I'm new to home brewing, but I recently wrote a blog about similar devices to the Picobrew system that you might be interested in taking a look at. It's on my new blog,
Brewing by Night
I think these automated home brewing machines are good for people who want to brew their own beer but don't have the patience for making it from scratch. Oginme has a good point; the devices certainly would appeal to those who simply want to drink a beer they've 'made'.
The machines take the complexity out of the brewing process, but they're also taking away any opportunity to get creative because you end up with a machine that can only do one thing. I likened them to Nespresso machines that take away the art of a barista.
It makes me wonder about the motives of those who use the machines. If they wanted something on their bench top that quickly brews a beer with little fuss and ready to drink, why wouldn't they just go to a shop and buy something already bottled? I guess is that it's the same reason people by bread making machines?