Intel Remote Wake keeps sleepy computers ready

Intel Corp. has created a line of motherboards that would allow a computer to be awakened from sleep mode to perform such tasks as receiving a phone call over the Internet or downloading a digital television show.

Now the world's largest microprocessor-maker hopes to convince computer-makers that consumers will want desktop PCs built around its Remote Wake motherboards, which should be available in about a month. Without this wake-up feature, PCs have to be left on in order to take calls or perform downloads, which burns energy and costs money.

"This is certainly something we're taking seriously," said Intel spokesman George Alfs. Alfs said the genesis of the wake-up feature came from business customers. The technology was originally designed into business PCs that are part of corporate networks and was developed so that network managers could awaken PCs during the night to update their software.