James Kendrick:

Version 2.2 bakes tethering right into the OS. An Android 2.2 phone can supply the data connectivity for any device over Wi-Fi with just a few simple steps. Laptops can also be tethered via a USB cable. It is important to note that even though this is now integrated into Android, the carriers will have final say on whether a given phone will have this activated, and how much it will cost to use.