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Why you should get onto Google Play even if you don't have an Android Device

So, you're an Apple person, or a Windows person, and you already have an iTunes or Windows store account. You can get your books, music and movies from their stores. Why would you bother getting a Google Play account?



It's worth it. That's why -- even if you only buy the FREE things. 

 Actually, there's four very good reasons;

  • Cross Platform Functionality
  • Downloading to Other Devices
  • Uploading Your Own Materials
  • Free Stuff 



Cross Platform Functionality
If you have iTunes, then for the most part, your music and movies are only available on your apple device(s).   Your iPhone, iPod or iPad, maybe your apple computer and possibly, in some cases, your windows computer.  Essentially, purchases on the apple platform, stay on the apple platform.

This is not the case with Google Play.

Movies, Music and Books from Google Play works in;
  • Android tablets and phones (obviously)
  • Apple iPhones, iPads and iPods (Do a search for Google Play)
  • Windows PCs
  • The Chrome Browser (on any platform)
  • The Linux Platform
  • ChromeOS on ChromeBooks and the ChromeBox
In addition, Google Play Apps will work on;



Downloading to Other Devices
Some of the files from Google play will also play in other devices;

  • Music can be downloaded as DRM Free MP3
    This means that it will play in most modern CD players, can be written to CD using software like Nero or Windows Media Player, will play in VLC and can be uploaded to your iPhone.
  • Books can be downloaded as (usually DRM Free) EPub or PDF. 
    To download, just go to Google Play, click on Books, then My Books.
    Hover the mouse over the top right of any book in your collection and a tiny three-box menu will appear. Click on this and you can download your book to copy to your E-Reader or wherever else you want to take it.


Uploading Your Own Materials
Did you know that you can also upload your own books and music to Google Play?  This means that they become part of your library and you can access them from other locations.   Sure, you can do this in the iTunes world too but the difference is there that although you can copy songs to your phone, they don't become part of your library.  Trust me, the Google model is much better. 


Free Stuff 
Finally, we get to free stuff.  Like most providers today, Google has "songs of the week" and "books of the week" as well as random "free" stuff throughout their library.   There's no real catch other than needing you to have a working Google play account. 

When you buy free stuff, it will expect either a play card with money on your account or a working credit card. It doesn't charge these things but it just likes to know that they are there. 

I'd advise against hooking a credit card up to the account.  It's much better to simply buy a cheap Google play card. 

You should check the front pages of the Books and Music on Google play at least once per week in case something free appears. If it's worth getting it, then just do. You don't need to worry about bandwidth, just "buy it" while it's free, you don't need to download it immediately.

The easiest way to find Free books and free music is to go to the appropriate books or music page and type in the search bar 
  • Free Books
  • Free Music
You'll find that most of the classics are free all of the time but other popular genres are only free for a limited time (so you need to "buy" them as soon as you see them for free. 

Free movies on Google Play are pretty rare but they do happen. Pacific Rim was free for a short while over Christmas 2014. 

Recent Highlights
Free stuff will also vary from one country to another.  Recent highlights include; (check these out because they might still be free) 


    Go get 'em. 
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