Part II: At the Microsoft conference a few weeks ago, I saw some really cool stuff so here is my top four:

1) Window Home Server Release Candidate 1
This is one of our best kept secrets so far.. but now it's out! It started with a vision that an always-available device on the home network was an essential ingredient of a Microsoft platform for the home. The result is a product that wowed the TechNet UK audience when it was shown for the first time in the UK. You can read more on the Home Server blog or download the beta.

2) Microsoft Surface
Think Tom Cruise in Minority Report. I watched in amazement as Bill looked at a screen and was dragging digital content around directly with his finger. With photos he could spin them round or change their size with a finger movement. At one point, he had a Zune on the screen, then he placed another Zune on the screen and could literally drag music from one device to the other.

3) Virtual Earth Screensaver
As recommended by Eileen, this uses Virtual Earth APIs which read RSS feeds to show interesting Virtual Earth birdseye and satellite images from users with information about those images.

4) Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000
It's a laser pointer, it's a media remote, it's a highlighter.