"Cloud computing is hot, literally." So says a new report from Microsoft Research, which suggests that it might make a lot of sense for us all to install big cloud servers in our basements and use them to provide central heating and hot water. Behold, the Data Furnace.

This is a sad, sad day for loyal fans of Windows XP: exactly 999 days from now, Microsoft will officially end support for the operating system, dragging many of us kicking and screaming over to Windows 7 or Windows 8 whether we like it or not.

There's no denying that Kinect is a great sensor for the hacking scene and great for casual gaming on the Xbox 360, but what is this? Is Microsoft's next big gamble for Kinect really interactive advertising?

Today, only one in ten individuals is a heavy mobile shopper — but that statistic is likely to change soon. This infographic predicts world e-commerce sales (from your very own smart phone) to be $119 billion by 2015. Here Microsoft lays out stats reflecting our current mobile shopping habits and predicting them for the future. Shopaholics, rejoice!