Live Mesh

If you haven’t managed to get into the Live Mesh preview then I would recommend you trying it now:

We are doubling the upper limit of our technology preview program. Our technology preview is still limited to ensure great performance and experience for our customers. You can now use Live Mesh just by signing in to www.mesh.com with a valid Windows Live ID. No waiting list at this time!

If, like me, you are a non-US citizen then you can still register by changing system language localisation settings to US, just find the ‘Regional and Language Options’ in the start menu.

What’s so great about Mesh?

I hear this a lot, and all I can think of is the Internet sceptics of the early 90’s. Constant synchronisation of our data across devices is just the next natural extension of what the Internet has done for our productivity and communication.

More then that, Mesh is very very simple to understand and use. I even managed to get my girlfriend using it, she knows nothing about computers but she can install a program and then add folders to a ‘mesh’ and that’s all it takes, from then on background synchronisation takes care of it all and she doesn’t have to worry about backing up her folders.

How can I use it?

There are hundreds of ways you can use Mesh, the current technical preview is only scratching the surface of what this technology is capable of. Already Live Mesh tutorials and scenarios are popping up around the place.

Redmond Pie has just started a Live Mesh Scenarios Directory which compiles all the tutorials from around the web, its a useful resource. Liveside.net also has some good resources.

I use it mainly for backing up documents and photos as well as keeping my documents accessible from multiple places.