response I got.

Hello Shari,

This is Jackie from Amazon.com. Thank you for contacting us today about the recent changes to the Amazon Cloud Drive Service. Kindle cloud is unchanged in regards to our send to Kindle documents will continue to not have a charge. Kindle and whispersync have also not had any changes to the service.

Thanks for using Kindle.

Best regards,
Jackie

As you say, we shall see. I tend to believe the representative of the company over people trying to interpret an email on a forum.

Shari

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You won't be charged unless you choose to sign up for one of the new storage plans.

Thanks Harry

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by voodoo.mutt

if you don't accept the trial, you won't be charged....this is from an email i got from Amazon Customer Service.

""The trial is free for three months, during which time you can choose to cancel the trial at any time by going to your Cloud Drive Manage Storage page (https://www.amazon.com/gp/photos/storage). If you cancel before the end of the trial, you will not be charged.

If you decide not to select a free trial when you first login to your Cloud Drive account, you will be moved into an over-quota state and will not be able to upload new files until you select one of the new unlimited free trials."

Kindle Personal Docs will still be stored in Cloud Drive; however, your Kindle Personal Docs no longer count toward your storage limits. ""

Originally Posted by HarryT

I believe you're mistaken, Shari. Personal document storage was integrated into the Amazon Cloud quite a while ago. This change affects all personal document storage. You're right in saying that an eInk Kindle can only access ebooks, and not other types of file stored in the Cloud, but that book storage is a part of the Cloud drive.

Harry, see what I quoted from voodoo.mutt. It looks like personal docs will continue to work the same way.

[Atunah]

I actually paid $10 a year to have the 20 gig plan from Amazon. I don't need unlimited gazillion storage. Its why I never got the drop box plan its so expensive. Now they tell me my 20 gig plan is gone, poof and I have to pay $59.99 for the gazillion gigs plan. No option for a smaller plan anymore at all.

The free dropbox is just not enough for me to store my files so I have no choice than to pay it. Dropbox is twice as much.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

This is precisely why I don't use any of these services since the corps can change their minds in the blink of an eye or simply go out of business taking your stuff with them.

I don't let that stop me from utilizing these services while they're available. But at the same time, I'm also not going to put myself in a position to be shafted by business decisions or mind-changing. I simply don't store anything there that I'd lose a second's sleep over if it suddenly became inaccessible. Like keeping a spare toothbrush at a friend's house in the event of a sleepover. If there happens to be a falling out somewhere down the road... hey, best of luck. Keep the toothbrush.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by crich70

Do other cloud services like Drop Box work well with music files (as in accessing and downloading them to the KF)? I know they have had a certain # of music files (250) that you can load from your own music (non-Amazon) and Amazon charges if you load more than that.

Dropbox is kind of a pain to download to a device if you want to download multiple items, but there is a Folder Downloader for Dropbox app in Google Play that makes it much easier. I don't see Dropbox in the Amazon app store either, but that can be downloaded directly from Dropbox.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Atunah

I actually paid $10 a year to have the 20 gig plan from Amazon. I don't need unlimited gazillion storage. Its why I never got the drop box plan its so expensive. Now they tell me my 20 gig plan is gone, poof and I have to pay $59.99 for the gazillion gigs plan. No option for a smaller plan anymore at all.

The free dropbox is just not enough for me to store my files so I have no choice than to pay it. Dropbox is twice as much.

There is also copy.com - you get 15 gb free and if you use a referral link you get another 5 gb free for a total of 20 gb. I think there is someone in this thread that I saw a referral link for copy.com.