The folks at Sierra Wireless gave the wireless industry have shot in the arm by disclosing that its first-quarter results will be stronger than expected due to healthier sales of its AirCards and embedded modules. While the news is obviously positive, it also puts the focus on Sierra's interesting strategic direction. On one side, they are facing competition from Intel, which is trying to become a leading wireless connectivity player with its Centrino technology. This means Sierra has to push hard on development of its Aircards. Sierra's other strategic thrust is the new Voq smart phone, which is using Microsoft's mobile OS. This move will be intriguing to watch given Sierra's small size in a market dominated by huge behemoths.