Microsoft preparing Live Folders hosting service
Could this be Microsoft’s tardy response to Apple’s now obsolete .Mac service, or a preemptive strike against Google’s rumored GDisk? Whatever the reason, they’re readying Windows Live Folders, an online file hosting service for Windows users. Live Folders will supply members with 500 MB of storage space and a web-based dashboard that will allow access to files from any machine with an internet connection. Initial reports indicate that there will be no desktop client, i.e. all uploading, downloading, and file management will be handled within the browser interface. Users can specify Private, Public, and Shared folders, with the latter category allowing you to share files with a group of approved users. This is an exceptionally basic offering, with many existing sites already offering far more storage space, features, and functionality. While Microsoft may have gotten the jump on Google’s GDisk efforts, you can bet that Google’s service will offer significant enhancements over Live Folders. The site isn’t live yet, but expect it to become available in the near future.
[Via Liveside]
This looks like maybe a somewhat beefed up version of the Foldershare online service that Microsoft purchased last year.