My argument is that, certainly on laptops, ultraportables and netbooks, but also and perhaps to a slightly lesser extent, tablets, smartphones and even desktops, TPM chips should now be everywhere and encryption should be simple and intuitive if not completely automatic and seamless (as it is on some new high-end hard disks). The amount of data we all have and carry around with us now is incredibly valuable, not just to us but also to others. With the prices of TPM chips at an all-time low, I really can’t see why we’re not seeing ubiquity here in the way they are implemented.This article makes interesting and compelling points about mobile device security and how to radically increase the security of the data stored on mobile devices. This is a real issue and it's only going to become more pressing as more data is stored on more mobile devices.
When making decisions about security, individuals must determine the type of event they wish to secure themselves against. The more extreme the event, the more extreme the security precautions. More extreme security precautions are more costly: they're more expensive and they impose additional delays even upon the "good guys".
TPM architecture as described in the article is no different. It imposes manufacturing costs, slows down the computer's operation and is more subject to hardware failure. The market forces in mobile computing are telling manufacturers "make 'em cheaper and faster", not "make 'em more secure."
I predict, however, that the market segment represented by the article's author will grow.
