Hopefully one of the apps is a web browser, it's easier to have a console that "does it all" than to have a HTPC in there to handle the stuff the console can't.
Of course you could just have the HTPC which depending on your budget could work out to be a solid performer, I have one but it's using my old hardware from previous upgrades haha.
[citation][nom]fir_ser[/nom]Microsoft is just going along with the flow.[/citation]
From what I perceive of them, they've been doing so for a long time already on many different areas, and failing their top goals regularly also. (counting out their mediocre results as goals)
Maybe they won't suck, or be money traps, or full of bugs, or crammed full of facebook like buttons, or maybe they might not try to invite your friends to download your free-to-play apps whilst pretending to be you. Then again I set my expectations too high.