As noted by The Loop, Amazon has launched a new download store for Mac OS X applications, going head-to-head against Apple’s Mac App Store. While Amazon’s download store does not offer the level of system integration featured by Apple’s store, it does offer a few big name titles like Microsoft Office that are not available through Apple’s Mac App Store.

Competing directing with Apple’s Mac Store, Amazon says its store has 250 of the biggest software and game titles available for Mac. In fact, they have some titles that Apple’s store doesn’t.

A number of popular video game publishers including EA, Aspyr, and Feral Interactive are also included on Amazon’s store.

Amazon’s download mechanism appears to offer a basic downloadable installer for each title, forgoing any integrated installation system. Purchases are also stored in users’ digital lockers associated with their Amazon accounts, allowing unlimited downloads for personal use.

To celebrate the launch of the Mac download store, Amazon is offering a one-time use coupon good for $5 off of a purchase from the store through June 1st.

Last month, Amazon rolled out a promotion highlighting 69-cent new release tracks in its MP3 download store, an apparent effort to draw market share from Apple in the digital download market that has long been dominated by the iTunes Store. The pricing significantly undercuts Apple’s own pricing, which typically comes in at $1.29 for popular new tracks.

Amazon has made another push today with a “Daily Deal” offering the new Lady Gaga album, “Born This Way”, for only $0.99 through the Amazon MP3 Store. The special price is available for today only and compares to the $11.99 price point for the standard album in the iTunes Store, where an expanded edition is also available for $15.99.

Aside from Amazon’s bargain basement pricing on what is expected to be a top-selling new release, the company is also using it as an opportunity to promote its new cloud-based storage service that will also be going up against Apple when it rolls out its own service in the near future. As noted on the Amazon MP3 Store and in promotional emails sent to some of its customers, purchase of the new Lady Gaga album, as with any other album, qualifies users for free upgrades to the 20 GB tier on Amazon Cloud Drive.

Amazon Cloud Drive offers 5 GB of storage space for free, with content purchased through the Amazon MP3 Store not counting toward that limit. The 20 GB tier is normally priced at $20 per year, but customers who purchase an album through the Amazon MP3 Store receive a free one-year upgrade to that level. Consequently, customers who do not have any interest in the Lady Gaga album may still opt to purchase the new release simply to receive the Amazon Cloud Drive storage upgrade for only 99 cents.

Nice option but I walked out of the apple store in Deer Park IL and walked across the street to Best Buy to buy my iMac. I waited 45 min for a “specialist” while all I wanted was a cashier. I used the iMac in the store to find the stock across the street and went over.

I can see the waiting list as being a deterrent for people to stay around even if you can reserve.

Just my opinion. I do like the improvements though

Mike

Be sure to complain online about this store. Last time I wanted to pop in and buy a replacement keyboard, it took me 20 minutes of waiting at the Deer Park store. There were maybe only 10 people in there on a week-night, and all the employees were occupied by non-paying customers. (not sure what they were really doing, but only saw 1 person buying an iPad and he had a million questions it seemed). Plus there were others working, maybe on break, walking to and from the back, but in street clothes. They all (at least 3 different people) walked by me and looked at me.

I am glad that Apple added a “queue for specialist” that you can sign up for, as I hope this type of problem gets fixed.

It would be nice if there was a way to queue up when you are ready to be checked out. Perhaps at a counter or something, and an employee could be waiting for you, rather than the other way around. Perhaps it could be at the front of the store, near the exit, so people can leave afterward.