We live in a connected world that is steadily becoming more connected every
day. As wireless devices like laptops, cell phones, digital photo frames and
more become common, getting data to and from these devices is growing in
importance.
To help make this task easier, Microsoft announced
a new program today called Live Mesh. The application uses the internet as
a data hub allowing users to easily synchronize images, video and other data across
computers, phones and other devices.
The application would allow users to do things like take a picture on their
cell phone and have a digital photo frame at home display it a few minutes
later. The program is reported to be in beta status and limited to 10,000 U.S.
testers and computers using Windows.
Microsoft reportedly has plans to roll Live Mesh out to other computer
operating systems including Mac OS X, cell phones and other devices over the
coming months. Bill Gates’ replacement Ray Ozzie was the man behind the idea
for Live Mesh and he wrote in a memo to Microsoft employees, “As our industry
has evolved because of this Web-catalyzed services transformation, so too has
Microsoft.”
Live Mesh is further proof that Microsoft is beginning to transition from
software and services that are resident on local computers to an online and
distributed type of software. Microsoft also is considering
new subscription methods for its big money making Office applications like
a subscription service or totally ad supported offerings.
Reuters quotes Jonathan Yarmis, an analyst form AMR Research as
saying, “We may be seeing signs of a Microsoft that is newly focused. This is
exciting because it has as much to do with who is doing it as what Microsoft is
doing."