When will the Sudden Motion Sensor come into effect? After OS loading?

[Mic'sBook]

Just curious, I wonder when the SMS in the MacBook / MacBook Pro / MacBook Air will come into effect.

Will it work only after the Mac OS X is loaded (the Mac OS X Login screen)?
Or is it part of the System Management Controller (SMC), which handles low-level functions,
so it will still come into effect even without the Mac OS X?

Reference:
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964?viewlocale=en_US

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Will Mac desktops (iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro) have the sudden motion sensor in the future?
Just in case of earthquake... for what it's worth.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Arrandale]

Just curious, I wonder when the SMS in the MacBook / MacBook Pro / MacBook Air will come into effect.

Will it work only after the Mac OS X is loaded (the Mac OS X Login screen)?
Or is it part of the System Management Controller (SMC), which handles low-level functions,
so it will still come into effect even without the Mac OS X?

Reference:
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964?viewlocale=en_US

==========

Will Mac desktops (iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro) have the sudden motion sensor in the future?
Just in case of earthquake... for what it's worth.

Thanks in advance!

(i think, but am not sure that) the SMS works even when the laptop is powered off.
Carrying my laptop and turning it around I sometimes feel a mechanical swivel in there...