Microsoft Live Mesh: Syncronize Your Life!

It is not very often that Microsoft comes out with a new product that really manages to raise the collective eyebrows of the tech industry, but the latest gem to emerge from the software company may just have what it takes.

Microsoft, à-la Google, has released Live Mesh as a beta service. So what is Mesh exactly? In its current form, Mesh is a platform on which various inter-device services are run. These services include synchronizing data between your computers (even macs), mobile devices and an online “desktop”; remotely accessing your systems, and sharing data with your peers.

The truth is, this technology isn’t revolutionary by any means. Sync platforms have been around for ages, as have remote access solutions. In fact, the first thing I thought upon installing the software was “wow, this really reminds me of Microsoft Office Groove.” Groove was a solution developed by Groove Networks – a company since acquired by our jolly software giant – and incorporated into the Office platform. I’m seeing many of the same features here in Mesh. The difference is, this time around Microsoft is packaging it in such a way that it can be brought to the masses at a price they can appreciate: free.

The best thing about this platform is not necessarily what it provides today, but what it promises for the future. For now, the mobile support is limited to devices running Windows Mobile 6.1+. Eventually, the list of supported phones will grow. At the moment the features are rather limited which is great for simplicity and intuitiveness but lacking in flexibility. The promise of applications – accessible from any of the “meshable” devices and the online desktop is really quite appealing. That, coupled with 5GB of free online storage for all your files (which is sure to expand in the future) makes this a really interesting solution to automatically keeping your data in all the right places.

If this has piqued your interest at all, I encourage you to watch out for my review in the forums where I put the current beta incarnation through its paces.