Amazon to the cloud

WE’VE LOOKED AT CLOUDS FROM THREE SIDES NOW: Don’t look now, but Google (see 3/28 story) and Apple (see item below) have been joined by Amazon in the race for the first cloud-based service. But, like its rivals, the online retail giant has yet to securelicensing deals with labels and movie studios. A Sony Music spokewoman expressed dismay at Amazon's plans, telling the Wall Street Journal’s Ethan Smith, "We are disappointed that the locker service that Amazon is proposing is unlicensed by Sony Music." But Amazon VP of Music and Movies Bill Carr remained upbeat, saying, "Our customers have told us they don't want to download music to their work computers or phones because they find it hard to move music around to different devices. Now, whether at work, home, or on the go, customers can buy music from Amazon MP3, store it in the cloud and play it anywhere." The news was first reported on Monday by CNET. An official announcement could come as early as today. (3/29a)