Windows Live Mesh went live yesterday to somewhat understated fanfare.

live mesh

Easily buried under the Apple's MobileMe announcement and launch, Live Mesh was announced way back in April by Ray Ozzie, Microsoft's now chief software architect.

What Live Mesh does is create a way to keep all of your files synchronized from your laptop to your desktop and now it's been confirmed to work with your web-enabled mobile phone.

Yes, folks, another "cloud" service to go along with the dozen of other solutions out there including Microsoft's own FolderShare and Windows Live SkyDrive. Not to mention the much discussed Apple offering, MobileMe.

That hint of sarcasm you read is my own knee-jerk reaction to putting too much stock in keeping my data in someone else's hands. Yes, I know, it's safe and is the trend. And yes, there have been times where I've wished I had a file at my disposal when away from my primary computer.

Still, and call me paranoid, I'm not there yet in trusting too much of my "stuff" to be floating around on someone else's servers. Especially when a federal judge has the power to "force" a company to turn over the names and IP addresses of it's users as is happening in the Google / YouTube / Viacom case that we reported here on MorninPaper a couple of weeks ago.

On the other hand, I'm not saying it isn't useful. I'll admit to using SkyDrive when I know I will need to work with a document at another location. It is easier to upload it to the net and then back down when I get wherever I'm going without having to worry about thumb drives.

On the other-other hand, it's only a document or two, and only when I know, in advance, I will need it.

I haven't signed up for it yet but the beta is open to whom so ever will give it a try. It will work with Macs, PCs, the iPhone and Windows Mobile or any thing else you can use to access the Internet.

Let us know what you think.

Windows Live Mesh sign up page

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