The company's own job listings, for instance, have allowed Google watchers and followers to spot advance signs of everything from its online office suite to a possible foray into the travel business.

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Microsoft announcing its gratis forthcoming Office suite online reminds us how lucky we are to again have such competition.

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Google has shown no interest in leasing out its vast infrastructure, but it is challenging Microsoft with a suite of online applications akin to Office.

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Microsoft itself has launched Office 365, a cloud version of the Office suite, as well as hosted services like Exchange Online, Sharepoint Online and Lync Online.

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That package includes online e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets and document sharing, much like Microsoft's cash cow Office suite.

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