Comment 87 for bug 524281

OK I tried the power2 kernel and there is a definite improvement. Here are the latest powertop numbers:

Wakeups-from-idle per second : 207.9 interval: 15.0s
no ACPI power usage estimate available
Top causes for wakeups:
  27.3% ( 33.8) [kernel scheduler] Load balancing tick
   0.7% ( 0.9)D gnome-settings-
  12.3% ( 15.3) [extra timer interrupt]
   9.8% ( 12.1) [iwlagn] <interrupt>
   9.8% ( 12.1) firefox-bin
   8.9% ( 11.0) nautilus
   8.1% ( 10.0) syndaemon
   3.4% ( 4.2) [TLB shootdowns] <kernel IPI>
   2.5% ( 3.1) Xorg
   2.4% ( 3.0) [kernel core] hrtimer_start (tick_sched_timer)

You can see substantial reductions in the wakeups from all three kernel sources as well as the total number of wakeups. The reductions are pretty much consistent with the numbers reported in the kernel thread.
Also subjectively the laptop does appear to be running a bit cooler (maybe 4C).

Just for clarification Brian, you patched with the second patch in the thread right? (two were mentioned and the second was better).

Looks like there is still room for improvement but at least this is progress. Pretty simple patch too by the look of it.