Michael Lotz has provided an updated version of his cpu-fix driver (which allows CPUs >2Ghz to operate correctly under BeOS), and added a system_time_patch, which forces BeOS R5 (net_server and BONE) to use the kernel version of the system_time() function for time calculations.

The impact of this is now that Intel SpeedStep processors which are supported by the Intel SpeedStep Centrino driver will, when speed adjusted, actually affect the OS's perception of processor speed. This will fix timing bugs in media players, and any other related problems being experienced. SpeedStep is not the only powermanagment with BeOS drivers, however, with Transmeta's LongRun being similarly supported.

With modern laptops coming close and closer to using identical hardware to desktop computers, power managment will soon be the only area of difference - where once it was specialised graphics processors and sound cards as well as PCMCIA for all expansion. SpeedStep support goes a long way towards increasing operating time on modern power-hungry laptops.