Amazon has joined the ranks of others who offer cloud computing technology as part of their services.

The company announced Cloud Drive and Cloud Player for the Web and Android, a new Web-based service that lets you store your music and other files in the cloud and access them on the go. Streaming music is possible using a Web-based player compatible with the Mac and PC as well as an Android application.

The online retailer has taken on rivals Apple and Google (News - Alert) with the service as both Internet giants have been planning their own forays into music streaming. The move also represents Amazon's repositioning as an entertainment destination rather than just an online marketplace.

Another element of the service, Amazon Cloud Drive, works like a "digital music locker" where users can upload thousands of songs and listen to them via Cloud Player on any computer or Android (News - Alert) smartphone.

The two players will let you stream any of the music you've stored on the Cloud Drive. Tracks will play at the bitrate you uploaded them in, with the players themselves offering controls to upload and download tracks, as well as managing playlists. The Android version also comes with the Amazon MP3 app, allowing you to purchase new tracks from Amazon's digital music store.

"We're excited to take this leap forward in the digital experience," said Bill Carr, vice president of Movies and Music at Amazon. "The launch of Cloud Drive, Cloud Player for Web and Cloud Player for Android eliminates the need for constant software updates as well as the use of thumb drives and cables to move and manage music."

Amazon will charge for the Cloud Drive service but anyone with an Amazon account will get 5GB of free storage. That is less space than the smallest iPod Touch, but is likely to get plenty of users who might later decide to pay for more space to try the service.

"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," said Carr.

In other cloud storage news, Cirtas – a 2010 Red Herring (News - Alert) Top 100 North America Company that works to make cloud storage work like on-site storage arrays –is suggesting what companies can do about a set of data, referred to as “Semi-Active Data” (SAD).

“What’s interesting is that in most organizations the largest bulk of their information fits neither of these characteristics – it isn’t highly active and it isn’t completely dormant,” Cirtas officials wrote in a recent blog post. “It’s the ‘data in the middle’ and it’s very hard for IT administrators to effectively predict and manage its usage.”

The solution, according to Cirtas, is to turn to the cloud.

Michelle Amodio is a TMCnet contributor. She has helped promote companies and groups in all industries, from technology to banking to professional roller derby. She holds a bachelor's degree in Writing from Endicott College and currently works in marketing, journalism, and public relations as a freelancer.

Edited by Carrie Schmelkin