Microsoft News Tracker

Mary Jo Foley has the latest buzz on Microsoft’s rumored home server product:

Microsoft is definitely going to talk — at long last — about its plans for Windows Home Server (code-named “Quattro”) at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, according to my sources.

But what will this product be? That’s still murky. Will it be based on the Windows Server core? Or be some kind of Windows-Vista-based system? Or more of a package of Vista Ultimate plus some Media Center Extenders, plus a router? Will the Windows Home Server systems be AMD-based? Intel-based?

I’ve heard from a couple of folks that, contrary to initial belief, Windows Home Server will be a Vista-based system, not a Windows Server-based one.

Simplifying Windows server administration is probably a tougher nut than spiffing up Vista for a “light” server role, but it will be interesting to see what Microsoft can add that makes Quattro sufficiently better than ordinary workgroup (i.e. P2P) networking between client systems to justify whatever price point is chosen. It will also be interesting to see if the home server operating system can be purchased at retail or is only available via home server systems from hardware vendor partners.

Rumors abound that Ford is going to announce a Windows Automotive based “operating system” for its vehicles:

Ford Motor Co. plans to unveil a deal with Microsoft Corp in January that will put the software company’s technology into some of the automaker’s cars, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The system, to be called “Sync,” includes a hands-free Bluetooth wireless system and an in-vehicle operating system that eventually will be an option for the entire Ford brand lineup, the WSJ said.

Sync is designed to allow hands-free mobile phone communication and other wireless information transfers in the car, including email and music downloads, the sources told the WSJ.

An announcement may come as soon as the Consumer Electronics Show scheduled for Jan. 8-11.