EA's acquisition of gaming company ESN is the latest evidence that we're headed for the cloud. That's good news for gamers--and the publishers and console creators who can keep up.

The fog is starting to clear on Windows Phone 7, and Microsoft today confirmed its hardware partners. And they include some very heavy hitters.

As is my custom with all parties, I arrived to the Win7 hoopla promptly at 10 a.m., ready to sample the wares: coffee, biscuits, and a whole lot of hardware. In fact, there were so many dozens of netbooks, TVs, gaming beasts, and weird in-between devices on display that you'd hardly know this was a Windows launch.

Also on display: the adorable five-year-old from the commercials, who Steve presented with a gift on-stage: not a copy of Windows 7, but a pink netbook. More hardware?