Amazon Expands Web Services To Enhance Content Distribution

Two new services released today by Amazon Web Services enhance the power of software developers and Web site owners to build revenue-generating applications. Amazon E-Commerce Service 4.0 allows access to Amazon's technology platform and product data.

"We continue to be surprised by the innovative applications and businesses developers are building using Amazon Web Services," said Andy Jassy, Vice President of Web Services at Amazon. "Every time we expose new features, developers everywhere find clever ways to derive business value from them. Releasing ECS 4.0 and AWIS is another meaningful step in this direction."

Additionally, the Alexa Web Information Service, available in the beta version allows access to the vast database of Web site information delivered by Alexa.com. The Alexa Web Information Service allows developers to collect information from Alexa Web Crawl, serving through more than 4 billion Web pages.

The users can benefit from accessing specific Web sites, containing information about traffic rank, adult content identification, load speed, and      related links. Web Search operation gives a list of URLs, providing content about multiple keywords matches.

Both Amazon.com and A9.com are already using AWIS. A9.com (www.a9.com), for example, uses the AWIS URL Information operation to source the Web site information it presents to users along with their search results. The AWIS URL Information Operation also powers the "site info" feature in the A9 Toolbar.

Amazon Web Services 3.0 provides access to information and customer reviews for all Amazon.com product categories as well as related product images. The new version will allow customers to access product information for all Amazon.com categories.

Some of the new features include extended Search functionality, Amazon Wish List Search and improved usability for working with the API's, allowing developers to build their applications more quickly and efficiently.

ECS 4.0 makes it possible for new types of applications to be built and for developers to significantly improve existing ones to offer better customer experiences.. Using the increased product information and image access in ECS 4.0, WWWinkazon now allows users to view illustrated product information from all Amazon.com categories.

Amazon also says AWIS will be available free during its beta period and will deliver access to developers to more than 100TB of data from more than 4 billion Web pages searched by Alexa's Web Crawl system.