Rich mentioned Power over Ethernet (lopomo: Line-powered VoIP), a method of providing power to networked devices through the ethernet cable itself. This eliminates the power supply at the device itself, but requires the swith or hub to provide the power. An article on powermanagementdesignline.com (try to remember that url!) discusses the growth of PoE:
PoE not just "emerging" anymore: "In fact, new instances of PoE powered device applications are already coming to market. Security cameras and access control equipment rather quickly adopted the technology and on the horizon are other segments such as small office/home office (SOHO) systems, medical diagnostic equipment, RFID systems and others."
Since larger power supplies are easier and relatively cheaper to make efficient, centralizing many small power supplies at the switch or hub has the potential to save energy. Size and heat concerns will no doubt require the use of switching power supplies, but there is still bound to be much room for improvement, providing another good oportunity for standards.
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