The offering, called Google Apps for Your Domain (https://www.google.com/a/) comprises Google services that all have seen the light of day: Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar and Google Page Creator.

Notably absent from the menu are Writely (http://weblog.infoworld.com/techwatch/archives/007558.html), and Google Spreadsheets (http://spreadsheets.google.com/), which respectively provide basic word-processing and spreadsheet functions that would be essential for a productivity suite, a la the more feature-rich Microsoft Word and Excel. Also, Google has yet to unveil an application that could rival Microsoft PowerPoint.

With Google Apps for Your Domain, organizations can tailor the included applications' UIs with their own branding, and they can pick and choose which services to use. Moreover, there's a Web-based management interface through which admins can manage their user account list, set up aliases and distribution lists, and enable the services they want for their domain. End-users will be to access their apps from any Web-connected computer.

For the time being, there's one package available, the Standard Edition. Still in beta and free to use, it offers 2GB of e-mail storage per user as well as customer service for admins via e-mail or an online help center. According to Google's announcement, organizations that sign up during the beta period will not ever have to pay for users accepted during that period (provided Google continues to offer the service).

The Standard Edition may meet the needs of mom-and-pop Web sites and other such small organizations, but not larger companies. However, Google says that a premium version of the package is under development "for organizations with more advanced needs. More information, including details on pricing, will be available soon."