So the desire for success in the high-stakes consumer market will drive many companies like Microsoft, Sun and Cisco into a plug-and-play business model.

CNN: Home, sweet networked home

The differences between a company like Amazon and a small specialty player illustrate the disparities between a market-share model, designed to serve as many products to as many people as possible, and a customer-focused approach aimed at developing deep loyalty from shoppers, according to Kahn.

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Only in the world of personal computers could a company like Apple, essentially a has-been reduced to a miniscule market share, introduce a throwback model distinguished only by a differently colored plastic box, and have it treated by the media as if it was a history-making event.

FORBES: Malone's musing

Just like Neff himself, the Neff-based model often treads into the most unloved parts of the market.

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