But a new cordless technology promises to change all that.
And at first blush, the technology promised billions of dollars in savings.
"But this new technology also promises something else, new challenges to intellectual property and entertainment law."
The new technology also promises help for medical applications.
The new technologies promise to be useful even if computers remain far from perfect at recognizing images.
A recently patented technology, however, promises to revolutionize the protein-discovery process.
And for customers, the new technology promises a much higher level of security for electronic purchases than has previously been available on the Internet.
The technology promises to help those with paralysis achieve more independence, and is also being studied as a prosthetic control system.
Every new technology conceals risks within itself but also promises advantages.
Now a miraculous new technology promised to do what diplomacy could not.