This is a legitimate question. While in grad (yes engineering grad school in '04-'06, the classroom was full of laptops being used primarily for IM'ing and surreptitiously poking fun at the instructor and other student during presentations to the class and for checking sports scores. Oh yeah, and the occasional web search for something relevant to the class. Note taking, scoff! scoff! The notes are usually already available in the form of hand-outs, and/or powerpoint presentations which are readily downloadable. I would have much preferred a more thoughtful dialog from these distracted students. The act of listening and actively summarizing the information on paper is an extremely effective, time-proven method of assimilating the material.

Another stroke of brilliance (sarcasm) and another brick in the wall. I wonder what kinds of discussion occurred and with whom at Intel's marketing department on how they would sell this to the "sleeping lemmings". Where might such a requirement might have arisen? Incorporation of a mobile 3G transceiver onto the die doesn't come for free. Speculation: Can you spell US government subsidy to INTEL for each Sandy Bridge Processor sold? This is or may become a path for surveillance of non-internet connected computers with a handy marketable AntiTheft angle. Security asset? This is an I/T security nightmare! This should yield some interesting posts in the future as we read how this access point will be exploited. If this story is true, one should think twice about purchasing INTEL CPUs. Consider other processors and virtualized Intel machines.

I remember when a "crazy-like-a-fox" man named Richard Stallman wrote, in his Free Software Manifesto Article which appeared in Dr. Dobbs Journal in the 80's about making and distributing world-class software completely free of charge in an effort to foster the free and open interchange of s/w technology and ideas. The outrage and cry from the software industry was just as threatening and abusive at that time as comments from music industry executives on Prince's announcement. And what has come of all of the dire predictions from those s/w industry executives? The predictions were dire indeed only for those companies that were out of gas having nothing more to offer and who had stagnated. Their dying gasps (and money) were and still are being expended funding lawyers to find ways to buy time, stave off progress, and, in general, hinder the open sharing of s/w technology. Does this ring any bells? Can you spell Santa Cruz Operation (SCO)? There are others as well. The dying gasps of an industry that is bankrupt of ideas and likely not serving their customers or clients is best identified as such when they turn to the use and abuse of law to slow down or stop change in their industry. Write it on a rock. Distribution is changing. Old limited distribution and payment models do not suffice or serve the needs of customers or their clients but only serve the needs of a bunch of stiffs who have abandoned their first love - Music. Yours truly, Future Expressionist