• CNET News.com, Wednesday, January 31, 2007 10:45 AM

Microsoft's Bill Gates won't go away when he steps down as the firm's chief next year, he'll just recede into the background, so no more media interviews with the tech guru.

Till then, he says, the company has a new strategy to shape. That would be moving more heavily into the world of ad-supported Web services, like search, maps and Web communications. We know all about adCenter and Microsoft's (lofty) goal of one day stealing Google's search throne, but what ever happened to Windows Live?

Gates says Live will work in concert with the new Windows Vista, but he neglects to say if Web-based services like Live will one day replace operating software.

Throughout the CNET interview, Gates waxes philosophical about the future of tech and the rapid shift toward personalization and customization in particular, but it's disappointing that he offers zero information about what the tech giant plans to do. He hints that Internet TV could become an aspect of such personalization, but this brings to mind services like Joost, not MSN. Will Windows Live, MSN Spaces and MSN Video converge?

Read the whole story at CNET News.com »