t's also a member of the Symbian consortium. Strother feels that the biggest immediate potential for Linux-based smart phones lies in Asia, particularly in China, where government authorities strongly favor nonproprietary software. "Motorola's idea is that, if the Chinese TURBOCHARGING DATA are going with open-source for servers and other corporate and govern- ment systems, then it makes sense for them to come up with handsets that are Linux-based." 2.12.5 Nanowiring A new generation of cheaper, lighter, and more powerful mobile phones, PDAs, and other mobile devices could arrive within a decade, thanks to a nanotechnology breakthrough made by Harvard University researchers. The researchers recently demonstrated that they can easily apply a film of tiny, high-performance silicon nanowires to glass and plastic. The development could lead to an array of futuristic products, including disposable computers and optical displays that can be worn in clothes or contact lenses. Currently, amorphous silicon and polycrystalline silicon are considered to be the state of the art materials for making electronic components such as computer chips and LCDs; however, silicon nanowires are considered even better at carrying an electrical charge. Although a single nanowire is one thou- sand times smaller than the width of a human hair, it can carry information up to 100 times faster than similar components used in current consumer and business electronic products. Scientists have already demonstrated that silicon nanowires have the ability to serve as components of highly efficient computer chips and can emit light for brilliant multicolor optical displays. But they have had difficulty until now in applying these nanowires to everyday consumer products. "As with con- ventional high-quality semi-conducting materials, the growth of high-quality nanowires requires relatively high temperature," explains says Charles M. Lieber, head of the research project and a Harvard chemistry professor. "This temperature requirement has-up until now-