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Microsoft will close Live Mesh and Windows Live Sync next year -- Windows Live Mesh 2011 is the future
Microsoft has informed the users of its beta Live Mesh sync platform that the service is no longer accepting sign-ups and will stop functioning altogether on March 31, 2011. Also, those who want to download Windows Live Sync are being told that this software is no longer available and already installed instances of it will stop synchronizing folders in early 2011. Windows Live Mesh 2011 builds upon these two services' combined legacy and will live on as part of the Windows Live Essentials package.
Confused? Let me try to quickly shed some light on what's behind the names.
Live Mesh beta is a sync-with-the-cloud service, that comes with a "desktop in the cloud," integrates with Microsoft's Skydrive (yet can only use 5GB of its 25 GB of storage) and allows remote access to any of your PCs. Windows Live Sync is a piece of software that syncs folders directly across computers. Windows Live Mesh 2011 basically incorporates the features of both soon-to-be-defunct services and also adds an interesting twist: syncing Internet Explorer Favorites and Microsoft Office settings across computers. The Skydrive storage you can use for Windows Live Mesh 2011 is still only 5GB, but that should suffice for most.
Windows Live Mesh 2011 is available as a free standalone download or as part of Windows Live Essentials. Oh, and one more thing: Windows Live Mesh 2011 works on Macs too. Consistency in branding? Who needs that anyway?
Comments
7
Subscribe to commentsJohnny KOct 13th 2010 4:11PM
This is too bad. I've been a longtime user of Live Mesh, and though progress definitely stagnated in the last year, it was clearly best of Microsoft's sync services. My favorite and most-used feature was the no-install remote desktop viewer... hopefully the incorporate a similar feature into WLM in the future
CoreyOct 13th 2010 4:44PM
To my knowledge the new Mesh will not working on Windows XP unlike the earlier versions.
Vlad BobleantaOct 13th 2010 7:00PM
Indeed, the new Mesh is Vista or later only. Microsoft seem intent on slowly cutting ties with XP, and to be honest, that seems like a good idea. After all, it is nine years old. Time for it to go, no?
Fatkid98Oct 13th 2010 4:47PM
I tried the beta of Live Mesh on my Mac. I didn't like it. I still prefer using Drop Box. It is better integrated on both the Mac side and the Windows side. The only downfall is the 2GB of free storage (vs 5GB). I would pay for more if I needed it though, that's just how well implemented it is.
JamusOct 13th 2010 5:50PM
I really wish companies would drop the Year Names from their products. Give me a regular version number any day.
Android underlingOct 13th 2010 6:58PM
Why is Vista in the screenshot? I am sorry, but that annoys me to no end. Windows 7 is whats current.
PrestonOct 14th 2010 1:20AM
I downloaded and installed the Mac client, but when I go to run it I get an error saying to make sure my computer is connected to the internet and run the app again. Anybody else have that problem?