This article in the NYTimes talks about the new trend to implement wireless networks, and thus the communication programs they enable (IM, liveblogging, confab), in university classrooms and corporate conferences.

I for one have lamented the inability to have a private conversation in a larger meeting, and it is tough to physically design a space to support that. Perhaps IM is a solution? As the Blender takes off, this would be a good first tech functionality.