Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Lucent Technologies, and other players all are jockeying to be the platform of choice for appliance computing.

CNN: Appliances get smart

Second, while the Asus Eee PC may have been closer to a computing appliance or companion than a PC, the deluge of netbooks from large PC companies such as HP, Acer and Dell that have followed have overwhelmingly run Windows and have been embraced by consumers as small and cheap, if underpowered, laptops.

ENGADGET: blogger-avatar

Google is announcing new features for its corporate search appliance, tying in social and cloud computing features.

FORBES: Google's New View of Business

Cloud computing is more like selling electricity, while getting all the appliance-makers to like you more than other utilities.

FORBES: Microsoft's Bob Muglia Says Good-Bye