| Microsoft updates cloud sync beta |
Jun. 20, 2008
 Microsoft has announced updates to its software and service offering aimed at synchronizing content and enabling remote logins between multiple desktop PCs and mobile devices. Currently in invitation-only beta, Live Mesh offers 5GB of cloud-based storage, plus remote access to devices in a "personal mesh."
When it launched the Live Mesh technology preview in April, Microsoft described Live Mesh as a "software-plus-service platform." Intended to integrate desktop and mobile operating systems -- including Windows Mobile, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Macintosh OS X -- it provides synchronization and remote access services similar to those offered by products like LogMeIn, GoToMyPC, and SugarSync.
While Windows Mobile and Macintosh OS X clients have been promised for some time later this year, the Live Mesh technology preview currently provides 32- and 64-bit clients for Windows XP and Vista. In an email to registered testers, Microsoft announced updates to these clients, touting the following list of refinements and bug fixes:- Removed the User Account Control (UAC) requirement when installing and using Live Mesh with Windows Vista SP1
- Index for Desktop Search now works with Live Mesh folders
- Fixed bug where an underscore in a Hotmail account name returned an "Invalid Hotmail Address" error
- Fixed bug with Silverlight 2 Beta 2 failing to load in Silverlight Media View
- Fixed bug where the notifier tooltip incorrectly indicated that Live Mesh Remote Desktop was unavailable for a computer running in non-admin mode
- Fixed bug where the Live Mesh folder icon was not displayed in the e-mail inviting someone to share a folder
- Fixed one of the bugs that caused Live Mesh to fail to start
- Fixed problem with Live Mesh returning errors when waking from sleep/hibernate
In addition to the above, invitations to the technology preview are now available to users in any English-speaking country, not just the U.S, says Microsoft.
Background
Users of the Live Mesh technology preview can log into Microsoft's Mesh.com website, where a personalized home page (below) lets them add one or more devices to their own personal mesh. Once appropriate client software has been installed on each device, designated applications, files, and folders become accessible from any of the devices, and changes made are propagated across the entire mesh, Microsoft says.
Microsoft's Live Mesh website
(Click to enlarge)
Of course, accessing or updating files on any device won't work if it is powered down. Therefore, Microsoft also provides what the company calls Live Desktop, a server-based storage space -- 5GB, in the technology preview -- that provides another synchronization point and a buffer for changes awaiting offline devices. Data stored in the cloud can be accessed remotely from any web browser.
An application provided with the Windows client software for Live Mesh pops up to provide users easy access to any device in the mesh (below left). It also permits sharing files with friends, family, or colleagues. In addition to tracking contacts' online status, the software provides an indication of who has added or made changes to shared files (below right).
 
Live Mesh permits accessing devices (left) and sharing files (right) via special Windows client software
(Click on either to enlarge)
Not to be confused with the "Live Desktop" mentioned above, Microsoft's RDP (remote desktop protocol) is also built into Live Mesh. Users can interact with the desktop of any connected device simply by double-clicking on it, Microsoft says.
To a large extent, Live Mesh is built upon web standards, including XML (extensible markup language) and REST (representational state transfer). It includes APIs for core services that include online and offline storage, syncing, and peer-to-peer communications. Ultimately, it could enable users to license applications for use across their "mesh," rather than installing them on individual devices. A blog posting by the Live Mesh team claims, "The programming model is the same for the cloud and all connected devices, which means an application works exactly the same regardless of whether it's running in the cloud, in a browser, on a desktop, or on a mobile device."
However, Live Mesh has drawn moderate criticism because some of its functionality does require Microsoft-only technologies. For example, the RDP support is provided via ActiveX controls, and only functions properly via Internet Explorer. Similarly, JPEG files stored remotely can only be previewed via Microsoft's Silverlight multimedia plugin.
Further information
For more information on Live Mesh, see our previous coverage, here, and on our sister site eWeek.com, here. To access the Microsoft Live Mesh blog, go here.
Users who already have Live Mesh client software will be automatically notified of the updates detailed above. Alternatively, they can click the Live mesh icon in the Windows system tray, then choose "Update Live Mesh" to force an immediate upgrade.
To join the waiting list to become part of the technology preview, go here (Microsoft Live ID required).
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