General Powell Gets IT

Few people can captivate a room of government officials (and a handful of reporters) like Gen. Powell can. He had the crowd laughing, inspired and completely engaged the entire time, regardless of anyone's individual politics.

And while periodically these events will draw a crowd by bringing in a big name -- even if that name knows nothing about the subject at hand -- Powell spoke about technology and wireless enablement with an ease that could only come from someone with experience. He previously served on the board at AOL and soon after drove an initiative that led to the installation of more than 40,000 computers in the State Department -- one on every desk -- setting requirements for the rollout that ensured every employee had access to the latest hardware and software capabilities.

But beyond that, Powell emphasized a message that the channel sometimes neglects: the importance of what he called "brainware." Government still struggles with the move to the transitional world that requires a shift in people's understanding of communications. Without that, all the technology in the world won't make any difference.

"It's become a world of playing fields more than battlefields," Gen. Powell said. "The game is economics, and the countries playing are using the information revolution. We have to make sure we keep ourselves in the game."