Google's announcement of its application hosting service has renewed Web buzz that it will soon be banging heads with Microsoft Office by offering a full-blown, Web-based productivity suite.

The beta offering, dubbed “Google Apps for Your Domain”, is targeted at businesses that want to offer “stickiness” features — IM, e-mail and calendaring. Affiliates will be able to brand these applets with their own look and feel to make it appear that their companies are providing the services, but in fact they all will be hosted at Google’s Kansas-sized server bank.

The common thread here is that all the services are ideal vehicles for Google advertising products, which of course is how Google makes all its money. The one exception is a simple Web authoring tool that Google has thrown in as bait for small shops or individuals to sign on for its new apps package.

Find out more at ITbusinessedge.com.