Utility applications for BPL--the smartening up of a dumb power infrastructure--may be the thing that justifies the technology for utility companies.

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But elsewhere in the world, Elop said his cheapest device would appeal as either a failsafe that users can turn to when their smarter handsets are struck dumb by power outage or as a novelty stand-in for costlier, bigger devices.

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In effect, this could reduce the home gaming hardware layer to a dumb terminal, with limited processing and power requirements.

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