Windows Live Mesh

Microsoft announced in August, 2010 consolidation of two products with similar functions – Windows Live Mesh and Windows Live Sync – in one which will carry the name Windows Live Mesh and will include the best of these two programs. The solution to switch to the name Windows Live Mesh upon termination of the period of beta testing is explained by the fact that it comprises not only the idea of synchronization, but also captures the technology essence more fully.

Based on beta testing, based on the user feedback, Microsoft made the following changes to a new product:

• The online storage is more: we increased the size of online storage from 2 GB to 5 GB and we continue to aim at making virtual synchronization of almost unlimited amounts of files between computers it is simpler;
• It is more than information: users will be able to find dead files, to see the file name and date of the last update;
• Synchronization of the hidden files: users will be able to synchronize the hidden files and folders;
• New name: By Windows Live Sync it will be renamed into Windows Live Mesh.

In the course of beta testing it was found out that the average user works more than with 675 files of the average size of 1.8 MB and uses 240 MB in "cloud" storage. Since in June the company submitted the beta of service, more than 240,000 people tried Windows Live Sync, and a huge number of responses in a forum and comments on our website was received.

Many users noted inability of the program to synchronize the hidden files so this option was added. A large number of responses was caused also by impossibility to see missing files in synchronized folders. Now after the made changes of Windows Live Mesh detects the missed files, it is possible to see a name and last modification date of the file.

Users mainly synchronize files between different PCs (or Mac). Synchronizing files in a cloud, beta users of the program receive 2 GB of "cloud" space; at the same time only 2% of these users need more than in 1.5 GB.

In this version of a product combination of Sync and Mesh, but not the consolidation SkyDrive and Mesh was made. And it means that users continue to work with two different to services, the having different characteristics and different capacity.

SkyDrive offers sufficient amount to exchange documents and photos with friends, family and colleagues; Hotmail contains necessary space for storage of letters, calendars and the contact list. Windows Live Mesh allows to synchronize all files and folders via your PCs and other devices, but also, provides enough place for storage of the most important files.