Go ahead and nap, PC. We'll wake you when we need you.

It's cool to be green these days - and what easier way to save some energy than to put your computer to sleep at night. But when the computer goes down for a nap, so does the Web connection. That means services like Internet telephony, software updates and subscriptions are met with the equivalent of a "Go Away. Baby's Sleeping" sign on the front door of a home with an infant inside.

But Intel's Remote Wake technology, which allows services to wake your computer, changes that. Already, a handful of companies have lined up to announce and showcase their use of the technology. JAJAH, a Web telephony company, said the technology opens the doors to a global IP-based telephony service. Previously, incoming calls handled via the Web were not received because the machine was in sleep mode. Likewise, Orb Networks - which synchronizes media to the Web for access from other Web-connected devices - is a partner. So is movie download service Cyberlink and Pando Networks, which allows sharing of large files over the Web. (Pando has a demo of Remote Wake on its site.)

Here's one thing: Apparently, the technology "wakes" the computer remotely but leaves the monitor on the remote PC dark and disables the audio on it so it won't disturb anyone who may be nearby. I haven't been able to figure out if it puts the machine back to sleep when it's done doing its thing. Having been a parent of a newborn, there was nothing worse then someone waking the baby from its nap and then leaving without putting the baby back down to finish his or her nap. Anyone know if Remote Wake also has a Remote Back To Sleep feature, too?