But two developments mean that HomePlug - and similar in-wall technologies - are making a comeback. First, the latest HomePlug standard is fast - network speeds are 200 Mbit/sec., far faster than current Wi-Fi standards and about as fast as the forthcoming 802.11n products. Second, with all the talk of distributing home media, a lot of companies, including some Wi-Fi vendors and big vendors like Sharp, don't think the wireless technology is up to the task due to its still-unstandardized quality of service and other forms of interference that can occur.

The result: Even Wi-Fi stalwarts like Netgear and D-Link are selling in-wall networking products, which consist of gadgets that you plug into the wall, and then your equipment plugs into the gadgets.

Bottom line: HomePlug networking products still will never become huge best-sellers, but given up for dead by many observers, it is making a comeback as a solid niche player in the emerging home networking and media market.

The mine-is-bigger award

A standing joke at last year's CES was how three companies - Samsung, Panasonic and LG - all claimed to have the largest plasma TV in the world. The problem was, all three TVs were different sizes.