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Apple changed the way users purchased Mac applications when they created the Mac App Store at the beginning of the year. Even though it still does not have all the biggest software titles for the Mac, it still is the first place to look for new applications. Can anyone else compete with it?

Amazon is set to find out by creating their own app store for the Mac called Mac Software Downloads. Is there enough room for two stores and can they compete? Lets take a look at the Amazon store experience and see how it compares with the Mac App Store.

Amazon faces an uphill battle by trying to compete directly with Apple for Mac software sales. Apple’s store is integrated into the OS, which allows for features like one click downloads and updates. Amazon’s store is not quite so easy. To purchase software from Amazon’s Mac Software Downloads store, you have to:

1. Decide which software you want to buy.
2. Click on the download button to login and purchase the software.
3. After the software has been purchased, the downloader application is automatically downloaded. A small disk image file is automatically downloaded that contains the downloaders app.
4. When the first download is complete, open it up and click on the download application. Now the main application starts to download. Download times will vary depending on size of the application.
5. Once that is done, the customer will have a dmg file of the application they purchased. Just open up the dmg disk image file and follow the installation procedure like normal.

While this method takes several steps and is harder than Apple’s Mac App Store process, it is still easier than buying a boxed copy. Purchased applications can be download as many times as the customer wants, which provides a nice backup solution.

Besides the unlimited download feature, The Amazon Software Download store provides some compelling features. To celebrate the launch of the download store, Amazon gave away a game called “Airport Mania” for free. As with other departments at Amazon, look for them to continue promotional sales or freebies to bring in the customers.

Amazon also has some big names in their store like Microsoft, Adobe, and Quicken. Customers can download Microsoft Office and Adobe’s Creative Suite, which they can’t from the Mac App Store. They also have some big name games like Sims 3, Call of Duty 4, and Civilization V to name a few. Beyond the big names though, the store is still quite small. Time will tell if they can get more titles beyond those that just don’t want to be in Apple’s store.

Since this is Amazon, the Walmart of the Internet, customers are already familiar with the interface and purchase process. The download process, while longer than the Mac App Store, is still better than what most people are used to. They have the best chance to bring the rest of the Mac software together and provide an alternative to the Mac App Store.

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