Interesting article over at CNET News – Fujitsu is one of the first to put a “high performance digital microphone” in their new ultraportable notebook, the LifeBook Q2010.
Quote: The membrane in Akustica’s AKU2000 is a chip made on standard silicon processes. Ultimately, the chip could lead to better voice quality on Skype phones embedded in laptops or more distinct sound on video captured by digital cameras.
Obviously it’s not a make or break feature at this point, but as Voice-Over-IP/Digital Telephony starts to become more and more accepted, it will be. Some companies are experimenting with getting rid of what I would call “traditional” phones altogether and going to a digital system, that could even be tied to their notebooks. If your business line was tied to your notebook, and you were traveling and had access to some kind of highspeed internet connection, you could accept and make calls just as if you were back in your office, without having to worry about long distance, and without people having to try and track you down, etc.