It doesn't look like generating bitcoins it the best application of it:
The backers of 21 believe that the ability to generate small quantities of bitcoins is going to become a standard component in digital devices — just as a wifi chip is today. They envision a future where digital currency serves as a lubricant for a wide variety of electronic transactions that aren't possible with today's computers. If 21's technology works, it could deliver something technologists have dreamed about for decades: a practical system for paying for content and online services with tiny payments. For example, 21's technology could be used to power a jukebox that plays ad-free music, or a camera that automatically rents its own online storage.
I think that a chip probably isn't essential for most products though and bitcoin integration can be built in to the software though if prominent people have invested millions in it maybe I'm missing something.
