Somewhere in Microsoft's vast Redmond, Wash., corporate complex, a new wireless strategy is percolating. The computing behemoth wants to bring Windows to mobile devices, continuing its dominance in the operating system world. But Microsoft being Microsoft, the company is trying to create its own rules. Instead of following standard channels like selling OS licenses to vendors and allowing them to push Microsoft products, the software maker is going directly to carriers. The logic is sound: Carriers, especially in the U.S., control the prolifation of the world's mobile devices. Heading up Microsoft's new initiative is Pieter knook, corporate vice president for network services and mobile devices. As his tide implies, Knook isn't just hawking PDAs and smart-phones-he previously oversaw Microsoft's carrier division and was also head of Microsoft Asia. Now Microsoft wants him to focus on wireless, hoping he'll leverage that expertise into carrier agreements.
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