Microsoft Welcomes You To Your Home

""More than a decade ago, Microsoft execs, led by Chairman Bill Gates, were touting a future where .Net coffee pots, bulletin boards, and refrigerator magnets would be part of homes where smart devices would communicate and inter-operate. Microsoft hasn't given up on that dream."

Desktop computers, check. Laptops, check. Gaming console, check. Mobile phone, check. Home automation... it looks like Microsoft is intent on offering services for every aspect of your life. Their latest innovation comes to you in the form of HomeOS, a home automation system. Home automation is nothing new, and there are numerous specialized companies ready to offer you fancy, expensive automation systems so you can stand outside your home constantly turning your lights on and off from your phone. If you have an appetite for tinkering, there are more home grown solutions such as LinuxMCE, that while it handles media streaming, also integrates with many other things such as automation and security. Apple is slowly approaching this sort of service as well though right now, it seems mostly just focused on media.
I think that HomeOS could go really well, especially if it integrates with Windows Home Server. It would not make sense if you needed two separate servers to handle your home server-like needs. I have to wonder if there is a great use for this, as them young ones seem to be living a much more mobile lifestyle than before, and whatever you have at home is not as relevant anymore.

Skydrive Apps for iOS

"SkyDrive, Microsoft's online storage service, is one of the core elements of the company's cloud strategy."

And now, with these new apps for PCs, Windows Phone, Macs and iOS devices, Microsoft is making a play for Dropbox users. With these apps it adds a folder to your computer, and any changes to files in that folder are automatically sync'd to your iOS devices. But for new users it will cost you 18GB of storage since Microsoft is dropping the free storage amount from 25GB to 7GB. Microsoft says it's because less than 7GB is the amount most of their users have been utilizing. Another advantage for Windows users is the ability to stream or access files remotely via this app. I like the added functionality but not the decrease in storage. What are your thoughts, or do you even use Skydrive?