Barrett plays to sell-out crowd in Beijing

WITH THE ECONOMIC CRISIS looming large at IDF Beijing, Intel was forced to cancel a hot lineup of superstars and comedians and, instead, wheel out crinkly Chairman Craig Barrett to do the same speech he's done at the past five Chipzilla events this year.

Much in the style of a karaoke sing-a-long, to which you all know the words, Barrett hummed his favorite spiel about "technology as a tool" for improving education, health care, economic development and the environment.

As the mostly Chinese audience got to their feet for the chorus – some holding lighters aloft and swaying from side to side – Barrett used his best baritone to challenge developers to use their skills for something useful like tackling important world challenges, instead of piddling about making video games.

"Nothing beats investing in good people and good ideas," said Barrett, seemingly unaware that Intel, like most other tech giants, was actually in the process of laying off good people with good ideas. That's what happens when you recycle a speech written last year.

Blatantly hinting that Barack Obama should send some stimulus funds Intel's way, Barrett blathered that public-private collaboration was "fundamental in driving solutions that confront global challenges."

Barrett then went on to give away $400,000 of Intel cash to the four winners of the Intel Inspire Empower Challenge, launched last August. µ