Sure, Microsoft announced the business version of Office 365 a while ago, but previous efforts at a rental model by the Redmond company were less consumer focused, in no way a Netflix of productivity but instead awkward first attempts to fast-follow Google and others into the software as a service space while not really feeling it.

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Apotheker says they are already in the private cloud space, and will offer platform-as-a-service, including some vertical market applications.

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Like other new services such as space-rental service Airbnb or car-sharing service RelayRides, Gobble distributes a market to a wide variety of people and makes a market much more accessible.

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To understand how onerous these rules are, consider the decision of Google, a recent entrant to the broadband space, not to offer voice service as part of its Google Fiber offering in Kansas City.

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Eleftheriou said that this is in the interest of a "more open keyboard space, so that more innovations can happen in the area, " but also as a service to the blind community, which was Fleksy's original target audience.

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Although the data speeds (at only 2, 400 bps) are not as zippy as a satellite link, the service is cheaper and keeps going if solar flares or space debris hit satellites, says the firm's boss, David Kagan.

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Travelzoo ventured into the social commerce space in August 2010, by launching a local deals service which enables customers to purchase vouchers for local businesses such as spas and restaurants.

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Though they're clearly keeping mum on the subject, it does seem a delivery service would be in line with Google's recent moves in the commerce space, such as the acquisition of locker startup Bufferbox and e-commerce firm Channel Intelligence.

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