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pmcnamara
News Editor

Amazon.com vs. iTunes?

Opinion
Mar 10, 20062 mins
Amazon.comAppleEnterprise Applications

According to this story in today’s New York Times, Amazon.com is in negotiations with three Hollywood studios that could lead to the creation of a download service catering to TV and movie buffs.

From the story: “If the advanced negotiations are successfully concluded, Amazon’s service would position itself in the media world alongside rivals like Apple Computer’s iTunes as a place where people go not just to order goods to be sent by mail, but to instantly enjoy digital wares as well.”

Could I be the only one whose initial reaction upon reading that was “You mean they’re not doing that already?” Who’d a thunk? Amazon.com is a dinosaur?

One corporate asset Amazon apparently would leverage in such a venture is the Web site IMDB.com – Internet Move Database – which company execs had the great foresight to acquire back in 1998 (when dinosaurs still roamed the earth). Even if the name IMDB.com doesn’t ring a bell – it didn’t with me – take a click on over there and I’ll bet it will be instantly recognizable as a site you’ve been to before – maybe to settle a bar bet.

It’s just one of those places where information finds you.

pmcnamara
News Editor

In addition to my editing duties, I have written Buzzblog since January, 2006 and wrote the 'Net Buzz column in Network World's dearly departed print edition for 13 years. Feel free to e-mail me at pmcnamara@nww.com.