Microsoft wants to enable cellular PCs, but will carriers bite?

Trying to find Wi-Fi when traveling can be a frustrating exercise. So much work often requires an internet connection, and while it’s possible to tether smartphones to PCs to help bridge the connectivity gap, it can be a clunky solution.

Microsoft is aiming to help with that by supporting the installation of non-removable programmable SIM cards and data radios in PCs and Windows tablets. In the company's vision, users will then be able to purchase cellular data for those cards through the Windows Store. The announcement was made Thursday at the company’s WinHEC conference for device manufacturers in Shenzhen, China.

By enabling the new form of internet access, Microsoft could give users an easy way to get online right from their computer, and encourage manufacturers to build cellular-capable devices. Users would also get settings to help them better manage the use of data plans, so it’s easier for them to control how much data apps can suck up.

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